A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

Be careful; they're toxic raw or undercooked (actually, this is this is the first time I've heard of anyone trying to eat them; they're usually a curiosity ornamental.)

Oh, and it's a tropical vine/climber, so you'll need a greenhouse/indoor space with a LOT of room.

From what I've researched there are two types, wild and cultivated. It is the wild ones that are toxic, I imagine the cultivated ones have been bred away from that trait, the way lupini beans have been bred away from bitterness.

Sadly, I don't have plans to grow it, they'd never make it here. I posted the clip because I thought it was incredible how huge they can get and they don't even need to be planted in the ground. You just put one on top of the ground and it grows into a vine that produces these tubers, which most people say taste as good or better than potatoes.

 

[heirloomgal]

The most marvelous mail arrived today from the UK! It amazes me the generosity of seed savers worldwide . Did a wee trade - or so I thought - and today I found this in the mail! I would not have guessed they'd survive!! It has been quite a week of wonderful mail surprises!! Just 6 hours after planting and they seemed greener already!

I am thrilled beyond the beyond right now!!!! Top left packet has little bulblets in there!!!

Small problem occurring. The sunchokes sent to me in the mail over a month ago, that I've been overwintering in the fridge in pots with peaty soil - they're sprouting! And I can't plant them out until June?

 

[ducks4you]

Gonna have to pot them up and put them in a window for awhile.
At least they will make inside oxygen for you.

 

[heirloomgal]

Gonna have to pot them up and put them in a window for awhile.
At least they will make inside oxygen for you.

If I take them out of the fridge now and put in a window I don't think they'll make it. These are very tiny tubers, they probably don't have much energy in them to keep producing greenery in a too small pot. Last year I started them in pots pretty early not knowing what else to do with them because I got them in the mail in May, and because they grow so fast they got oversized pretty quickly. For now, I'm going to let them keep sprouting in the fridge and hope that slows them down enough to buy me some time. I guess this means if they were in the ground they'd be sprouting down there. Hard to imagine though, we had a lot of snow last night and the ground is hard as rock still.

 

[heirloomgal]

The planting of seeds has officially begun!

Bell peppers are all in, and about 1/3 have sprouted. Got all my new onion seeds in the ground, and the wee onion/leek bulbs. Planted 9 cotton plants tonight, and did the first round of tomato seeds. Mostly cherry tomatoes and dwarf types so far. Felt great to do that.

My new Brother label machine is AWESOME, I don't know how I ever managed without it. It's just glorious looking at the seeding tray full of perfectly uniform, nicely printed labels. I should have gotten one of these years ago! Thank you so much for the suggestion @Decoy1, I would never have thought of such a tool. I've never used one of these before; it was so simple to figure out too. 10 minutes of tinkering around and I figured out all I needed to work it. I needed 9 cotton tags and all I had to do was type in cotton and hit 9 copies! I got it with the idea in mind to avoid scrubbing tags, buying markers and acetone, but now I love it just for these beautiful tags its making!!

In the thrill of my new label machine, and realizing how a wonderful tool can REALLY make your life easier I went out and bought a new watering tool for seeds & seedlings too. Oh my gosh, this thing works AMAZING. No more seeds floating up to the top of the pot when you water it in with a watering can. Generally I like old fashioned ways of doing things, but this method of watering in seeds blows away any other watering method. It is almost like an electric waterer with the pump action, and the mist/spray is adjustable to my preference. It was only $17.99 too, and totally worth it. Another tool that I should have gotten long ago. Works absolutely wonderfully. Better late than never!