A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

Elderberry flowers. The branches on the back of the tree were untouched by my furry visitor. I find them pretty even if short lived.

Soup peas are nearly 6 feet tall. All the rains have given the peas a real growth spurt.

Considering it's growing very far from Louisiana, the 'Louisiana Pole' is growing really well. I was worried about growing beans from such a southern location, but this one seems to be doing great.

Radishes and carrots growing together.

Tomatillos are quite large now. Another plant I was worried about growing considering it's origins. But it seems to be doing good so far. I hope I get a good harvest from the 4 plants!

Outdoor peppers. I learned a lesson with these. Never let the plants start to grow peppers until the plant is a good size. I let these start growing fruit right away which was a big mistake. Now the plants are stunted from directing growth into fruit not plant matter, and bearing much too large peppers for the size of plant. Oops!

Parsley peas finally flowering! Such a strange pea!

'Violet Sparkle' pepper.

Biggest soybean variety so far. I've not really researched what temperatures they prefer. I'm guessing they aren't thrilled with high heat.

1st sweet pea flower bouquet. Already regret I didn't plant more!

 

[digitS']

Your research should inform you about plant variety origins but, even at that, there may be surprises.

Hokkaido makes me think of the Sapporo Midori soybeans I had from @Zeedman a millennium ago . This is not soybean growing country, I guess. There are no farms with soybeans that I know of. Trying several from Zeedman and Manitoba and Sapporo Midori had names that sounded like good choices. They were outperformed by one of the other varieties ... But, "Manitoba" ... And, Sapporo was where they once held the Winter Olympics !

Talladega has been the nicest American slicing cucumber that I've tried. But, Talladega is in Alabama! I began growing leeks years and years ago. But, the British grow leeks!

The whatever-it-was didn't eat all my sprouting soybeans. Fortunately! They are growing and, unless attacked again, we should have edamame.

The elderberry bushes have just begun to bloom here, as well. HeirloomGal, do you make use of those for other than ornamental purposes! Serviceberries?

Steve

 

[heirloomgal]

Your research should inform you about plant variety origins but, even at that, there may be surprises.

Hokkaido makes me think of the Sapporo Midori soybeans I had from @Zeedman a millennium ago . This is not soybean growing country, I guess. There are no farms with soybeans that I know of. Trying several from Zeedman and Manitoba and Sapporo Midori had names that sounded like good choices. They were outperformed by one of the other varieties ... But, "Manitoba" ... And, Sapporo was where they once held the Winter Olympics !

Talladega has been the nicest American slicing cucumber that I've tried. But, Talladega is in Alabama! I began growing leeks years and years ago. But, the British grow leeks!

The whatever-it-was didn't eat all my sprouting soybeans. Fortunately! They are growing and, unless attacked again, we should have edamame.

The elderberry bushes have just begun to bloom here, as well. HeirloomGal, do you make use of those for other than ornamental purposes! Serviceberries?

Steve

So true about what we think will not grow well, or will grow well, and how we can be surprised. There's a few I've tried that really outperformed my expectations, like my sesame plants that are starting to bloom already - even the outdoor grown ones are sprouting buds. That's part of why I love experimentation I guess!

Aren't home grown leeks unbelievably, amazingly delicious? I grew out every variety I could find years ago, and made soup with all the results for a month or two - wow those were good. Some of the best soups I've ever made. Wish I could save seed from those.

The soybeans are eeking their way along. I got lucky last year I guess with how easy it was to both germinate them, and grow them. But I got 2 Gaia plants to survive, so I can at least try again next year if I feel like trying. Chiba was a total bust! I hope the rest of them do well.

I want to use the elderberry in some kind of preserve. I'm a bit afraid of canning methods, no skills or experience, so how to preserve them with health properties intact is the question. Same with the black currants. If you have any suggestions please do share I've been growing them both for years hoping someday to use them meaningfully.

 

[digitS']

I have no experience with preserving elderberries or currants with one exception.

Years ago, I made probably my best batch of wine with elderberries. Altho there are still some beer recipes in the drawer, it would be a task to come up with the elderberry recipe that I used .

Playing around with these sorts of things came to an end about 25 years ago.

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

First sesame plant bloom!
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'Canada Red' has been such a reliable rhubarb for me. Still harvesting tender stalks. Crumble is on the way.View attachment 41902

Taller bush on the right is 'Coco Rubico'. Been impressed by how quickly it grows, compared to the others.
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All the cucumbers have really spread out. Nice to see flowers appearing, wee cucumbers won't be too far off!
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Loving the pretty blooms of 'Schweizer Reisen'. Most of the peas this year have snow white blossoms, nice to have a splash of colour in the vegetable patch.
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So happy to have reached the 'coverage' stage with this bean patch so weeding is much reduced. Once a canopy forms only the footpaths need hoeing. I really like bush sticks for semi runner beans, they are plentiful, give no slivers and add a rustic feel to things. Easy to burn end of season too.
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'Blue Jade' corn is tasselling and probably appreciating the plentiful rain and warmth over the last while. Haven't grown a new corn in years, so curious to see how this one will turn out.
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'Black Russian' fava beans!
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'Red Sails' leaf lettuce. I'm an iceberg gal through and through, but with all the bean transplants, I didn't get lettuce transplants started. Heirloom icebergs are the cats' meow of all lettuces, and here, they last all summer long. 'Ice Queen' is a favourite and nothing at all like the icebergs used in the fast food industry.
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Last year's seed crop of 'Tom Thumb' popcorn. Somehow I forgot to pack this away after drying this winter, and found them in their drying box in an upper closet. I like glass for corn seed storage, but will have to figure out some other way with these.
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Try storing in a new metal trash can.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I want to use the elderberry in some kind of preserve. I'm a bit afraid of canning methods, no skills or experience, so how to preserve them with health properties intact is the question. Same with the black currants. If you have any suggestions please do share I've been growing them both for years hoping someday to use them meaningfully.

Your garden is amazing! I usually take all the elderberries off the twigs, no stems or leaves just the berries and I freeze them until I have enough to do what I want. There are recipes on the internet and you take the amount of elderberries needed and they are steamed with different things. I make it with cinnamon sticks, dried cloves, ginger. You strain it and add raw honey and keep in the refrigerator until used up. I have dehydrated some and mailed to my friend in Kansas. She made the kind with alcohol and I should do that but I never have, so to preserve them is either freeze or dehydrate until you are ready to make your recipe. I have steamed them in a steamer with blackberries and added sugar and had a fruit juice and I made elderberry jelly. It tastes good, but not for a tonic.

 

[Zeedman]

Elderberry flowers. The branches on the back of the tree were untouched by my furry visitor. I find them pretty even if short lived.

What is that I see peeking from behind the elderberries? Celebrating July 4th?

 

[heirloomgal]

Your garden is amazing! I usually take all the elderberries off the twigs, no stems or leaves just the berries and I freeze them until I have enough to do what I want. There are recipes on the internet and you take the amount of elderberries needed and they are steamed with different things. I make it with cinnamon sticks, dried cloves, ginger. You strain it and add raw honey and keep in the refrigerator until used up. I have dehydrated some and mailed to my friend in Kansas. She made the kind with alcohol and I should do that but I never have, so to preserve them is either freeze or dehydrate until you are ready to make your recipe. I have steamed them in a steamer with blackberries and added sugar and had a fruit juice and I made elderberry jelly. It tastes good, but not for a tonic.

Thank you @Gardening with Rabbits! I didn't know dehydrating them would work since they are so juicy. I'm going to try that!

 

[heirloomgal]

What is that I see peeking from behind the elderberries? Celebrating July 4th?

I love America all year round!

 

[heirloomgal]

Try storing in a new metal trash can.

I didn't think of metal! Good idea!