A Seed Saver's Garden

[Pulsegleaner]

i like it. trying to figure out how corn rhymes with hoodoo (other than remotely if it comes out as doodoo on the other end of the processing chambers )...

instantly it strikes me as something like what Dr. Seuss would write and those usually were interesting and some were definitely not PC (and are being frowned at now).

"Corn" and "Hoodoo" don't HAVE to rhyme, since "Hoodoo" is his title and will always be followed by "man" it'll never be the last word in a stanza. I have plenty of other synonyms to use in that case, like "spell", "curse" (a good one, since I can rhyme it with "worse") etc. Just because I use two words doesn't mean those two words have to rhyme.

It's a bit Dr. Seuss like, but I was planning to go for a slightly older audience, so I could use more complicated words. I was thinking more along the lines of what Orson Scott Card did when he wrote "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow". (where he, in verse, more or less laid out what would be the entire plot of one of what would become one of his Alvin Maker books, as well as some bits from some of the later ones, including from the last one he never wrote (and probably never will.)

 

[heirloomgal]

Maybe break down some corrugated boxes to place under the plants? Be sure that each piece has a fold or flap. They should be fairly easy to slide in & out, and when collecting the fallen seed, fold the board into a "V" to pour the seeds into a container. You could pull the corrugate sheets out when rain is expected... unless you want to prevent the seeds from hitting the ground & volunteering (and you have plenty of replacement boxes).

This is a really great idea Zeedman, very creative. I like the V idea for pouring the seeds elsewhere. I am finding that these flowerheads though are dropping their contents right at their own 'feet', straight down. Probably because many of these seeds are super tiny, and it only takes a little wiggle in the stem, and the seeds literally disappear. Most are tinier than poppy seeds.

I've been scratching my head since this flower seed collecting began, because most of my seed came from a relatively big seed company. So, they've got to be growing them en masse (or getting someone to) and likely in ground. They must have some kind of methodology for catching these itty-bitty seeds. I even emailed one of the smaller vendors and asked for some seed saving advice. They sent back a link to me which proved to, sadly, be of no help whatsoever. Maybe it's trade secrets! I think I'd need to spend some time working in the commercial fields to know the tricks. I'm surprised, but there is not much useful info on flower seed saving online either, aside from the easy ones like sweet peas or sunflowers. The big seeded varieties generally.

 

[heirloomgal]

Actually, I should have mentioned the relationship to my one good idea for a kids book ("good" in that when I mentioned it to my sister, the children's book editor, she basically said "If you wrote it, I'd be happy to find you the help you'd need (like an illustrator, since I am terrible artist) and facilitate it getting published, since it actually sounds like it would sell." Pity that 1. I am bone ass lazy 2. I had a idea all of the words should rhyme (i.e. it be a sort of long poem) which makes it MUCH harder and 3. I'm a little worried about it being seen as un-PC (in this day and age, I'm not sure if I could get away with using the word "hoodoo".

The idea of the story was a town in the 19th century Midwest who are preparing for the celebration of the annual corn harvest, and who fall afoul of a old Hoodoo/Magic man who hates the townspeople for all the happy noise they are making. The magic man then curses the corn so that it keeps growing taller and taller, making the ears too high up to reach and pick. The town is facing starvation, until a circus comes to town and helps them via first their bareback riders (who can stand up on horses) then the stilt walkers, and finally the, clowns on a fire

I love it @Pulsegleaner!

 

[Zeedman]

This is a really great idea Zeedman, very creative. I like the V idea for pouring the seeds elsewhere. I am finding that these flowerheads though are dropping their contents right at their own 'feet', straight down. Probably because many of these seeds are super tiny, and it only takes a little wiggle in the stem, and the seeds literally disappear. Most are tinier than poppy seeds.

Not sure if these are individual plants, in patches, or in rows? Maybe spun agricultural cloth (for weed suppression) would work better. I sometimes make over-lapping slotted circles to fit around my caged peppers, to keep weeds down. The 2 over-lapping layers have their slots on opposite sides, to provide 100% coverage. The same technique might work for seed collection, because the stem is completely enclosed. Not as convenient for collection as the paper "V", but it might work.

 

[heirloomgal]

While I won't be able to save seed from them, at least I can enjoy their increasingly blue flowers. I see that the flowers are used in desserts and drinks, so I thought I'd put some in water to see what happens. Nothing. At first. And then like some miracle, the blue begins to sail out as if in a watery mist. The colour is an incredible blue considering it's all natural.

First beefsteak tomato sandwiches for everyone today! Was DELICIOUS!
'Korshun Ogromnyi'

Swimmin' with the fishes

'Reza Macedonian'

Nicotianas are bulking up with more flowers, and very sticky buds! Like touching super tacky glue. Each time I collect a seed pod I need to scrub my hands after. Mercifully, these are easy as pie to collect if I'm vigilant. I see the odd bug seemingly stuck to the buds, I can't help but wonder if it kills them.

 

[heirloomgal]

Not sure if these are individual plants, in patches, or in rows? Maybe spun agricultural cloth (for weed suppression) would work better. I sometimes make over-lapping slotted circles to fit around my caged peppers, to keep weeds down. The 2 over-lapping layers have their slots on opposite sides, to provide 100% coverage. The same technique might work for seed collection, because the stem is completely enclosed. Not as convenient for collection as the paper "V", but it might work.

Most are in window boxes, very densely planted like a swath of grass. If only I could grow them upside down, with some white cloth below, all my troubles would be solved!

 

[heirloomgal]

Saved my first eggplant seeds for this season, my earliest variety being Listadia de Gandia. I can't recall how I removed the seeds last time I did eggplants, probably used my fingers to work the seeds from the flesh onto paper. I tried a new method this time, using a cheese grater.

Then I filled the bowl with water to decant the seeds.

A small percentage of the seeds floated with the debris, so I poured them off too. I read the floaters tend toward low viability, though I don't really know if it's true. I erred on the side of caution. It took about 4 rinses and they mostly came clean. I spread them on paper and set them under the oven hood with the fan set on high.

Feels good to get the first one done!

Picked my first 'Sart Roloise' today. Didn't taste it yet though...

Spent some time tonight shelling dried pea pods. A few crispy bean pods too. (Trying to keep 'dried things' boxes under control, unlike last year!) Am thrilled that I collected my first EVER lettuce seeds today. It's been nice and dry so the fluffy heads had no problems.

I discovered something irregular in my marigolds today. I bought Gem marigold seeds and planted them in a container, and I also bought some Lemon Gem marigold starts at a greenhouse this spring. I can't fairly compare their growth as one is in ground the other contained, but I believe now they are not both Gems as the seed heads are quite different. The Lemons make the standard needle neck heads that are thin and cylindrical, and you 'pull' the seeds out. The other one is making little poofy dandelion type heads with much smaller, more delicate seeds. I wonder which one is the real deal.

Am working at removing all the ripe hot peppers from the plants now. I've emptied half the greenhouse of pots already. Mostly they're all matured. Great job for kids, handing them a plant and pair of scissors.

Enjoying very much this fruitful time in the season.

I feel absolutely blessed with all the bounty!

 

[ducks4you]

Are you using kitchen vinyl gloves?

 

[Blue-Jay]

A small percentage of the seeds floated with the debris, so I poured them off too. I read the floaters tend toward low viability, though I don't really know if it's true. I erred on the side of caution. It took about 4 rinses and they mostly came clean. I spread them on paper and set them under the oven hood with the fan set on high.

This is true about floaters being low germination or not at all. That is because there is not as much food got packed into the seed so they are not as heavy and float. They also might have a poorly developed embryo or not one at all.

 

[heirloomgal]

Are you using kitchen vinyl gloves?

Not yet because I need to pester zeedman about the thickness needed and I feel shy to do it because he already told me last year.....but I've forgotten....and I know that can be very annoying....