A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

Oh happy day! Seed mail! One of my Christmas gifts from DH this year was a chance to go a bit hog wild with the seeds, so I'm enjoying that present to the fullest!

The 'Rootbeer' corn (a selection of Casseipoia) came in! I'll say this, they weren't cheap with the amount of seeds they sent. I appreciate that, especially with corn.

The 'Morado' corn (@meadow was it you who originally posted about this corn?) and GOSH it is darker than dark. I've seen some dark seeds, but these take the cake!

More seeds!

The write-ups generally describe this flower - Helenium aromaticum - as smelling like gummy bears. Or they say the scent is like apple, mango, pineapple & strawberry all rolled into one! I got this for DD as I think she especially will enjoy this one. She's is always trying to preserve the scents of the peony and rose petals, with limited success, but I think this might be one she can capture. Apparently it's used in the soap world. Richter's says an alternate name is 'Manzanilla del Cello' - but I can't find a single hit with that name.

 

[heirloomgal]

Pepper update.
The Habanadas (left) are tooting along pretty well. My one little helmet head mangled seedling is catching up. The Peruviano Arancio only has one (of four) seedlings that really took off. There is one other small seedling that is under that leaf canopy, I'll need to transplant it I guess. One thing I so appreciate with peppers like this is that they have steady, even growth and can do well under lights for a long time.

I planted some 'Zavory' peppers that I saved seed from in 2019. The germination was 100%, which is odd because all the other peppers I planted I bought seeds for, and the packets nearly all said 2021/22 but their germination has not been near as good. Peppers are a mystery. There's one wierdo in the bunch that will have to be culled though.

'Brazilian Starfish', been wanting to try this one for awhile. I hope it's different than Nepalese Bell and Bishop's Crown, because I already have those 2. Depending on the photo they can look quite similar.

 

[Jack Holloway]

Pepper update.
The Habanadas (left) are tooting along pretty well. My one little helmet head mangled seedling is catching up. The Peruviano Arancio only has one (of four) seedlings that really took off. There is one other small seedling that is under that leaf canopy, I'll need to transplant it I guess. One thing I so appreciate with peppers like this is that they have steady, even growth and can do well under lights for a long time.


View attachment 54720

I planted some 'Zavory' peppers that I saved seed from in 2019. The germination was 100%, which is odd because all the other peppers I planted I bought seeds for, and the packets nearly all said 2021/22 but their germination has not been near as good. Peppers are a mystery. There's one wierdo in the bunch that will have to be culled though.
View attachment 54721

'Brazilian Starfish', been wanting to try this one for awhile. I hope it's different than Nepalese Bell and Bishop's Crown, because I already have those 2. Depending on the photo they can look quite similar.View attachment 54722

I'm assuming you know that the Capsicum chinense varieties take longer to sprout. Also, ones of species other than Capsicum annuum can take even longer, up to a year to sprout. Depends on species and variety. I've got to start mine next week.

 

[heirloomgal]

I'm assuming you know that the Capsicum chinense varieties take longer to sprout. Also, ones of species other than Capsicum annuum can't take even longer, up to a year to sprout. Depends on species and variety. I've got to start mine next week.

Actually, I didn't know that! The C.flexuosum pepper I knew could take way long, but not the chinense. I assumed the C. chinense were the same as the C. annums, I guess because they've both always sprouted pretty fast for me. I find even the frutescens sprout pretty fast. Well, that gives me a bit more hope that the stragglers might still sprout. I've never been able to get a Chiltepin to sprout though. Ever.

Might I ask what interesting specimens you have planned?

 

[Jack Holloway]

I'm assuming you know that the Capsicum chinense varieties take longer to sprout. Also, ones of species other than Capsicum annuum can take even longer, up to a year to sprout. Depends on species and variety. I've got to start mine next week.

First, I should point out that I correct the post from can't to can take longer. Usually C. chinese are started at least a month earlier than C. annuums are started. Some people start them January 1st, or even in the fall and then winter them over. They also need heat to start, so heating pads help a lot.

Not sure yet what I'm going to grow. I got some weird, varieties from various sources this winter. I will start some low or no heat habs as I know someone that likes the taste of them, but not the heat. I also got some Khang Starr varieties to try, as well as some older seed of out crosses that are almost stable to try. Not my out crosses.

Actually, I didn't know that! The C.flexuosum pepper I knew could take way long, but not the chinense. I assumed the C. chinense were the same as the C. annums, I guess because they've both always sprouted pretty fast for me. I find even the frutescens sprout pretty fast. Well, that gives me a bit more hope that the stragglers might still sprout. I've never been able to get a Chiltepin to sprout though. Ever.

The Chiltepin might be one of those that takes a year. I'm not sure on that though.

 

[heirloomgal]

First, I should point out that I correct the post from can't to can take longer. Usually C. chinese are started at least a month earlier than C. annuums are started. Some people start them January 1st, or even in the fall and then winter them over. They also need heat to start, so heating pads help a lot.

Not sure yet what I'm going to grow. I got some weird, varieties from various sources this winter. I will start some low or no heat habs as I know someone that likes the taste of them, but not the heat. I also got some Khang Starr varieties to try, as well as some older seed of out crosses that are almost stable to try. Not my out crosses.


The Chiltepin might be one of those that takes a year. I'm not sure on that though.

I tried the KS 'Lemon Starrburst' pepper this summer, it was pretty awesome. Lots of peppers.

I got them as a freebie from a new pepper company that arrived last year. I wanted only one pepper from them really - 'Chinese Thunder Mountain', where they look like spaghetti noodles. But the shipping was high, so I threw in a few others to make it worth it. Every pepper came true, except for CTM. What are the chances? As luck would have it, the 2 freebies I got, including Tigre Jalapeno, were my favorites - more so than what I ordered. I exchanged emails with the pepper company after and found out they grow thousands all in an open field, so yeah, it's surprising only one of the bunch was crossed.

 

[Zeedman]

I know! It's crazy that I'm accumulating all this corn and you can only grow one/year!

I am secretly rolling over the idea in my head of finding a field (renting it) where I can grow another type, so at least 2/year. It's a dream for now....

Well... you might be able to grow more. Not sure how much season you have; but if you start an early variety as transplants, then are able to direct-seed a variety with a later DTM, you might be able to use time isolation.

And if you REALLY want to grow more than one variety for seed - and have the time to throw at that project - you could use ear & tassel bags, and hand pollinate. I've considered it (and even have the bags) but I'll wait to see how much time I have for this year's garden before attempting such a project.

 

[Zeedman]

Just an addendum to my comments above, regarding time isolation. I've frequently done 2 separate plantings of sweet corn - of the same variety - two or three weeks apart. The second planting always makes up part of that time, so that I end up with a separation of only 7-10 days between the two plantings. The point being that days started early, or between different plantings, may translate to something less than math might suggest... so if planning time isolation, don't take DTM differences as gospel. I would recommend planning on 2 days of separation for every 1 day of DTM difference.

I've often wondered whether this variation in DTM could be explained by corn possessing photo-period sensitivity, or whether it is caused by more hospitable growing conditions in the later planting. Having observed something similar in soybeans - which are photo-period sensitive - it could go either way.

 

[seedcorn]

Corn plants can change their maturity due to planting dates, day length, etc. 90 day hybrids should be mature if planted 5/1 by 8/1-they won’t be.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Oh, just for reference, if someone DOES find a heat free C. pubesens, I suggest the name Rocot-no (with or without the hyphen).