A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

Coconut...

 

[Pulsegleaner]

You should get a Maxillaria tenuifolia, the coconut orchid. It smells like coconuts when it is in flower, but if I remember correctly, the scent is only in the evening, or is that morning? For the longest time, there was only the reddish and white flowered one. Now there is a yellow flowered one as well.

Based on what I saw on the web, there is now a black flowered species as well.

 

[Jack Holloway]

Based on what I saw on the web, there is now a black flowered species as well.

Yes, there is a black flowered species. I meant to only refer to Maxillaria tenuifolia species when I said there was now a yellow flowered one. Crosses amongst the Maxillaria species is also being done. Not sure what the results they are going for with the crosses. Maybe because it is there?

 

[Pulsegleaner]

More pansies.

This time, I did find some that are sort of "x-rays". There's one in the purple and yellow violas, and one in the blue ruffly ones.

The non ruffly blue ones I just got because each one has a blue that is WAY darker than I think I have ever seen a blue pansy get (there are somewhere between royal blue and navy).

The rest are just to get a decent number of matching ones (the yellow blotched violas) to make a coordinated showing.

There was actually one other group I was contemplating (since there were two nice cream violas with purple whiskers in there) but I decided enough was enough (even though, since she liked it, I'm pretty certain mom (who ultimately paid for all these) would have let me leave it in the flat. Maybe when I go back for more peat pellets I'll get it if it's still there (I grabbed 50 (that being the reason I went in the first place), but those will all probably be used up and occupied by TONIGHT (it's really frustrating when you can't safely direct seed nearly ANYTHING.*)

*Ironically, based on last year, I CAN actually direct seed cucumbers safely, since the seeds are too small for the critters to really bother with digging up. However, I'm fairly sure I CAN'T safely do the sunflowers directly (those oil filled nubbins will attract the squirrels and chipmunks like a magnet) and, since my plan is to use the sunflowers as the cucumber's support poles, they have to be in place first, so I have to do the cukes in pellets to make sure they get positioned correctly.

 

[heirloomgal]

Those ruffled ones!

 

[heirloomgal]

Seedling progress.

The okras are dividing themselves into 1 - those that stay fairly low, 2 - those that are growing loooong necks. Not sure what accounts for that, since they are all under the same lights. 'Cajun Jewel' is nice little low rider

These poor 'Penta Dragon' okras have been stuck with helmet head for at least a week. The seed packet was ancient, and who knows how old it already was when I bought it so this isn't too surprising. I've been spraying with water intermittently hoping to soften the shells, but so far no luck. They hopefully will work their way off on their own.

Loving the look of the 'Cheiro Roxa' pepper leaves.

@Jack Halloway the 'Shu' peppers are so variegated!

The 'Lemon Spice' Jalapeno's are doing well too. I'm excited to eat this one! Love jalapenos!

The 'Sugar Rush Stripey' peppers were set back a little when I was too heavy handed with the bonemeal, but they have since caught up! Thank goodness! This is another one where people rave about the flavor, and I'm so curious to see how 'sugary' they are!

I thought this was interesting, the 'Caixo' pepper has a little cluster of flowers developing; this is the way this variety grows its fruits, in little bunches or clusters like grapes. I wonder what color they'll be.

The 'Grenada Seasoning' peppers have the same tidy, compact nice little growth habit as the 'Goronong'. They're both C. Chinense so it could be related to the habit of that species. Either way, I really like them.

The 'Criolla di Coccina' peppers are such vigorous growers. They also have strange carbohydrate storage habits that shows up on the leaves; it's temperature related because when I put them out this weekend they stopped storing carbs in the leaves for the first time in awhile. It must be a uniquely sensitive variety to cool temperatures.

The eggplants this year were all SO slow to germinate. I must have had some not great luck with all my new packets; only one variety, 'The Bride' had good and vigorous germination. These were planted around April 1st, and we're only here The main thing is that they are all finally sprouting. That's 'Shooting Star's next to it.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

A quick snap I took while planting. THIS is what I mean when I say an "X-ray pansy"

 

[Zeedman]

These poor 'Penta Dragon' okras have been stuck with helmet head for at least a week. The seed packet was ancient, and who knows how old it already was when I bought it so this isn't too surprising. I've been spraying with water intermittently hoping to soften the shells, but so far no luck. They hopefully will work their way off on their own.

I get that a lot with my okra transplants. When you spray, be sure to cover the entire 'helmet'; for clinging seed coats of anything, I prefer to drip water from a straw. After 10-15 minutes, you should be able to carefully remove the helmets from the seedlings with leaves (you might need to gently squeeze & work the helmet to break it loose, the leaves are folded tightly inside). With a little practice, nearly all should come loose without damaging the cotyledons. I'll post photos when I plant mine 6 weeks from now... it doesn't pay to start okra too early, since it is HIGHLY sensitive to cool nights

@heirloomgal your peppers look exceptionally healthy. Forgive me if this was already mentioned elsewhere... but what type of lighting are you using?

 

[ducks4you]

Written by a fellow Canadian.

Why I Keep Coming Back to Seed Catalogs - Modern Farmer

In the middle of the unforgiving Canadian winter, there’s one thing that brings me spring-like cheer: seed catalogs. I’ve been a seed catalog enthusiast

modernfarmer.com

 

[heirloomgal]

I get that a lot with my okra transplants. When you spray, be sure to cover the entire 'helmet'; for clinging seed coats of anything, I prefer to drip water from a straw. After 10-15 minutes, you should be able to carefully remove the helmets from the seedlings with leaves (you might need to gently squeeze & work the helmet to break it loose, the leaves are folded tightly inside). With a little practice, nearly all should come loose without damaging the cotyledons. I'll post photos when I plant mine 6 weeks from now... it doesn't pay to start okra too early, since it is HIGHLY sensitive to cool nights

@heirloomgal your peppers look exceptionally healthy. Forgive me if this was already mentioned elsewhere... but what type of lighting are you using?

At this point nearly all of my plants are under white light LED fixtures. I wasn't sure if these would be as good as my old Sunblasters, those were such powerful lights. But I'm actually pleasantly surprised how well the plants are doing under them.