A Seed Saver's Garden

[Pulsegleaner]

perhaps put some samples of each into separate jars just in case they get bugs or you might break them?

That would decrease the change of bug loss, but INCREASE the chance of me misplacing some of the jars by planting time, and, with the amounts I work with and the current viability of some of the samples, I usually need ALL of the seed I have to have a chance at a decent number of plants at the end (I did tell you that the twenty odd corn plants I got into the soil this year took me about 250 actual corn kernels to get.)

 

[SPedigrees]

This was a sparse year even for the small amount of seeds I save each year, thanks to the constant rain. I may still get more marigold seeds. I have a sort of maternal outlook on these marigold seeds because they date back to the early 2000s when I bought a couple flats of very ordinary marigolds at a KMart garden center, and I've kept them going all this time. Normally they produce enough seeds to sow a couple acres worth of plants each fall, but the rain has limited them. It was the same story with all my other flowering annuals this summer. I have enough for next year of everything for my own limited use, but this summer's annuals had an unhappy growing season.

 

[heirloomgal]

Did the Chili Petin do anything?

I started 3 plants in total, and they spent the summer outside with all the other potted peppers. They seemed to grow really well, to over a foot tall and branching, and there are finally some wee little black pea sized fruits on the plants now. It seems like I may have started them too late and not given them enough time, so my plan is to repot one of the plants and overwinter it indoors under lights and see if I can get a better harvest of them next year. Have you gotten a crop of peppers off your plants @Alasgun? Or am I on schedule?

 

[heirloomgal]

The 2023 seed season is winding down.

I did a more thorough inventory of my tomato losses, which I felt quite guilty about, and was relieved that it wasn't as bad as I imagined it to be. Most of the tomatoes that expired while I was under the weather, I had already saved the lion's share of the seeds and these were some last stragglers. It probably amounts to 2 cookie sheets. I'd have preferred them in the freezer, but it happens. So that was kind of a relief. My rescue mission tomatoes were all wonderfully productive so I got lots of seeds from them, even the paste tomatoes which can be scanty. Feels great.

I've harvested 1/2 the Warba potatoes and realized that I should probably have harvested them before the vines died down, mostly because some of them were much too large. It was supposed to be an early, skinless variety and I guess I missed the early window. That said, I've been making baked French fries with them, soups & stews, and they are plenty tasty even with skins.

The corn is about 3/4 harvested and we're still having really nice weather so they'll have plenty of time to dry right down. I really like this variety, and it has a very fitting name too. It isn't totally uniform cob to cob so far as I can tell, but there has only been about 4 cobs that are way off the mark - mainly yellow and purple mixed kernels. They had mentioned that fact that it was a work in progress as well in the catalogue description. Most of the colors range from espresso, to root beer, to caramel/toffee. It's a very nice mix, I'll take some pictures of all the cobs together when they're ready.

Been a great bean year. I'm holding out hope they will all be able to dry down because the weather has been so good and looks to stay that way for awhile. The only one that I had real trouble with was Sacre Bleu because I planted it on the shady side of a trellis and half of the plants failed within the first month because of some fungal issue once they got growing. Looks like runner beans only do well there, not P. vulgaris, after growing runner beans in that spot with no problems since the trellis was built. Really happy with all my new beans this year, a wonderful diversity of colors and sizes and shapes from all over the place. Can't wait to do an inventory and crunch some totals.

Basils were a success (if I can figure out how to get the seeds from the dried stem columns), the okra not so much. The sunberries and goldenberries overwhelmed the okra plants, so only the potted ones did okay. Eggplants barely skated along, but I will get some seeds from those luckily. Funnily enough, they were the 'test crop' against all the rest and were not given any electric fertilizer. The Morelle de Balbis produced some of the biggest fruits I've seen yet, about 3/4 the size of small Italian plums. 2023 is a year for 'big' it seems. Biggest carrots I've ever grown too.

The Amazing Gray poppies were shockingly pretty, but did not fit with the 'big' theme. They were much smaller than I expected. I'm still trying to save some of the drying poppy heads for next year. Zinnias were fabulous, and I will grow them again for sure. I did much better with the marigold seed saving this year, compared to last. All 3 species are going to seed.

I haven't started on really harvesting the peppers en masse, so I'll need to wait and see how that goes. Looks like things did well enough to offer seeds in 2024 - though I'll have to be clear that they were grown together and not isolated as I usually do.

One things for sure, I need a break from plants!

 

[heirloomgal]

Made a botanical cheesecake for DD’s birthday.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Bad news and good news.

The cucumbers have now well and truly finished; I went out today and all of the vines were totally dead. I picked the last four fruits, but none were big enough to be worth trying to peel and eat (plus, all were shriveled on one side and, in once case, being cored out by ants.) so I just broke them in half and scooped out any seed that looked like it might be good (we'll know if any is by tomorrow).

Better, I got two more pods off the lablab today, and the seed in these seems sound (though, again, I won't know definitively until tomorrow). Looks like I was right about not guessing color yet, it appears the seed of this one is actually black, not brown (possibly with brown mottling, which is not uncommon for some black lablabs.)

Also yanked up all but one of the cornstalks (that one is still fully green and healthy) and handed them off to dad for Halloween displays. Nothing left there now but a few long bean plants (one still developing pod and one flower) and maybe a rice bean plant or two (though, at this point, if they don't have flowers, they probably aren't going to get any.) No sign of the watermelon vines.

Another one of he Urds is getting buds, so I may actually get more than one pod (the pot those is in is not too large, so, assuming they are well on their way, I can easily take the pot in to finish if the frost comes earlier than I guess.)

And there are now three pods in the back horse gram pot (so four total now).

 

[Branching Out]

Made a botanical cheesecake for DD’s birthday.View attachment 60640

A culinary work of art Heirloomgal. It looks like something out of Gourmet magazine!

 

[Pulsegleaner]

All cucumber seeds empty, as I was afraid they were. Looks like six seeds is all I'll have to work with next year (unless I re-order and now that I suspect the seed is mislabeled, I'd rather keep my bucks for a legit source.)

 

[Alasgun]

Wow, what a beautiful cake! Im sure the flavor equaled or exceeded the eye appeal!

Since moving to Alaska (1993) i’ve not been able to keep one of those peppers going all the way to “fruit”. They’re slow and would require a lot of effort to carry along, something i’ve not been willing to do. No more of them than we consume and with an in-exhaustible supply in the freezer it’s just never been a priority.
In “the wild” they’ll get 30 inches tall and be generally loaded with “pea size” peppers first deep green, turning red. When id harvest them i’d take all the peppers as green or red didn’t matter the flavor and heat were the same once the berries were full size.

 

[ducks4you]

All cucumber seeds empty, as I was afraid they were. Looks like six seeds is all I'll have to work with next year (unless I re-order and now that I suspect the seed is mislabeled, I'd rather keep my bucks for a legit source.)

I would order seeds NOW. I put in 2 small orders to Seeds'NSuch bc they have been offering good deals this Fall.
As you know most seeds have a good germination rate after 1-2 years, and packages for $1.00 each are a bargain, from a reputable source.
After my yearly October party, I intend to inventory and buy ALL the seeds I need for 2024.