SeedO's 2014-2015 Garden Journal

[journey11]

Your purple snow peas are really gorgeous in bloom. Just as nice to look at as to eat.

This weather has been frustrating. We are going to have to work a little harder to get a good harvest this year. I expect a lot of powdery mildew and such this year. My roses are already taking the blackspot.

 

[thistlebloom]

SeedO, your garden looks great! Those red peas are so pretty, they're worth just sitting down and looking at. I really enjoy seeing all your pix.

 

[ninnymary]

SeedO, i like your garden. Like a lot of other people here, it's sooooo spacious. Looks very relaxing and I see no weeds in that row of peas!

Mary

 

[baymule]

SeedO, your garden is really nice! I wish I had one that big. The snow pead are so pretty, didn't realize they came in colors. One of these days I'm going to have to grow some.

 

[PhilaGardener]

Great plants! It will be interesting to see if your lone tomatillo sets fruit. Some folks find they are obligate outcrossers, others report self-fertile. Good luck with all your projects!

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Thanks, the peas will definitely be a long-time resident in my garden. The rows of peas keep themselves weeded, with a little bit of help from the straw mulch. I plan on picking them when we're about ready to use them - I don't want pods that could turn to seed to rot on the kitchen counter if we don't use them and freshly picked is healthier than two weeks off of the vine.

Baymule, I should be able to pass on some seeds of each color later this year if your interested(at least 20 per color? Probably less for the red peas as I have few plants and they aren't commercially available.) There's a catch though, you have to pass as much seed as you can to other gardeners. They're mostly vining types so you'll need a trellis, the dwarf greys are... dwarf (bet you didn't see that one coming?).

Philagardener, it sure will! I'm thinking that they are capable of selfing but outcrossing definitely helps. This plant seems to be very inbred and bug-eaten, not even close to the ones I grew last year. We'll see, like you said, it will be interesting. Saving seed if they do produce fruit.

EDIT: Before I forget - flower buds forming one Black Seaman tomato (as well as other varieties, but they were kind of rootbound when I got them). Flower buds also forming on the sunflowers.

 

[baymule]

SeedO, I would be delighted to have seed!! Don't worry, I'll pass on the seed to other gardeners! I love sharing seeds. I am excited!

Please post pics of the Black Seaman when you have one ready. I have seen pics of them online and I want to know if they really look like that when sliced.

 

[annageckos]

Those peas are so cool! I love them. And about calico cats, most are female. But from time to time a male will pop up. It's pretty rare from what I know, the male cat has to have two X chromosomes and one Y giving them an extra chromosome. They are also normally infertile.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Thanks annageckos, at least now we know that we probably shouldn't bother fixing that cat! Very interesting.

For those who I'm sharing pea seed with, the seeds should be ready in a month or so. I've got one pod that's starting to dry down now, but the others are a ways behind.

Tips for choosing what peas to save seed from -

If you want sweeter peas, plant the seeds that are the most wrinkled. The wrinkled peas have more sugars in them.

For the peas that are from the breeding material that I was sent (purple snow, red snow, etc.) most of the material was edible podded but there were some shelling peas thrown in there. I should have them sorted out pretty well but you might want to do a little bit of "taste testing" once you grow these peas out to get an idea of what's what. I take a permanent marker and mark the pods with "yellow snow, purple shelling, etc." or abbreviations.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Baymule, you mean that picture where the tomatoes are a mix of green and dark black - the one from the Seed Saver's Exchange (I think )? I've seen more pictures where they look like a Cherokee Purple tomato. Should be interesting, I'll post pics.