Seeds

by

Seedy Business

California’s drought drags on. To that end, I’ve planned my seedy business judiciously. About two weeks ago, this sweet little box of seeds arrived in the mail, my modest order from Botanical Interests. They even included “thank you lettuce.” You don’t see that ever day.

Botanical Interests Box of Seeds

Botanical Interests Box of Seeds

When I first starting buying seeds, I didn’t pay much attention to the source. Now that I’m better educated, I prefer buying organic where possible, while supporting small, independent companies.

Cover Crop:

Once the unidentified behemoth, aka the pumpkin/zucchini mystery plant, dies back, I’ll plant both vegetable boxes with a cover crop. Purchased online from Botanical Interests,

This hardworking combination of field peas and hulled oats is a legume and grass cover crop that quickly benefits the soil with nutrients and green matter, while helping suppress weeds. A great cover crop for established gardens, the mix is also perfect for improving areas being turned into gardens such as lawns and vacant lots.

Pea plants fix nitrogen and condition the topsoil while the pea flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects. As an added benefit the young pea shoots and tendrils are edible and can be used in salads or as a soup topping. Oats hold nitrogen, provide green matter and provide support for the pea vines.

cover crop seeds

Cover Crop Seeds

When planted in the fall, the oats and peas benefit from the cool weather but are killed by the cold temperatures of winter and won’t regrow in the spring. The dead plant material provides a wonderful winter mulch that helps prevent soil erosion and is ready to be tilled into the garden as soon as soil can be worked in the spring

Not bad for $2.99 a packet! I bought three.

Broccoli:

This is my only cool-season crop. I’ve grown it before and it got by on very little watering. I’m hoping for the same success to keep my water usage low.

Butterfly Flower:

After reading earlier this year about the decline in butterfly populations, I learned that one of the problems is the reduction in Milkweed. I’ve never seen it offered in our nursery centers, but found the seeds online.  It’s a perennial, and will replace the seasonal flowers I’ve grown for the past two years in the triangle near our front sidewalk.  The plant prefers swampy conditions, but they say it will do okay with ‘regular’ garden watering.

Butterfly Flower and Broccoli

Butterfly Flower and Broccoli

I’m trying not to get my hopes up, since San Jose is anything but swampy. I’ll be thrilled, though, if I can plant a healthy shrub that attracts Monarch’s and helps them on their way south.

Cat Grass Oats:

My sister’s indoor kitty, KT loves his greens. He prefers home-grown to what’s available at the market and I can grow it for a song year round. Pretty cool, eh?  So I plant a pot every few weeks and place it near the kitchen window. My sister brings me the empty pot, and I start a new batch so we always have them in rotation.

I tried to get Mr. Personality to pose for these pictures, but we wasn’t having any of it. He eventually nibbled on the corner of the envelope, before jumping down and moving on.

cat with grass seeds

“Clever” Photo attempt Number One

cat with seeds

“Clever” Photo attempt Number Two

Here is the lovely KT moving in for a nibble. Isn’t he the sweetest? KT started out as a foster cat, but she couldn’t let him go.

KT Loves his Greens

KT Loves his Greens

So, that’s my seedy business this fall. How about you? Are you dropping a seed or two into the earth, a greenhouse, or the time-honored pot in the windowsill?

by

Seedy Business

last of the annuals

Remains of the Day

It’s seedy business.

If I don’t do it though, the birds, squirrels, wind and rain will.

Gather seeds, that is.

I’m fairly new to seed-saving.  I’ve always been a seed packet junkie, often buying far more seeds than I could ever hope to plant.  When my son was much younger, he regularly talked me into buying every pumpkin variety to be had.  Santa brought additional seeds for his Christmas stocking each year.  Our seeds runneth over!

Last year I started saving my own seeds and now I’m hooked.

Planting:

I planted four o’clock seeds this summer with mixed success, but collected them again for a second try.   I successfully started one plant in a pot, but thanks to ‘self-seeding’ ended up with multiple plants in the side garden.

Growing:

The compost bin produced an entire crop of pumpkins so I had left over seeds to spare.  I started several plants indoors, then gave them away to friends.  Reports were positive, so I definitely plan to do this next year.

Sharing:

This is the best part of my seed-saving adventures.  I saved handfuls of Cosmo seeds at the end of 2012 and gave them as gifts that Christmas.  I made a tri-fold card using digital software and my own Cosmo photos, then added small seed packets inside.  A few of my friends kept the cards and seeds intact, but others planted them.  My friend Stacie sent me a photo last month of her towering Cosmos.  That was pretty cool.

Cosmos Seed Cards - Page 001

Cosmo seed card front panel

Cosmos Seed Cards - Back Panel

Cosmos Seed Cards – Back Panel

Early this spring, I  gave away pumpkin seeds to a pair of adorable three-year-old twins.  I met them walking with their dad one evening while I was working in my garden.  The girls showed genuine interest, so I went inside and got them seeds to take home and plant…and they did!  I saw the family a few months later, and dad told me the plants took root.  Good stuff.

Saving:

The annual garden is going to seed and temps are finally dropping.  I knew time was of the essence.  I collected a healthy sample for next year, at the same time leaving plenty of seeds on the plants for my foraging friends.

seed gathering tray

My system: I used a portable tote and plastic cups from an Easter-egg dying project. I dropped seeds into the cups, then salvaged a bloom for easy identification later.

I’m looking forward to sorting and labeling seeds this weekend, a joyful activity for someone ‘born to organize’ like me.   I’ll share my progress next week.

seed pod

My favorite seed pod. Tiny black seeds tumbled out when I gently tapped the pod

Happy weekend!

by

Gardening with Connections

Tomato Paul Robeson Heirloom Seeds

Tomato Paul Robeson Heirloom Seeds

It pays to have connections. Especially when we’re talking tomatoes. Seeds that is. Heirloom Seeds.

Imagine my delight yesterday to find my mailbox stuffed with a slightly padded manila envelope just screaming to be opened. (I never tire of ‘real’ mail and do my part to keep the post office in business. How about you?)

One of my good friends and occasional garden advisers works at Almaden Valley Nursery.  A representative from the Seed Bank in Petaluma came by the nursery and left two complete sets of Heirloom Seeds.  My lovely friends sent one of the sets my way. (Thank you!!!)

I am so excited! The fact that they arrived on a bitter-cold winter day makes it all the more sweet. Here’s what I’ll be looking forward to:

Tomato Black Mauri (Black Moor): Described as a sweet, deep chocolate-brown, grape tomato that is sweet, flavorful with a crisp and crunchy texture

Tomato Cherokee Purple: The best for salsa. An old Cherokee heirloom, pre-1890 variety.

Dr. Wyche’s Yellow:  One-pound fruit.  Oh me oh my!

Black Giant: Big, purple-black fruit grown on “highly productive” vines.

Tomato Paul Robeson: Fascinating!  Here’s what the packet says:

“This famous tomato has almost a cult following among seed collectors and tomato connoisseurs. They simply cannot get enough of this variety’s amazing flavor that is so distinctive, sweet and smokey. Named in honor of the famous opera singer star of ‘King Solomon’s Mines’, 1937. Paul Robeson was an Equal Rights Advocate for Blacks in Russia as well as around the world. This Russian heirloom was lovingly named in his honor. We are proud to offer such a wonderful variety.”

Heirloom Tomato SeedsResources:

  • Seed Bank West coast home of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, housed in a 1920’s historic building in downtown, Petaluma, California.
  • Almaden Valley Nursery Locally owned garden nursery in San Jose, California.
  • Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds  Offers 1400 heirloom seeds (non GMO).
  • Paul Robeson:  All-American athlete, singer, actor and civil rights advocate for people around the world.
by

Finishing Touches: Seed Packets are a Go

I spent the afternoon putting the finishing touches on my Cosmo seed packets.  It was a good day to be indoors, with cold temps and the occasional light shower.

The seed packets are ready! I’ve been saving them in a paper cup since late summer. Today I sprinkled them into individual, 3 x 3 glassine envelopes, then sealed them with a hand-punched heart.  I momentarily panicked that I wouldn’t have enough to fill 20 envelopes but I did.  I even remembered to save a few seeds for my garden next spring.

I punched the hearts out of a glossy fashion catalog.  The green, water-color background was just the thing. No two hearts are alike. Aren’t they fun?

Cosmo Seed Packets

Cosmo Seed Packets

Heart-punched fashion catalog

Punched Fashion Catalog

heart punched page

Heart punched Page

Watering Can Stickers

Watering Can Stickers

Cosmo Seed Card Collage

Cosmo seed cards

It’s nice to check this task off my list, but I must admit it’s been an enjoyable one.  I hope the seeds live on with friends and neighbors (and the occasional bird) in the seasons to come.

by

Saving Seeds

This is the first year I’ve collected seeds (other than pumpkins) from my garden. In the past I purchased seed packets at local garden centers or online without giving it much thought. Since writing about my garden every day, I have a heightened awareness that plants and flowers are more than just a sum of their parts. Hanging out in the garden with a camera in tow, helps me notice the minutiae. It’s been fun!

4 O'clock seeds

4 O’clock Seeds and Glassine Envelope

I love the way the hard, dark seeds of the 4 O’clock flower appear at the tip of the spent bloom.  They’re ready to tumble into the soil below to ensure their survival. They provide easy access for the birds as well, who can grab a seed on a fly by.  Cosmo seeds are moon-shaped and brittle, sticking out like stars at the end of the cycle. With pumpkins, of course, the seeds hide within.  If we didn’t carve them, they would eventually rot in the soil, self-seeding for the following year.

pumpkin seeds

Assorted Pumpkin Seeds

Cosmo Seeds

Cosmo Seeds

I’ve allowed plants and flowers to go to seed longer than in the past, subverting my natural urge to tidy things up.  Gardens are a messy business. I’m getting better at going with the flow.

Taking a few seeds and leaving the rest for the birds feels like the right thing to do.  When the cycle is truly complete, I can compost the remains.

Indexing Seeds

Indexing Seeds

Earlier this year I bought a system for storing seeds from The SeedKeeper.  It’s a shoebox-sized bin with alphabetical dividers and other goodies, including glassine envelopes for labeling and storing your own seeds.  It’s such a simple thing, but somehow having it at the ready in my bottom kitchen drawer, makes it easy to store and retrieve seeds. I pulled it out today and started storing and labeling the remaining pumpkin seeds.  Since I’m letting go of the seed organization on the plant, I can indulge my organizational side once I bring them indoors.

Seed Keeper Deluxe

Seed Keeper Deluxe

Are you a seed saver?  Do you trade with fellow gardeners in your community?

The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. -Gertrude Jekyll

by

Visiting Renee’s Garden

Renee's Carden cat grass seedsI was in Felton, California yesterday, a small, mountain community about 45 minutes from here. It’s also home to Renee’s Garden.  I mapped their address from the packet of seeds and went in search of their gardens.  It was quite a letdown when the address turned out to be a small, nondescript office instead.  Not a garden in sight anywhere.

Although I didn’t bring home a camera full of photos, I learned a bit more about the company.  Renee gathers seeds from around the world, then grows them in her test garden at home for two years, before releasing them to the public.  The seeds are not treated or genetically modified.

I’ve been growing Renee’s Cat Treats Gourmet Mixed Greens for several months for my sister’s cat, KT.  He’s an indoor kitty who loves his greens, and is especially fond of this mix.  I grow a weeks’ worth of nibbles in my kitchen window, then she takes a pot home for KT.

KT eating grass

KT Enjoying his Gourmet Mixed Greens

Renee’s garden is a participant in the Great Sunflower Project, the brain child of Gretchen LeBuhn.  It’s a data collection project that will eventually produce the first real map of the state of the bees. You can learn more about Renee’s participation and the Great Sunflower Project on their respective sites.

I purchased a variety of bee-attracting seeds last week. They include Renee’s Native Orange California Poppies, Dusky Rose, also California Poppies and Double Click Bouquet Cosmos, a summer favorite. I’m going to sow a few seeds now, then save the rest for early spring. Won’t those bees be happy?

Special thanks the Heidi Harris.

Renee's garden flower seeds

Renee’s Garden Flower Seeds

Halloween Countdown

snail hotel collage

Snail Hotel Pumpkin

A. Checking in
B. New VIP entrance
C. Underground parking
D. No Vacancies
E. Putting on weight
F. How it all began

by

Winter Garden: Above and Below

winter seed packetsI’m branching out this year.  Now that we have raised planting beds and a gravel and stone walkway, winter gardening holds more appeal.  Year one I planted fava beans as a cover crop, digging the plants back into the soil to add nitrogen.  Year two I planted broccoli.  I bought seeds, but waited too long to plant them, so I planted six starter plants instead.  Two survived and produced a few yummy florets, but it bolted early and that was that.

I’m hoping the old saw “three’s a charm” is true, and that year three will be a roaring success.  Here’s what I’m planting.

Above-ground vegetables include:

Lettuce Leaf Red Velvet

Botanical Interests ® Lactuca sativa.  The seed packet promises “wine-red leaves that are sweet and tender and will make any salad memorable.”  Red-leaf lettuce is delicious and brightens up a salad.  It will be such fun to grow my own.

Early Green Broccoli

The Seeds of Change® tag line is “goodness from the ground up.”  I love that! We all enjoy broccoli, which is to say, three of us really like it and one of us reluctantly agrees it’s not half bad. Let’s hope we have a better year.

Below-ground vegetables include:

Radish Crimson Giant

My eyesight has officially failed me. I thought I was buying beets. These “crimson beauties” were my sister’s favorite growing up. Now my oldest son is a big fan.  Here’s hoping garden beets taste just as sweet as the ones that come in a can!  Here’s hoping, too that I can still find a pack in the garden center.  Apparently we’re also growing radishes!  Now that is embarrassing.

Chives Common

I prefer the Latin name Allium schoenoprasum.  I’m not sure I can pronounce it but it sounds far less demeaning than the moniker “common.”  The Botanical Interests seed packet says “heirloom, with beautiful edible flowers and delicate onion flavored foliage.”  It also says “very easy to grow.”  Count me in!

I’m off to get my nails dirty.  If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, are you planting a winter garden?  Garden tips appreciated.

Resources: