open pollinated

Seed Saving Garden? Basics for the Beginner!

~ illbtru ~ 4 Comments

Can a backyard gardener save their own vegetable, herb and flower seed? Absolutely!

Saving your own heirloom seed is fun and rewarding. Only open pollinated, heirloom seed has the ability to reproduce itself. Who is better to trust saving seed but yourself. Think of the accomplishment!

What are your favorite vegetables, herbs and flowers? Focus on those varieties that bring back fond memories. Make a goal to start small and add more varieties when you are comfortable doing so.

  • How much space do you have available? Be realistic. Don’t try to cram a lot of plants into a small area. One option is to plant in containers. Some varieties only require limited space for proper growth and root structure (i.e. lettuce).
  • Take into consideration pollination required (wind [corn, wheat], insect [squash, watermelon], vibration [tomato], mechanical [hand pollination])
  • Isolation techniques:
    • Blossom bagging (such as individual fruit of tomato, squash, okra) using fine screening material to keep out pollinating insects.
    • Caging entire groups of plants (broccoli, cauliflower, beets, Swiss chard) using fine screening material to keep out pollinating insects.
    • Save okra seed       Tomato seed saving
    • seed saving cages 3whole    seed saving cages 5bce525c5436aa03bad5992585ea16d21

I hope this is more clearly understood. It is absolutely essential to grasp these concepts!

Papa

For Great Kimchi You Need Chinese Cabbage!

~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

I can hardly wait to make a batch of Kimchi (fermented Chinese cabbage and vegetables). The “Hilton” Chinese cabbage is ready to harvest. A few more ingredients and I’ll be ready to go.

WP_20150612_18_29_28_ProThe seedlings were started in early March.  They were transplanted into the hoop house the first week of April. Look at the results above! This Chinese cabbage is gorgeous!!!

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Brassica rapa sub. Pekinensis is the famed Napa cabbage used for stir fry, saute and Kimchi. Kimchi in its varied forms is a favorite of Korean cuisine. This spicy, highly seasoned fermented cabbage is a staple of the Korean diet. Plus, fermented foods are bursting with beneficial bacteria to boost digestive health.

The “Hilton” Chinese cabbage is an open pollinated variety. My observations of this Chinese cabbage indicate a vigorous growth similar to hybrids. It performs well in warm/hot weather. Other open pollinated varieties would have bolted (gone to flower) by now. It is truly a remarkable variety!!

“Hilton” Chinese cabbage may be obtained at Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. http://www.rareseeds.com/chinese-cabbage-hilton/

Enjoy!!

Papa