Yesterday I went to the local seed swap armed with those little containers for toiletries that you are given in hotels. I'd filled them with seeds gathered from the garden last year and I swapped them for the seed packets above, (apart from the 'Blue Ballet' squash and 'Cobra' climbing bean, which I bought.)
The swap has been running for several years now and is a popular event. I also potted up a few aquilegia plants to swap, seen in the left hand corner of the photo. They self-seed very freely about my garden, slugs and snails never eat them so they are on my 'good-doers' list.
Apparently it's the International Year of Pulses - who knew!
This selling stall was very well stocked with organic seeds and the owner gave me good advice. "NEVER,' she said, 'grow more than one variety of squash at any one time.' Is this where I've been going wrong? She recommended the variety, 'Blue Ballet', a small-sized squash, as being a good cropper in our unreliable climate. 'Don't waste your time growing butternut,' she advised, 'they need far more heat than we can give them and they are cheap enough to buy in the shops.' I've had good results from her seeds before so I'm doing as I'm told. (Doesn't always happen, says Himself.)
I was also on the lookout for a different potato variety. There was a good choice to be had.
All clearly labeled.
This was my choice. Very small tubers, we'll see how they do.
It's great to get advice from experts and mix with fellow enthusiasts, not to mention the opportunity to find heritage seed and also to save some money!
You've reminded I need to go back to he farm and look for the tomato seeds I dried last year. The were teensy tiny tomatoes that no larger than a smallish pearl, were packed with flavor. I hope I can find them.
ReplyDeleteI've been growing 'Red Cherry' for several years. It has long trusses of small, sweet fruit, far more flavoursome than the larger varieties that I've grown.
DeleteThat is an awesome set up for the seed swap. We have a local garden club that gives away seeds and starts, but no swap here.
ReplyDeleteThis swap has been running for seven years now and was started, in a small way, by an enthusiastic young woman. It's a main event on the local calendar now!
DeleteSeed swaps are so much fun, I will have a shortage of space in the greenhouse so will have to plan carefully for all the seed trays
ReplyDeleteMy greenhouse is crammed with overwintering plants. I'm hoping the weather will soon be kind enough to let me put them outside to make room for seed sowing.
DeleteI love seed and plant exchanges. The one you attended seems to be particularly interesting. I have been to one locally (Ontario, Canada) and picked a few things. But the offering was rather scanty compared to that of your local exchange.
ReplyDeleteHello Alain, Has your swap been going for long? Ours started in a very small way but has grown steadily year by year. We are encouraged to save and swap local varieties to keep the seed bank vibrant. Everyone there is enthusiastic so it is a pleasurable experience.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great day! I've gone to a few seed swaps before but stopped because I wanted to grow certain flowers and not be at the whim of whatever happened to show up at the swap. But it is a great way to find unusual seeds.
ReplyDelete