Seed Saving and Seed Trading
Our recent blogging about saving seeds inspired me to write this morning’s article.
For those of you interested in trading seeds, the first ever Fall NRV Seed and Plant Exchange is being held tomorrow, September 23, at the Christiansburg Library.
It’s starts at 2:00 pm and they let you take as many plants, roots or seed packets as you bring. So, if you bring ten plants, you go home with ten plants. They caution you to be on time, because the picking goes fast.
You can bring pretty much anything – seeds, flowers, trees, herbs, bushes, and houseplants. Their recommendation is to bring seeds in envelopes, and plants or trees either potted or secured in plastic bags.
For those of you on this blog that are interested in exchanging seeds or seedlings, feel free to post your wants or offerings here. I can’t facilitate an exchange, but you’re welcome to get in touch via personal emails to make the exchange happen.
September 22, 2012 - 7:40 AM
Great write-up KH. Would be fun to have a get together to swap seeds and meet fellow posters. Talk it up.
I agree wdbrand – it would be good to share seeds/plants and meet fellow posters.
Let’s see if any interest is shown in this DC. I have some stuff to throw in if it gets off the ground. Would be fun wouldn’t it.
wdbrand – how about aiming for a spring gathering that we could share extra plants and seeds? We always have more tomato plants than we really need so would be glad to share. How about it Karen? Deep Roots, what do you think – sound like deal?
It got down to 33 this morning with a light scattered frost. Five months ago (April 24), we noted that it was 31 with a light breeze.
I save edamame seeds, because it is so easy AND I am trying to get 4 beans to a pod. (The usual is 3). This year I am saving basil seeds, but I don’t know what I will get because I had 3 varieties of basil planted. I let my compost heap save tomato seeds for me. Well, I guess it is really a “rotting heap” since a true compost temp. would kill the seeds!
That would be fine for me. Also would give everybody time to plant a test pot of saved seeds to see if they’re good or not. I have rosemary out of control, so could pot some cuttings if abybody would want some. Let’s hear from the rest of you dirt diggers.
Patricia, what is your compost pile like[how did you make it] and how much work was/is it. Been too sorry to make one.
wdbrand – My pile is made out of scrap lumber. I had some scrap 4×4′s and I dug holes to set them into the ground to make a 3 ft by 3 ft square that is 4 ft high. Then I had scrap 2 x 4′s (not pressure treated) and I nailed them to 3 sides of the 4 x 4 ‘s to make slats. They are about 2 inches apart. I left the 4th side open and cut a piece of scrap plywood to lean against it. It is held in place with a big rock. I painted all the wood to make it last longer. I scraped out all the grass BEFORE putting the 4 x 4 ‘s in. It took about 3 hours to build.
If you made one out of 3 pallets wired to 4 metal fence posts, with a 4th pallet leaning on as a door, it would only take about 1 hour. (I’ve done it – it’s quick.) Then I just start piling on yard waste and food scraps from the kitchen. When it gets smelly enough that my dog wants to mess with it then I turn it and pile on branches or dead grass or weeds from the garden. I don’t have neighbors so it doesn’t need to be pretty. If I turn it once a month that’s a lot.
We’ve had this type of low maintenance compost pile for about 10 years. I have never had a problem with wild animals getting in it. We live in the woods, and when we threw kitchen scraps in the garbage we had bears and raccoons and opposums in the trash all the time. I’m not particularly careful about keeping small quantities of meat and cheese out of the pile. It doesn’t produce much compost, but we have a LOT less trash to haul and I get beautiful volunteer tomatoes, winter squash, and once 2 peach trees out of it!
Thanks Ms. P. I intend on eliminating hard work by leaving the sod as is, wiring 3 pallets together and propping one up in front. Like I say, I don’t want it bad enough to bust a gut over getting some. Will let the board know how it turns out, if it gets started. Sounds like you got a handle on it.