Seed Swap!

[lazy gardener]

I have Suyo Long: An OP Japanese cucumber, never bitter. PM me if you want some.

 

[lazy gardener]

I am looking for black oil sunflower seeds to grow next year

Why not just plant some from your bird seed supply?

 

[newbie32]

Why not just plant some from your bird seed supply?

WHAT! You can do that?

I have Suyo Long: An OP Japanese cucumber, never bitter. PM me if you want some.

ARe they heirloom?

 

[TulsaChick]

Why not just plant some from your bird seed supply?

I never thought of that. HA!!! Thanks!!!!

 

[mlongworth]

I never thought of that. HA!!! Thanks!!!!

These seeds wont be heirloom though.

 

[lazy gardener]

WHAT! You can do that?



ARe they heirloom?

Exactly what do you mean by heirloom? This following statement is NOT directed at you! I'm beginning to think that word is highly overused. IMO, if it is an open pollinated variety, if it has characteristics that I like, if it grows well in my garden and does not seem to be disease or insect susceptible, I will save the seed. I'm fairly confident that the seed will breed true, in spite of the warnings that you must isolate crops by a ridiculous distance... how far can a honey bee fly anyway!... IF that OP variety is the only one I am growing, I let the bees do their thing. IF I'm growing an other variety that will cross pollinate, I will hand pollinate, but, I have yet to have the need to do that. That being said, Suyo Long is an excellent, non bitter, white spine, long (growing > 12" while maintaining good quality and small seeds) well growing cucumber that needs to be trellised. I believe it originated in Japan. The only fault it has is that the fruit will curl if they are not trellised. If water and fertility needs are not met, they may have a narrow neck and put all of their energy into the portion of the fruit that will produce next years seed, as will every other variety of cuke. I love to experiment with new varieties, and in 37 years of gardening, I have yet to find a cucumber that I like better!

So, yes I have seed. If any one wants some, I'd love to share, first come, first served. PM me, I'll give an address, and you can send me a SASE. I think it's important for gardeners to share seeds and perpetuate varieties that work well. Some seed companies like to shake things up and eliminate the older varieties in favor of the new and improved, which more often than not is a hybrid!

Newbie: Yes you can plant seeds from your bird seed. And no, they are not "heirloom" but they will grow and produce more BOSS. I'm now sprouting about 2 cups at a time for my chickens. By sprouting the seed, you actually end up with a product that has more nutrition than the original seed, just by adding water. Add a bit of sun the last day before feeding them to your birds, and the chlorophyll will green them up, boosting the nutrition even more.

 

[newbie32]

See I am of the opinion that Heirloom plants will produce seeds that can be saved and then replanted. After doing research on the subject-not extensive, just googled it-I found that unless it says it is heirloom then you don't know whether or not it will grow from seed again.

What I HAVE done extensive research on is GMO crops and most created do not seed properly, meaning the buyer must repurchase the product again the next year. These are modified on purpose. MONSANTO is very good at doing this. Also, I do not want hybrid plants besides my dwarf avocado tree.

This is not to say that yours are what I don't want. I am just picky and I need to insure, for my families sake, that what I grow is true to what it should be. Now I am aware that just because it says heirloom on it that it could still be a hybrid but the chances are slimmer.

 

[mlongworth]

Anything open pollinated you can save seed from it doesnt have to be heirloom.

 

[lazy gardener]

When you check your seed catalogs, or even the info on the seed packet, it will tell you if it is a hybrid. (Look for F 1 after the name. That means that it's a first generation hybrid.) Plants are either a hybrid, or open pollinated. Hybrids are created by crossing 2 parents to combine characteristics of both. Open pollinated is not crossed with anything, and will therefore breed true. When I buy seeds, I opt for open pollinated if it is a variety that is easy to save seed for and if it has the desired characteristics. Sometimes hybrids are the way to go, because they may have a earlier maturity date or produce superb fruit. That's where the term "hybrid vigor" came from. With all of the messing around with our seed and food supply that Monsanto and other mega companies are doing, I'm leaning more toward OP all the time. I buy my seed from a company that refuses to stock seed produced by Monsanto. And as far as an OP seed crossing with an other variety, sometimes they produce pleasant surprises. If you are serious about saving seed, you will save in a dry cold environment, and hold some back just in case the next year's crop is not successful. Many types of seeds are self fertile, and won't cross unless it is done deliberately. I'd recommend that any gardener go to the library and get a book about seed saving and propagation. Why give your hard earned money away to buy seed every year, when you can be somewhat independent in that area. An other good reason to save your own seed is that over time, you will end up with a variety that is specifically suited to your growing conditions. For example, if you save your bean seeds, and save them from the most vigorous plants and the plants that produced a good set of beans earlier than the others, you will be breeding for that tendency. Same goes with saving potatoes for next years garden... and yes, I do, in spite of the dire warnings that you should NEVER save potatoes. How do you think the old timers did it? I have yet to have any disease issues in my potatoes, but I've seen lots of potatoes being sold as seed potatoes that I'd hesitate to put in my soil. If I did end up with a disease issue in my potatoes, I'd just start over with purchased sets the next year, but in the mean time, I'm saving a lot of money, for a lot of years by planting my own. Now I'll need a ladder to climb down off my soap box.

 

[newbie32]

When you check your seed catalogs, or even the info on the seed packet, it will tell you if it is a hybrid. (Look for F 1 after the name. That means that it's a first generation hybrid.) Plants are either a hybrid, or open pollinated. Hybrids are created by crossing 2 parents to combine characteristics of both. Open pollinated is not crossed with anything, and will therefore breed true. When I buy seeds, I opt for open pollinated if it is a variety that is easy to save seed for and if it has the desired characteristics. Sometimes hybrids are the way to go, because they may have a earlier maturity date or produce superb fruit. That's where the term "hybrid vigor" came from. With all of the messing around with our seed and food supply that Monsanto and other mega companies are doing, I'm leaning more toward OP all the time. I buy my seed from a company that refuses to stock seed produced by Monsanto. And as far as an OP seed crossing with an other variety, sometimes they produce pleasant surprises. If you are serious about saving seed, you will save in a dry cold environment, and hold some back just in case the next year's crop is not successful. Many types of seeds are self fertile, and won't cross unless it is done deliberately. I'd recommend that any gardener go to the library and get a book about seed saving and propagation. Why give your hard earned money away to buy seed every year, when you can be somewhat independent in that area. An other good reason to save your own seed is that over time, you will end up with a variety that is specifically suited to your growing conditions. For example, if you save your bean seeds, and save them from the most vigorous plants and the plants that produced a good set of beans earlier than the others, you will be breeding for that tendency. Same goes with saving potatoes for next years garden... and yes, I do, in spite of the dire warnings that you should NEVER save potatoes. How do you think the old timers did it? I have yet to have any disease issues in my potatoes, but I've seen lots of potatoes being sold as seed potatoes that I'd hesitate to put in my soil. If I did end up with a disease issue in my potatoes, I'd just start over with purchased sets the next year, but in the mean time, I'm saving a lot of money, for a lot of years by planting my own. Now I'll need a ladder to climb down off my soap box.

thank you. I am new to gardening and need people like you guys to help. What company do you purchase from that doesn't stock MONSANTO seeds? I would also like to purchase from them! I will look for the F1 in the future.