Marigolds From Home Saved Seeds. 8.17.2021

Last fall I saved seeds from a marigold plant that grew volunteer in my kitchen garden. I imagine it descended from marigolds that I grew a year or two previously. These grew nicely, look uniform and look like their parent. Very nice plant and flowers. I will save seeds to grow lots more next year.

Climbing Rose From A Dormant Cutting. 8.17.2021

Late winter, I stuck climbing rose prunings into the ends of rows in my onion raised bed, as row markers. Almost all of them took. I was surprised to see this one bloom. This was too easy for words. I didn't do anything special. Just stick the prunings into the ground, then any other care was what the onions got. I'm surprised it bloomed. This rose plant will need a few years to reach much size, but it's off to a good start.

More Peaches :-) 8.17.2021

Here are more peaches from the chicken yard peach tree. I can ed four jars from the last batch. I'l like to can twice that, and make a pie. There are still more on the tree, so it's possible.

Volunteer Four O'Clocks. 8.17.2021

 Multiple Four O'Clocks came up in the pathways between raised beds.  I didn't have the heart to pull them out.  I'm glad I didn't.

These were raised a few years ago from saved seeds, then self seeded again. I think I'll choose my favorites and save seeds to start in a different location next year.

Saving Tomato Seeds. 8.17.2021

 As the tomato season peaks, I want to be sure to save seeds from the varieties that I like.  I don't need a lot.  So far, I'm saving Extreme Bush, BrandyFred, Volunteer Yellow Cherry F3 generation, Golden King of Siberia, Classic Beefsteak, and Ukraine Purple.

After slicing the tomato, I use a spoon or butter knife to pick a dozen or so seeds from the flesh.  Then I place them into a labeled glass gar with about 1/2 cup of water, cover with a paper towel held in place by a rubber band.  Then I eat the tomato.

Then I let them ferment for two or three days. The fermentation reduces disease and germination inhibitors in the seed coat.

Then I rinse the seeds in a seive and place them onto a labeled paper coffee filter to dry.

After a few days to dry, I'll place these into envelopes and store in the pantry until time to plant them next Spring.

Finishing "Eight Shirts" Quilt. 8.16.2016.

 I finished my first full sized quilt.  It's 72" by "72".  I used fabric from a dark blue shirt for the binding.

Early Sunglow Hybrid Sweetcorn. 8.11.2021.

I was prepared to not like this variety. It took a little longer than Trinity, both planted May 9. So first harvest was about 90 days. Park's Seeds markets this one at 62 days, but that's doubtless in a much warmer climate than here. Early Sunglow is a "Regular Sweet" (SU) type, an older type that is not "Super Sweet". I think the "Super Sweet" types are mushy and just taste like sugar, not corn. The third type, "se+" or sugary enhanced, is good (See post on "Trinity"). I think I bought the seeds from Burpee, but I'm fed up with them for the following reasons - on the sweetcorn, they dont list days to harvest; they don't list the type of hybrid; they add cookies to your computer; last year I bought their "Bodaceous" tomato variety and it tasted like cardboard. 

 Actually, I discovered I like Early Sunglow better than Trinity. It has a more "corn" flavor and is still nice and sweet when harvested fresh. These ears are not as deeply yellow as the catalog pictures. Maybe they need more time to fully ripen, ot the photos are "enhanced", or it's my climate. Whatever, these are quite good. Also in the photo - Serrano and Jalapeño peppers, an "Alibi" cucumber, Golden Queen of Siberia heirloom tomato, and various cherry tomatoes.

Sweetcorn "Trinity". 8.11.2021

I like "Trinity"- good flavor, ears are good size, well-filled with big sweet kernels. I've been harvesting this one for a couple of weeks now.

Golden King of Siberia Tomato. 8.11.2021

 Golden King of Siberia is a Russian heirloom variety.  This is the first year that I have grown it.  Nice, big  beefheart type tomato.  Flavor is mild, tomato-flavor.  Not super sweet or super tart. I like it, will save seeds. Also in the photo, Ukranian Purple and various cherry tomato varieties.

Dwarf Tomato "Extreme Bush". 8.11.2021

So far Extreme Bush is the most productive of my container friendly, dwarf tomatoes. As a determinate variety, I don't expect a long season for this variety. It's been producing for a few weeks. The tomatoes are a good slicing size. Not beefsteak, but still a nice medium size tomato. Flavor is excellent - like Better Boy, like a good midwestern tomato-flavored tomato. I will save seeds from "Extreme Bush" tomatoes for next year's kitchen garden.