I have been participating in Melinda from 1 Green Generation's Growing Challenge for some time and have really enjoyed it. The aim of Melinda's challenge was to grow at least one edible plant you've never grown before, and to grow it from seed. It was a great way to overcome my completely irrational fear of failure in sowing seeds, such that now I (pretty much) shun the seedlings section at the local plant nursery. In fact, I can't remember the last time I bought vegetable or herb seedlings.
One year on, Melinda has updated her Challenge - now the aim is to not only grow an edible from seed, but to also collect the seed at the end of the plant's life cycle for future sowing.
Melinda lives in the northern hemisphere, so of course they are only just starting to think about their spring plantings. Down Under of course, it's a very different story as we are in the middle of harvesting our summer crops. And, as I've been posting lately, I have already begun collecting seeds from my spring crops and herbs this year, so this new challenge has me very excited!
Some of the plants I grew from seed this season include this utterly gorgeous Italian heirloom Listada da Gandia eggplant (I am only days away from harvesting my first):
Green Sprouting broccoli. This seedling struggled on valiantly under the shade of a zucchini where I didn't notice it until this week. The hot weather has ensured no lovely tight head, but I will pick a few of the sprouted sections for a stir fry and leave the rest to go to seed for collection.
And the oh-so-easy Lazy Housewife beans, which are just starting to flower after their late planting. Good timing as my Purple King beans are finishing - the final fat pods are being left to dry in the vines for seed saving.
Hmmm, is it too early to peruse the autumn planting guides yet? (Drifts off dreaming of cauliflowers and cabbages...)
Have a great week in your garden :-)
9 comments:
Well done Julie. It is so much more rewarding when growing from seed isn't it. I must admit for the last few years I have relied mostly on buying seedlings...That is going to change from now on...It does make it so much more expensive when buying seedlings.
P.S. I just got a call from our local ABC radio. They asked me to do a story (3.10pm 27th jan) re my journey. i dobbed you in as another local who is on a similar journey....she may give you a call..Cheers, Tricia
Hi Julie,
Ofcourse it isn't too early to think about autumn plantings, it is good to be prepared. I am dreaming of cooler weather even though the summer has been pretty mild so far.
BTW the turmeric you sent me is growing well so I hope I have a healthy crop at the end of the season.
Hi julie,
I have never had much sucess with seeds. Though i would give it another try so i bought some seed mix from bunnings to give it a go.
Then i saw a post on darrens green-change post who lives down near me and magnet mart was closing down they had 75% off seedling, plants and seeds ect.
So i went and got about 15 to 20 pkts of seeds. SOme were organic some were not. So have just planted some water melon and lettuce and carrot seeds. Put them in plastic seed containers that i got from bunnings they are like a mini green house set up. So see how i go.
Any tips would be fantastic.
cheers Donna from the gong.
I've left a couple of things to go to seed and my hubby keeps ripping them out before I get to collect any lol
That eggplant looks exquisite. What will you make with it?
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Kate
The eggplant is beautiful :)
That is a really pretty eggplant!
Beautiful eggplant! Julie, it makes me so happy to read this post!! I have felt the same way - I began the challenge to get myself to grow from seed. Totally, totally worked. I have no fear now! I still see that fear in others, but now I can bring them over into the new and exciting world of growing from seed. It's much easier that it seemed it would be!
I hope seed saving is the same way. : ) I know for beans and a few other things, that it is easy. But I'm still a little timid of the more difficult things. I'm excited to get over that irrational fear, too!
Hi Ladies!
Tracy, I'm so glad to hear that the turmeric is growing - nothing worse than having you've given away up and die!
Hi Donna,
Good luck with all your seeds, what fun! The only tips I would give are to keep them moist but not wet, and to cover the carrots until they germinate with something like a piece of damp hession. They like it constantly moist but the seeds need to be planted quite shallow ans dry out quickly, so lying something over the top of the surface until they germinate has helped me enormously with carrots! Before that I had trouble getting them to germinate.
MistressB,
Ah gee, what a shame! Can you maybe label them?
Hi Kate,
Oh thank you! I'm not sure yet what I will do with the eggplant, it's almsot too pretty to cook don't you think?
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for the push! I've been wanting to make myself start seed saving so your challenge is an excellent way to start :-) I'm also quite nervous about plants which don't have big seeds but hey, it's all a learning curve isn't it?
Cheers, Julie
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