Autumn Crop, Plant & Produce Swap

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be over Easter on Sunday 5 April from 10.30am - 12.00nn.

As Sweethearts Cafe will be closed this month and reopening from 15 April, we will be meeting at a temporary alternative venue: Ted and Merryl's place at 33 Greenhaven Close, Burnside (Nambour).

This is an opportunity for a seasonal Autumn Crop, Plant and Produce Swap. So bring along:

• a fold up chair if you have one;
• any seeds you have to process; 
• plants to sell/swap; 
• planting material such as cuttings or tubers; 
• surplus produce; 
• newspaper/carry bag to take goodies home and/or 
• morning tea to share.

Please consider neighbours and access when parking in the street and car pool if possible.

We appreciate Ted and Merryl's hospitality this month. Thanks so much!

Autumn Planting

With slightly cooler and now wet weather, now is the time to get planting autumn crops. Here are a few suggestions:

• Beetroot - Green Harvest advises: "Beetroot 'seeds' are actually cork-like fruit containing 2 to 6 true seeds. Soak seed clusters in warm water for one to two hours then sow 12 mm deep, directly into fertile, well-worked, well-drained soil in a sunny position. Rows should be 30 cm apart; once the seedlings emerge, thin them to 10 cm apart. Avoid adding too much nitrogen as it promotes leaf growth at the expense of root development. Beetroot does well with a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5. An application of Backyard Blooms will give a potassium boost for more vigorous root growth. Supply trace elements by applying Natrakelp liquid seaweed; it will help with disease resistance too. 

• Harvest the roots in 55 - 70 days, depending on the variety. For sweet and tender beetroot, start harvesting at golf ball size. Beetroot is happy to share a bed with onions, silverbeet, lettuce, cabbage, beans, dill, peas or strawberries."
• Alternatively, grow beetroot as microgreens. Bulls Blood is my favourite to sow for lovely young tender leaves as opposed to roots.

• Garlic - Refrigerate bulbs before planting and wait until the 8-9th April to sow the cloves. See this 5 step tutorial for preparing, planting and harvesting. 

• Peas - Choose climbers if you have the space for a trellis or vertical structure. Dwarf or bush varieties are more compact and suit pots and small spaces. Either way, now's the perfect time to put them in before 3 April. There are many suitable varieties from snow peas to sweet sugar snaps - Green Harvest have seeds available or visit Yandina markets on a Saturday at Dave's stall where he raises heirloom and organic seedlings if you want a head start. Check out this Easy Guide to Growing Peas for tips. 

• Rocket - This peppery salad herb is a cool season favourite. Sow seeds now and they'll be sprouting in 2-3 days. Check out this tutorial for tips.

• Beans - Climbers are generally more prolific over a longer period than bush bean varieties so make your choice depending on space and time you have to put up a trellis.

• Other suggestions include pick 'n' pluck lettuces, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, silverbeet/chard and carrots.

Autumn Activities

• April is one of the worst times of year for White Cabbage butterfly caterpillars. There are many strategies you can use. See Coping with Caterpillars for some suggestions. Land cress (also known as American Upland Cress) has been found to be toxic to the caterpillars so interplanting with your brassica crops may be a quick solution. You can source seeds from The Seed Collection. 

• If scale or aphids are appearing on your citrus or fruit trees, use a hose to remove most of them for a few days or spray with Eco Oil. 

• Take the opportunity to compost excess green waste around your garden. Remove fallen fruit and do a general clean up and mulch. 

• Harvest your basil for pesto now before it starts to die back with cooler weather.

• Dead head marigolds and other flowers. Harvest the seeds.

Current Moon Cycle

To maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. We are currently in a period of prolific growth for above ground plants until 3 April so get planting with all that soil moisture!

If you're planning on sowing seeds, seedlings, transplanting, taking cuttings, fertilising or dividing plants - now's the time to do it!

Learn more about the Benefits of Moon Gardening. Moon Calendars are available online any time for $12.50.

Hope to see you at the meeting. Remember to BYO friend and a chair this month!

By Anne Gibson

Seed, Plant & Crop Swap + Summer Strategies

The last 'Seedy Sunday' for 2014 will be on 7 December from 10.30am - 12.00nn. We take a break in January and meet again on Sunday 1 February - same time, same place.

In the spirit of giving at this time of year, the idea this month is to celebrate the friendships we've made and share or swap something from our gardens with each other.  We'll also chat about surviving summer in the sub-tropics. What can we grow easily despite the heat, wet, storms, hail and greedy grasshoppers? Have a think about your summer garden and share your experiences - this is sure to prove enlightening, entertaining and helpful!

Come along for a fun social morning and bring something to share – here are some ideas:

• a bunch of herbs or surplus produce 
• a friend or neighbour!
• a tip, technique or design idea
• a plant or recipe
• what you've learned from a growing experience you've had this year
• a book, website, course, business or resource you’ve found helpful (jot it down on a piece of paper)
• some seeds or a few cuttings that are growing well in your garden (there must be a herb or plant that needs a haircut right?!)

• photos of your garden to inspire us 
• your garden journal, Permaculture design or site map for your property
• a bulb or seedling
• a quick demo or plant profile on something you love growing
• a local supplier where you source your garden needs 
• something that has inspired you (e.g. you may have joined a community garden or been involved in a project that helped you learn)
• Or think up something else you'd like to share! 

NOTE: If bringing something fresh like herbs or cuttings, please wrap the stems in some wet newspaper or paper towel.

If you’re new, just come and tell us about your garden – we enjoy listening to what others are doing or plan to do. It’s a great way for everyone to learn, grow their garden for free, meet your neighbours or network and connect with like-minded members in the community – we’ve formed some wonderful friendships this way. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we’ll process more seeds to share/swap.

If you want to maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. I'll have some Moon Calendars available for $12.50. They also make a wonderful garden gift for Christmas. Or you can pick one up online anytime.

As usual, at our meeting we'll be discussing what to grow in your garden right now - the challenges and successes plus sharing seeds from our seed bank.

Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

What to Plant in December

While we all have different microclimates in our gardens, there are always some general guidelines on what we can plant during this time of year. Basil, climbing and dwarf beans,  beetroot, capsicum, chives, chillis, cucumber, ginger, lettuce, mustard greens, pumpkin, radish, melons, silverbeet, zucchini, tomato and corn are just some of the edibles good to plant now.

Check out these guides for other ideas/tips:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

Outcome of GM Case to Affect Food Safety

As a seed saver and food grower, you are likely worried about the effects of genetically modified crops on your health and the environment. GM is a major threat to food safety world wide and should be of major concern to everyone interested in eating and growing safe food.

The long awaited outcome of the landmark GM Case with Steve Marsh in Western Australia was announced on Wednesday 28 May, 2014. The Guardian summarises the outcome in their article.

This is a brief video with the background on this case:

There is also an interesting article on the history of how the contamination occurred and some of the issues from both sides via Steve Marsh and the Bad Seeds.

True Food Network reports on the impact we will all feel in the safety of our future food system:

GM Farmer's Win is a Loss for all Organic and Non GM Farmers

"Today we are deeply disappointed to inform you that Steve Marsh lost his case to stop GM canola coming on to his farm. The future of organic and non GM food in Australia is uncertain after a WA farmer today lost his legal battle with a neighbouring farmer.

Steve Marsh lost organic certification on his Kojonup farm - and most of his livelihood - when his farm was contaminated by GM canola. He sued his neighbour in the WA Supreme Court for his losses, and to protect his farm into the future.

The court in its summary and judgment stated the decision by NASAA (National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia) to decertify Steve was erroneous. Given the extent of the contamination of Steve's farm we fail to see how NASAA could have taken any other decision. Certainly 100% of organic consumers would support the NASAA decision.

Because the court did not recognise the NASAA decertification, the court did not recognise the economic loss Steve suffered, and dismissed the case that Steve had brought for negligence and nuisance.

Scott Kinnear, director of the Safe Food Foundation, says he is very disappointed and gravely concerned for Steve Marsh and his family and their farm and for the future of organic and non GM food in Australia remaining GM free.

"This is a huge setback for organic and Non GM farmers and their choice to remain GM Free."

"This has been an important test case, of interest to many parties, locally and globally.

"If Steve on legal advice chooses to take this case further, the Safe Food Foundation will continue to work to legally protect the rights of Australian consumers to buy organic produce free of GM."

"We also call on our legislators to work on finding a solution to this vexed issue. State and Federal governments have continuously stated that the solution to any GM contamination events is common law. This has clearly failed today and demonstrates that the law has not kept up with new technologies such as GM."

"We thank Steve Marsh who has risked his farm to make a stand for all of us, a move that demonstrated his courage, tenacity and integrity."

Mr Kinnear also thanked Slater & Gordon and the many people and businesses in more than 30 countries who contributed amounts large and small to this landmark case, but warned them that the battle may not be over.

You can follow the story and support Steve via Safe Food Foundation.

While law firm Slater & Gordon donated its legal services, other costs were provided through a unique crowd-sourced funding campaign organised by the Safe Food Foundation.

Prospects of an Appeal: Steve's lawyers will study the judgment and advise Steve of his legal options. We will get back to you if Steve decides to appeal.

Your support to assist us to repay the last of our loans is gratefully appreciated so that we can leap into action to further support Steve if the need arises."

The Safe Food Foundation has a lot of information online about GM and you may find it worth spending time to learn more. Here are some of their resources:

• Research articles and papers on GM
• Links to other anti-GM organisations
• Other Cases of GM Contamination in Australia
• Open Earth Source 'GMO Myths & Truths' - an evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically modified crops

What can you do?

• Saving and sourcing GM free seed has never been more important than now. Continue to share this information and be diligent about the exact source of the seed you buy and grow in your garden.

• Ensure you ask questions from suppliers and that especially includes buying seedlings from nurseries and retailers who may be selling GM seed raised crops. Even if you raise seedlings organically, you could still be inadvertently contaminating your garden with GM crops.

• There are many local certified organic seed sources - make sure you support these businesses and suppliers so you grow safe food and protect the integrity of our seed bank. This is a constantly updated list of seed suppliers you can refer to and share to buy safe seed.

• Visit True Food Network's list of resources and update yourself on the latest information and ways you can become more informed in your daily decisions.

Tips on Purchasing Seeds

What should a responsible gardener know before buying seeds?

Modern headlines in newspapers, magazines and websites often mention seeds.  From the doomsday seed vault to the "terminator gene" to genetically altered and patented plants, language about seeds and the world seed situation has captured our attention if not our imagination.  Fear abounds.  Calls for corrective action echo across the internet.

The seed market has reacted with banners claiming to point gardeners down the correct path toward salvation.  Rarely, however, do I read something that actually begins to explain what this all means to home gardeners and their need to find seed.  The following signposts are meant for guidance and are at best the place where discussions about correct action begin, not end.

TRADE FOR LOCAL SEEDS

The best way to find the seeds for your garden in to trade some seeds you have grown for the other seeds you need.  I attended a pot luck dinner in Siberia held once a year by seed savers.  Price of admission was a dish for dinner and some seeds saved from your own garden.  Over the next 2 hours or so I saw the most efficient, most complete system I have ever seen for exchanging seeds and the important stories and information needed to go with them.  Gardeners with seeds for the earliest and best tasting tomatoes ranked right up next to the gentleman with watermelon seeds.  They could trade first for anything they wanted.  I heard mumblings of plans for next year when gardeners would return with more of the rarest offering.  If you really want to be a successful gardener and seed saver, attend one of these events in your region.  If one is not available, start one.

BUY FROM SMALL REGIONAL SEED COMPANIES

If you cannot save or trade for all your seeds yet, buy from small seed companies.  The seed industry has become so centralized, only a handful of chemical and pharmaceutical companies now own the majority of the world's seeds.  In the late 1970's, a number of small regional seed companies started to reappear.  All were dedicated at some level to regional self-reliance.  All helped maintain our precious genetic diversity.  All sell some treasures that could probably grow in all of our gardens.  Support these people.  They do good work.

OPEN-POLLINATED

Open-pollinated seeds offer gardeners a predictable path to save their own seeds.  Gardeners can actually improve a variety from year to year  by selecting seeds from open-pollinated plants that do best in their own conditions.

HEIRLOOM

Heirlooms are treasures.  Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated varieties with a history, a story.  Not all open-pollinated varieties are treasures for everyone, everywhere.  Get as much information as you can.

ORGANIC

Buy organic seeds if you can.  We want, we need an agriculture that uses no biocides.  However, the vast majority of the world's seeds are not yet certified organic.  We also need diversity.  The sustainable strength of our agricultural ecosystem will depend on its diversity.  We need to find, grow and test as many different varieties as we can before they disappear.  If we collectively stop buying seeds now because they are not organic, we risk losing the diversity we so desperately need.  If the seeds you really want are not organic, buy them anyway.  Grow them yourself organically and save the organic seeds.

UNTREATED

Buy untreated seeds.  Treated seeds are seeds coated with chemical fungicides or innoculants.   Fungicides are meant to increase germination in cold and wet soil.  Treated seeds, by law, must be dyed.  Chemically treated seeds are not allowed for use on certified, organic gardens and farms.  ALL Seeds Trust seeds are untreated.

NATIVE

Collect your own native seeds if you can.  Local native plant societies are a great place to learn where and what to find and what to leave alone.  Buy natives to experiment with in your own landscape.  Start small.  Expect the project to take longer than you think.  Learn to manage the natural plant succession.  When looking to buy natives remember the following:  The definition of what is native is imprecise.  Natives may take 3-4 years to bloom.  The native seeds and plants you may want not be for sale.  Many non-native plants like lilacs are adapted and easy on your environment.  Avoid non-native pioneer species.

This article has been republished with permission from the Seeds Trust.

We encourage you to connect with your local seed saving group or network. Check our List of Seed Saving Groups in the South East Queensland region for one close to you or visit www.seedsavers.net for other locations.

Please support small local Australian seed suppliers if you are buying seed.

Growing Herbs, Vegetables & Flowering Annuals from Seed

The following article on how to grow herbs, veggies and flowers from seed is republished with permission from Sustainable Gardening Australia. It's a helpful overview for those wanting to understand the steps involved in sowing, seed germination, raising seedlings and transplanting.

Growing from seed is fun and rewarding as well as being very cost effective. You can access a much broader variety of plants than those that are generally available as seedlings in nurseries. Commercial growers simply cannot afford to produce small volumes of a wide range plants profitably and so concentrate on the mass production of familiar and ‘safe’ options. So if you want to grow heritage plants or rare and unusual varieties, particularly of vegetables, then you need to grow from seed.

Nowadays it is relatively easy to obtain high quality seeds through nurseries or direct from seed companies through mail order. (Note that there are quarantine restrictions on seed coming into Australia from overseas).

Seed Provenance

One thing to consider when ordering seeds online is to identify the provenance or original source of those seeds. If say, you are purchasing seeds from a seed company in Queensland who produce their own seed, then potentially those seeds will have performed well in that environment. But will they necessarily perform as well in say, the foothills of the Victorian Alps? As a rule of thumb you should try to source seed from an area as close to your own growing conditions as possible. Some seed companies source seed from other growers so, if in doubt, check with the seed company.
An excellent way to source locally produced seed is to become part of the Seed Savers Network. This is an organisation that encourages members to grow, preserve, collect and exchange seed with other gardeners in the same area. For further information on the Seed Savers Network visit www.seedsavers.net

Seed Viability

When you are purchasing seed it is important to check the Use By date on the seed pack. Do not be tempted to buy cheap out-of-date seeds. Some of this older seed may germinate but it will probably give a disappointing result and the plants produced will be weak and not very good performers. Seed viability (its capacity to grow and develop) can be variable and, whilst some seed will germinate after being stored for hundreds of years, most seed will only last a season or two. In my experience, the smaller the seed the shorter its period of viability, so obtaining fresh seed is critical for a successful outcome.

A good reference for this is the ‘Seedsaver’s Handbook’, by Michel & Jude Fanton, the founders of the Australian Seedsavers Network. It lists the viability of many edible plants as well as describing in great detail how you can save your own seed. Importantly it also teaches you how to preserve true-to-type varieties by avoiding cross pollination with different varieties of the same plant. e.g. many plants in the cucurbit family (pumpkin, zucchini, marrow, cucumber, melons etc) must be prevented from cross pollinating with close varieties of their type. For example Pumpkin X will cross with a closely planted Pumpkin Y but their seeds will produce hybrids that may lack the desirable characteristics of either one or both of the parent plans.
A simple way to avoid this cross pollination is to only plant and grow one named variety of that plant each season. And check what your neighbour is growing on the other side of the garden fence as well.

Germination Rate

Some seed companies put a Germination Rate (GR) on the seed packet eg GR-85%. This means that for every 100 seeds, on average 85 will grow successfully. Seed packets generally contain a generous amount of seed, ample for any home gardener so the germination rate is probably not critical. But to avoid disappointment, it is a good idea to sow more than you want. For example, when sowing peas or beans you can put two seeds in every hole at the designated spacing. When the plants are about 15cm high, you can choose to remove the weaker of the plants where both seeds have germinated successfully. In other spots, only one seed may have germinated but the second seed will ensure that you won’t have any frustrating gaps.

Don’t give up on seeds too quickly. Most seeds start to pop up above soil level between 5 and 21 days after planting. But some seeds can take considerably longer so check the seed packet for accurate information.

Direct Sowing 

Whilst it can be advantageous to sow seed in seed trays, in order to control heat and water requirements for germination, some seed is best sown directly in garden beds. For example, legumes (peas and beans) as well as root vegetables do not transplant well and should always be sown where they are to grow.

One way to get around this is to use biodegradable pots e.g. toilet roll inserts, egg cartons or rolled up envelopes and sow individual seeds in these. Once conditions are right and the emergent seedlings are strong enough, soak the ‘pots’ well in water and then plant out in the garden. This method avoids disturbing the plant roots which is the reason so many seedlings fail at the transplant stage.

An early crop of summer beans, whether bush or climbing, can be produced by sowing seeds this way in a greenhouse, with the extra warmth tricking the seed into germinating. Once the seeds have germinated, they will grow on even when planted into cold weather.

Pre-Soaking of Seeds

One way to hasten germination, and also to see whether some particular seed is viable, is to pre-soak the seeds. Some sources recommend soaking seeds in water for a couple of hours before planting. Others recommend overnight soaking or even for a couple of days. In my experience, when germinating all types of beans, peas and zucchini (large seeds) seeds, soaking them in water or on moist kitchen paper for several days before planting is beneficial. For an extra ‘kick-along’ place the soaking seeds inside a clear sealed container and place on a warm windowsill. This will ensure that the germinating seedlings are supplied with moisture, light and heat.

Check seeds daily to make sure they are evenly moist and in case of any developing mould. If mould appears, wash seeds gently and returning seeds to the container with new, clean and moist paper will usually avert ongoing problems.

This method can also work well with carrot seed. Soak in tepid water for at least 2 days, changing water daily. Planting seed with a wooden skewer (a dibbler) can help – wet seed is difficult to place!
If any seeds fail to germinate when most others have, then they are not planted.

Planting Depth

When planting seeds they should be planted at a depth double their own size. Fine seed should be sprinkled lightly on the soil, or on the surface of the seedling mix, before a fine layer of soil or seed raising mix is cast across them. A sieve is handy to ensure no large soil particles inhibit germination of fine seed.

Mulch

Do not mulch newly sown seeds as weak seedlings may not be able to penetrate the mulch layer. In some cases a ‘scatter mulch’, e.g. fine straw, can be used to help retain soil surface moisture. A down side with any mulch is that it provides shelter for pests such as earwigs and millipedes that can decimate emerging seedlings over night.

Protection of Young Seedlings

As well as earwigs and millipedes, slugs and snails love tender young seedlings. To deter snails and slugs you could try sprinkling coffee grounds, collected from your friendly neighbourhood barista, around your seedlings. Or spread dried and crushed egg shells in the garden bed. Beer traps are reputedly delighted to drink themselves to death in beer traps.

Recycled plastic milk or soft drink bottles can be used as guards for emerging seedlings. Earwigs are trickier – try enticing them with squeezed grapefruit halves as little houses that they will harbour in. They also like to hide in crushed newspaper drizzled with fishy oil, stuffed inside plastic plant pots. Empty the ‘traps daily’ by disposing of the contents in a manner of your choosing!

Conditions for Germination

Seeds will generally germinate in response to a combination of natural stimuli. The most critical of these are moisture and temperature.

Moisture is generally easy for the home gardener to control with regular gentle watering (fine mist) and by choosing a free draining growing medium (in a seed tray or a garden bed) so that the seed does not become flooded. A simple soft-watering device can be made by using a heated metal skewer to poke holes in a soft drink bottle lid or a fine mist spray bottle.

Overwatering or water logged soil may lead to ‘damping off’, a fungal condition that leads to the collapse of young seedlings. Overcrowding of seedlings may also be a contributing factor, as can bad equipment hygiene. Always clean and sterilise containers before using, and always use fresh potting media (not recycled).

Temperature is a little harder to manage if you are not a commercial grower. The seeds of summer plants need night temperatures to be above 15°c for successful germination. A heat bed may be used to get summer seeds to germinate or they can be kept inside in a warm position until they have germinated. Other useful places to access heat are on top of an outdoor hot water system.

Winter vegetable seeds need night temperatures below 15°c to germinate. A prolonged summer will make it difficult to obtain these cold temperatures so any brief ‘cold snap’ should be taken advantage of. Once the germination process has started, a slight raise in temperature will not affect the plants growth.

Germination Period

Seeds generally germinate somewhere between 7 and 21 days after sowing. During this period it is important to keep the soil moist but not wet. If the soil dries out then the seeds will probably fail to germinate. The first two leaves of the seedling that appear are not ‘true’ leaves but are called cotyledons. They are most often different in appearance from the subsequent ‘true’ leaves. When the true leaves appear it is an indication that the seed has successfully germinated and post embryonic growth has commenced. If the true leaves take too long to appear the seed may become exhausted and fail to progress so it is vital to maintain the optimum germination conditions until this critical stage has passed.

Transplanting Seedlings

If the seeds are sown in seed trays, they should be transplanted when they are approximately 15cm in height when they should be able to resist transplant shock. Be careful not to damage the fragile roots when transplanting as this may cause the seedling to fail. Space or thin out seedlings to the appropriate distance as suggested on the packet so that they have ample room to grow. Water in gently after transplanting with a diluted seaweed emulsion. As they grow continue to provide regular water and a liquid fertiliser as per the seedlings’ needs.

Mail Order Seed Companies

Mail Order Seed Companies that supply heritage, open-pollinated or non-hybrid seeds are listed below. Some seeds may be treated with a fungicide so please read the description carefully, or contact the seed companies directly, if you are looking for untreated and organic seeds.

The Diggers Club: www.diggers.com.au
The Lost Seed: www.thelostseed.com.au
Green Patch Seeds: www.greenpatchseeds.com.au
Beautanicals Vegetable Seeds Australia: www.vegetable.seedsaustralia.com.au
Goodman Seeds: www.goodmanseeds.com.au
Eden Seeds: www.edenseeds.com.au
The Italian Gardener: www.theitaliangardener.com.au
New Gippsland Seeds and Bulbs: www.newgipps.com.au

[NOTE: See full list of Australian suppliers including those that supply certified organic seeds.]

Many new plant cultivars that have been developed over the past decade may be subject to Plant Breeders Rights (PBR). PBR is effectively a plant patent. You may propagate these plants for your own use but NOT for resale unless you pay a royalty to the PBR holder. If in doubt, check the original plant label or seed packet or look for the PBR symbol.

Growing & Saving Coriander Seed

Many of us love growing coriander for its many health benefits in addition to its fabulous flavour. Did you know that coriander binds to heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and aluminum, making it easier to transport them out of your body? This alone is a great reason to include it in your diet and grow it at home.

Healthy coriander - well mulched

However, one of the problems many of us find with growing coriander is its tendency to bolt to seed quite quickly. How do you avoid this happening? ... and how do you get maximum production from your plants?

Growing Slow to Bolt Coriander

1. Selecting Seed - Start with an organic seed, grown locally or from a seed supplier. You can find a list of Australian organic and heirloom seed suppliers at Saving & Sourcing Open-Pollinated Seeds. Try to buy seed from one in your state and ask if the seeds are grown locally or imported so you know what you are getting. If they are grown locally, they are more likely to acclimatise to your local climate conditions.

2. Water - Coriander loves adequate moisture so it's vital you make sure you keep the water up to it during the growing phase. One sure way to get your plant to bolt to seed early is let it dry out!! The long root also needs space to grow deep in a pot or garden bed so make sure you give it enough room.

Mulch heavily after the seedlings have established - you'll find this will help slow down bolting to seed too quickly.

3. Pruning - Coriander, like most herbs, loves a regular haircut! Regular snipping will ensure you get the maximum harvest and a greater production of leaves. You should get at least 4 harvests from one plant if you prune regularly.

Photo courtesy of Sunset.

4. Nutrients - A liquid fertiliser such as diluted seaweed every couple of weeks will also keep it producing healthy foliage. An organic mineral soil conditioner applied to the soil or potting mix when planting will also ensure your plant is healthy and has sufficient food to grow new leaves.

5. Plant Selection for Seed Saving - Most importantly, when you are growing several coriander plants, observation is the key to noticing which plants start flowering first and those that are last. Being slow-to-bolt to seed is the quality you want to preserve in future generations. Use a plant marker to identify the best plant to save seed from.

Harvesting & Processing Seed

After flowering, you'll notice little green seed heads form like these ones from my garden. During flowering, you'll notice many beneficial pollinating insects like bees and wasps will come visit for a feed on the pretty delicate white flowers. This is why you should interplant coriander with fruiting vegetables so the friendly visiting pollinators will help increase your harvest!

Every white flower forms one seed.

Allow the seeds to dry on the plant before snipping off the stalks and storing in a paper bag until fully dry - if you wait too long, they will drop from the plant and self seed. Otherwise, if you have a long period of wet weather, harvest them when green and store till dry before processing.

Then simply rub the seed heads off the stalks, remove the chaff, label and store. By continually following the process of choosing the slowest to bolt plants each season to save seed from, you will breed plants that have this as a dominant quality and extend your harvest season.

The following diagram is courtesy of Milkwood Permaculture on how to breed slow to bolt coriander and is a good visual of the steps.

Have fun and enjoy growing and saving seed from coriander! 

by Anne Gibson

How to Germinate your Seeds

This article via http://permaculture.org.au/2012/08/04/how-to-germinate-your-seeds/

Germinating Your Seeds is Fun and Easy.

Methods vary by plant type. Seeds of annual plants have a shallow dormancy and do not need a winter to germinate, they only live one season. Annuals generally are buried to a depth equal to the size of the seed in moist well drained soil. Some, like tomatoes and peppers, require warm soil or a heat mat to germinate. 

Perennial Seeds Need a Winter

Long-lived perennial plant seeds have mechanisms to prevent germination until conditions are right for successful growing. Perennial seeds go dormant over the winter and then need their dormancy broken in the spring. The techniques below are for perennial seeds only, do not use these techniques on annual or bi-annual vegetable, herb or flower seeds.


In the wild, dormancy is broken by spending time in the ground through the winter so that its hard seed coat is softened by frost and weathering. This cold moist period triggers the seed’s embryo to grow and eventually break though the softened seed coat in its search for the sun and nutrients.

Scarification

Some seeds require scratching or nicking the hard seed coat to allow moisture to enter the seed to begin germination. This mimics natures weathering or the gnawing of rodents. Medium to larger seeds can be nicked with a knife, filed or rubbed with sandpaper. Rub smaller seeds between sandpaper or emery paper. Hobby rock tumblers can be used to scarify larger seed volumes. Abrade only the outer coating, embryos should not be cracked or damaged to remain viable. Commercial nurseries scarify using solutions of sulfuric acid.

Hot water scarification is somewhat easier. Place seeds in an almost boiling pot of water at about 180°F (82°C). Allow the seeds to soak until the water cools to room temperature. Remove the seeds and sow, scarified seeds do not store well. Toss the seeds that float if viable seeds sink for that variety.

Some seeds have a double dormancy requiring both scarification first followed by cold stratification. Others such as Black Cohosh require both warm and cold stratification. See a varieties’ growing instructions for its scarification and stratification requirements.

Cold Stratification

There are six methods of stratification: cold water soaking, refrigeration, fall sowing, winter solstice sowing, outdoor treatment, and snow planting. Time to stratify seeds varies by species, though in most cases storing damp seeds at 39 to 40°F (4 to 5°C) for two to three months is sufficient. Try different methods. Split your seed packet between different methods, start dates or stratification lengths.
Cold Water Soaking

This method works best for medium and larger seeds a few weeks before last frost. You are trying to imitate snowmelt. Place seeds in a small jar and fill with cold water. Viable seeds should sink, although this is not true for all seeds. Many flat seeds or seeds with edges float. Change water daily, your are trying to wash germination inhibitors in the seed. Sow after two weeks. You can also try putting seeds in a small muslin bag and suspending them in the toilet tank. What could be easier, automatic rinsing.

Refrigeration

Wet extra strong paper towel with liquid kelp solution and ring out, fold in half. Liquid kelp is not necessary but it helps germination. Place seeds on half and fold again, press gently between your hands to get seeds in contact with the towel. Place inside plastic bag. Avoid thick walled freezer bags, they do not breath. Label with variety and date. Store in the refrigerator for two to three months depending on the variety. Check for moisture and rotting periodically. If seeds get brown spots and smell musty, they are rotting and should be tossed. Plant after three months whether germinated or not.

The advantage of the paper towel method is that you can see if the seeds are germinating. If germinated, cut paper towel and place on soil, keep moist. You can place seeds in bagged flats in sterile planting medium but the flats or pots take up more room in your refrigerator.

Fall Sowing

Direct sowing in the garden or pots in autumn is the traditional method in Europe. This method naturally exposes perennial seeds to winter conditions. Be sure to stake where you sow, and date. Wood popsicle sticks fade and rot over the winter. Use larger stakes — plastic stakes written with a black Sharpie last the longest. Plant at a depth appropriate for the variety. For seeds requiring light to germinate, just press on the surface.

Winter Solstice Sowing

A variation of autumn sowing is planting later in the winter, starting with the winter solstice on up to February. This method takes full advantage of winter cold and spring heaving and the growing energy of the earth as days lengthen. This works well for hard to start seeds like Good King Henry. We direct sow once in each month from November through March to find the right stratification window. In our zone 7b, mid-December was the proper sowing time to germinate Good King Henry.

Direct sow in place or sow in well drained flats. Do not use soil from your yard, it is usually compacted and hard for the seeds to break through. If necessary, screen soil through 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth and supplement over half with loamy compost or peat moss. Some cover their flats with plastic with holes or screens to let in snow. Make this a part of your annual winter solstice celebration. You can soak medium to larger seeds overnight to aid germination. For seeds that sink, floating seeds are not viable. Again, this varies by seed type. If seeds do not require light to germinate, sprinkle with dry soil to cover.

The harder your winter the later you can plant. If you have hard winters and it is very cold out, 30°F (0°C), put your seeds in the fridge for two weeks to reduce the shock before sowing outside.

Outdoor Treatment

Anise Hyssop growing through the paper towel. The roots had already started growing through the towel in the bag so we just planted the paper towel and will separate as they get established.

This is our preferred method. This method is a variation of the bagged paper towel method but takes advantage of the fluctuating winter and spring temperatures. Instead of putting your bags in the refrigerator, place them outside away from direct light. We put them on the North side of our farmhouse, here in the northern hemisphere. Be sure seeds are protected from rodents. This method generally has a higher germination rate than the steady temp refrigerator method. If you plan to use this method and purchase your seeds after mid-February, you should wait until the following year to germinate them because you need cold late winter temperatures.

Snow Planting

This one is for the kids. After a heavy snow, go outside and broadcast your seeds on the snow where you want them to grow, preferably over a prepared garden bed. Have a snowball fight or toss snow over the seeds so birds do not eat them all. This method works best for varieties that can handle cold but do not require cold stratification such as hardy annuals, biennials or short lived perennials.

Surface Sowing

Keep your surface sown seeds moist until the plants are established. If direct sown seeds dry out in your climate from sun or wind, try covering with a single layer of burlap, light colored cotton sheet or half an inch of loose grass clippings. Remove burlap or sheet after germination. Shading with a window screen or white row cover above them the first season will help prevent drying in hot climates. You can also cover with clear plastic until germination to retain moisture, but be careful not to overheat. As soon as sprouts appear, again remove covering.

Some Need Light

Some seeds require light to germinate, sow these seeds on the surface and gently press into contact with the soil. Seeds requiring light to germinate will be indicated both in the growing instructions and will have a sowing depth of ’surface’.

Good growing!

Read More:

• Seed Germination Theory and Practice (PDF) by Norman C. Deno, 1993-1994.
• Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth, 2002.
• Starting From Seed: The Natural Gardener’s Guide to Propagating Plants, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, 2000.
• Plant Propagation, The American Horticultural Society, 1999.

Source: http://permaculture.org.au/2012/08/04/how-to-germinate-your-seeds/ by Restoration Seeds

Seeds Are The Key to a GMO-Free Food Future

The following excerpt from an article by Lisa Marshall of NewHope360.com is worth reading. It's enlightening to read what's happening to the "organic" seed industry with biotech companies involved and reminds us of the importance of maintaining the integrity of ALL of the seeds we sow and save in our own backyards to avoid contamination.

A single food seed can be as tiny as a grain of sand. Yet many say the fate of the entire organic industry rests upon our efforts to protect the integrity of these small, but vital agricultural inputs.

“Seed is the first resource in our food production chain, so its integrity is vital to the success of organic farmers. Yet little has been done to address the issue of genetic contamination,” says Kristina Hubbard, director of advocacy for the Organic Seed Alliance. “I don’t think seed is getting enough attention.”

As the natural foods industry gears up for an unprecedented assault on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), much emphasis has been placed on convincing government to label foods containing GMOs and on swaying grocers and manufacturers to rid them from the retail shelf. But Hubbard and others say those actions will mean little if farmers can’t find clean, GMO-free seed to plant in the first place.

Thanks to floating pollen, stowaway seeds on delivery trucks, and the fact that even organic farmers must turn  to conventional seed due to a shortage of organic varieties, seed experts say the vast majority of corn growing in the United States already contains some degree of genetically modified (GM) material. Soy, canola and alfalfa are also high on the list for possible contamination.

Even non-GM seed breeders—forced to buy their genetic material from biotech companies in an age of increased seed company consolidation—can’t guarantee that their seeds are genetically pure anymore, says OSA founder and consultant Matt Dillon. Furthermore, because funding for university research into natural, non-GM alternatives is a fraction of what it once was, Dillon says that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find innovative solutions to protect the non-GM seed that still exists.

Meanwhile, organic consumers are growing outraged that even when they buy “organic” or “non-GMO” products, they may still be eating genetically altered food.

So what’s the answer?

“We have to create our own seed system,” says Dillon, who will join stakeholders from industry and nonprofits to roll out a host of seed-preservation initiatives in the coming months. “If we just say ‘stop GMOs’ and we don’t protect and develop the seeds we really need, we haven’t succeeded at anything.”

Read the full article here.

What are your thoughts?

How to Store Seeds Correctly

If you are saving seeds from your garden, the next question you may have is: 'What is the best way to store them?'



According to the Local Seed Network Manual produced by The Seed Savers' Network, to ensure longevity of a variety, they recommend:

"to continually grow it out and pass it on rather than keeping it in storage for years. However you will need to store seed at least between the seed harvest and the next sowing season."

What factors affect the length of time seed stays viable in storage?

The ideal conditions are:

1. A dark, dry environment - Seeds absorb moisture in humid environments and dry out in dry atmospheres. This results in a variety of problems including insects becoming active and reproducing (at 8-9% moisture); fungi growing on and in the seed (at 12-14% moisture); heating occurring (at 18-20% moisture); and at 20%+ moisture, seeds may start to germinate.

The manual says: "High seed moisture is the most common single cause of loss of viability and of vigour in storage." So how do you avoid this?

Tip: Store properly dried seed in moisture-proof containers and add rice or gel sachets to absorb any excess moisture.

2. Pest free - Select a secure storage space that rodents and insects for example can't access. Managing moisture will also avoid the rapid build up of insect populations. Weevils and other insects can be excluded by removing moisture and oxygen from your storage container.

Tip: To ensure weevils are not already present in your seeds before storing, add thoroughly dry seeds to the freezer in a sealed container for 2 days - this should kill most weevils and eggs.

3. Cool AND constant temperature - Seed vitality is best, the cooler the temperature. At 5 degrees centigrade and below, insects are inactive. So if you are storing seeds in your fridge, be aware that large fluctuations in temperature can reduce the seed viability.



Tip: Store in a cool environment like your fridge but try to avoid taking the seed in and out of it as maintaining a constant temperature is just as important to seed viability.

Hope these tips help you store your seeds successfully.

By Anne Gibson

Growing Food from Seed

5 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Food From Seed

There are some important reasons why we should all grow at least some of our food from seed in our home gardens.

1. Save money! Seeds represent great value for money so investing in even one seed packet will reap huge rewards if you choose the right kind of seeds, but learning to save your own seed means you don’t need to continue to buy it.

2. Food Security. Having control over the source of the food plants you grow begins in your backyard. You grow what you need and you know it is from safe seed - not genetically modified.

3. Healthy, Pest & Disease Resistant Plants. Just a few multi-national corporations are behind the commercial seed companies and their goals and intentions are profit driven - learning more about this helps us make better decisions about which seeds to grow and which to avoid. It's important to grow plants from open-pollinated, organic and heirloom varieties rather than hybrids.

4. Preserve the Genetic Diversity of Heirloom Plant Varieties. This simply means we can all do our bit to help retain a wider range of edible plants by preserving or saving at least one or two varieties at home.

5. Seed Saving is Rewarding and Easy. It also builds self-reliance and a great sense of empowerment.

Read more on Growing Your Own Food from Seed and find a list of reputable seed suppliers (open-pollinated, heirloom and certified organic seeds) in Australia here. These seeds will produce plants that are ‘true-to-type’ (or have the same characteristics as the parent) and more importantly, will enable you to save seed from the plants you grow.

Happy sowing!

Cheers,
Anne

How to Grow, Harvest & Save Basil Seeds

Basil is one of our most popular culinary herbs and belongs to the mint family. Basil is used to make pesto sauce, flavour many dishes and salads, and is well accepted as the perfect partner to tomatoes. It is traditionally used in Italian, Mediterranean and Thai dishes, blends beautifully with garlic, thyme and lemon and also works well with fish, pasta, cheese or eggs.

Other uses include drying leaves for potpourri and using fresh leaves as a herb tea to help with digestion. Basil can be frozen in ice cubes and leaves can be preserved by blanching in vinegar or oil and then blended with cheese, pinenuts or other seeds/nuts to make pesto which freezes well if sealed with a layer of olive oil.

Basil Varieties:

There are a number of delicious varieties to grow.  

• Sweet basil is one of the most common varieties grown but there’s something for everyone in the basil family.  

Other varieties include:

• Lemon (Ocimum americanum) and Lime basil both of which suit seafood dishes, soups and salads.
• Cinnamon.
• Nufar (a mild flavour with just a hint of anise).
• Greek Mini (a compact small leafed basil which particularly suits pots as it only grows to 30cm).
• Thai (Ocimum basilicum) which has a sweet anise-clove fragrance and hint of mint and citrus - flavours that go well in curries.  
• Of course, for a change of colour, there’s also Purple basil.

Basil flowers are a beautiful temporary addition to any garden with the added benefit that they attract pollinators and also provide free seeds for next season.

Tips on How to Grow:

Most basils are annuals and are very easy to grow. They like a soil ranging from slightly acidic with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Seeds can be sown directly into moist soil (moderately rich) in a full sun position any time from spring to mid-summer or into a seed raising mix to a depth of not more than twice the size of the seed. When two pairs of true leaves appear, seedlings can gently be pricked out of the seed raising mix with a bamboo skewer and gently transplanted.

Tip pruning basil helps prevent plants becoming woody too quickly and pinching off flower heads will keep the plant putting its energy into more leaves not flowers and seeds. Once flower heads start to form, the plant slows down leaf production so it’s important to keep pinching these flower buds off.

When harvesting basil leaves, use a pair of secateurs or scissors to cut it back to about 6mm above a node, leaving enough foliage for the plant to keep photosynthesizing and producing more growth. If you remove all the ‘solar panels’ your basil plant can’t get enough energy from the sun to keep growing!

When Seed Heads are Ready to Save:

When you are ready to save seed, allow one plant to flower and leave at least one other to keep producing leaves. Flowers will form on long stalks and stay green for some time while flowering.

This is the ideal time to snip them off the plant.

Eventually they will start to turn brown which house mature seeds inside.  

How to Harvest:

To harvest the basil seed heads, using a brown paper bag and secateurs, snip off the flower heads at the base and drop into the bag. Any mature seeds will fall into the bag. To fully dry the seeds, peg the bag up to dry in a warm, well-ventilated space. Once dried, they are ready for processing!

How to Process: 

Basil seeds can be a little stubborn to remove from the seed heads which each hold several seeds. However they are very tough and can take rough treatment!  Here are some ways you can process them depending on what materials you have available.

• Add the seed heads to a clean calico bag or pillowcase. Rub them vigorously between your hands, scrunching the bag regularly to remove the chaff and allow the seeds to drop to the bottom of the bag. 

Alternatively, use a rolling pin to crush the seed heads.

• When you can see all the seeds, tip them out onto a shallow tray ready to blow the chaff off.  

 

• Another tool you can use is a strainer or sieve with appropriate sized holes or mesh to allow the seeds to remain while the chaff is rubbed through the bottom and onto a tray.

• Gently blow the chaff (plant matter) off the tray or use a small pastry or art brush to remove it. 

 

• Then you'll have clean seed you can package in a small self-seal bag. 
• Remove all air from the bag first after adding your seeds and pop in the freezer for a couple of days to kill any stowaway insects like weevils! 
• Then store in a dark, cool place until you need them for planting. 
• Make sure to label with the variety, date and source. 

 

Plan on plenty of pesto next season!