For those of you who didn't have your radios on at 6:30 this morning, you might be interested in this. You can listen in from your PC by clicking here: Farming Today This Week
Look for the set of symbols in the top left of the screen and pless the "play" button
It's a short programme covering mainly heritage plant varieties, but with some discussion of rare animal breeds too.
Maybe we should write in and tell them about the KG Seed Swap!
Heritage Seeds - Interesting programme
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Colin,
As you would probably expect I listened to the programme. Pauline Pears and the Garden Organic seed collection. I knew her when she was a young lady.
Although Heritage Seeds are probably the 'be all' for some people I somehow wonder why they have come to get heritage status. I agree that Ragged Jack Kale is a worthy of growing I have severe doubts as to the validity of many of the seeds.
As Pauline explained she grows many variety of beans on her own plot for seed and knowing that they are all open pollinated I feel that what she is growing will be very susceptible to change and therefore it is possible for hybridization to take place.
It is for this reason that I look upon heritage seeds with a somewhat jaundiced eye.
JB.
As you would probably expect I listened to the programme. Pauline Pears and the Garden Organic seed collection. I knew her when she was a young lady.
Although Heritage Seeds are probably the 'be all' for some people I somehow wonder why they have come to get heritage status. I agree that Ragged Jack Kale is a worthy of growing I have severe doubts as to the validity of many of the seeds.
As Pauline explained she grows many variety of beans on her own plot for seed and knowing that they are all open pollinated I feel that what she is growing will be very susceptible to change and therefore it is possible for hybridization to take place.
It is for this reason that I look upon heritage seeds with a somewhat jaundiced eye.
JB.
Johnboy wrote:I feel that what she is growing will be very susceptible to change and therefore it is possible for hybridization to take place.
It is for this reason that I look upon heritage seeds with a somewhat jaundiced eye, JB.
Hi JB. I guess what you've described could apply to anyone who saved seeds from year to year, unless they are quite careful?
I had a similar situation last year with some chillies. They're normally very mild but must have cross pollinated with other hotter varieties in our greenhouse. The results were noticeably different.
In general I don't have a problem with the idea of heritage seed. The alternative EU legislation which enforces a limited range of specific varieties seems to come with its own problems. For those that can remember back, did we actually used to have a problem with seed suppliers selling stuff that wasn't the same as what it said on the label?
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PLUMPUDDING
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If you understand how different plants are pollinated it is very easy to keep the varieties pure by isolation, tying the flower, only growing one variety and lots more ways. And sometimes it is fun to deliberately cross things just to see what you get.
Beans and peas tend not to cross- pollinate easily, so just leaving a few feet between different varieties is usually all it needs to keep them true to type.
I usually try to avoid F1 hybrids as I like to save my own seed. You have hundreds to choose from, not like the limited range of F1s the catalogues offer. Also it is much more economical to be able to save your own seed when you have varieties you really enjoy. I'm not saying I never grow F1s, but I think it is important to keep diversity alive.
Beans and peas tend not to cross- pollinate easily, so just leaving a few feet between different varieties is usually all it needs to keep them true to type.
I usually try to avoid F1 hybrids as I like to save my own seed. You have hundreds to choose from, not like the limited range of F1s the catalogues offer. Also it is much more economical to be able to save your own seed when you have varieties you really enjoy. I'm not saying I never grow F1s, but I think it is important to keep diversity alive.