Next Seed Talk and Seed Pick Up

 Hello Gardeners!

The White Bear Lake Seed Library has received many new donated seeds of lettuce, melon, squash, and other vegetables. Check the blog to find out what is new.

Did you know the White Bear Lake Seed Library has:

32 varieties of tomato seeds

75 varieties of native plant seeds

11 varieties of lettuce seeds

7 varieties of radish seeds (I find this kind of odd we have so many)

And many, many more!

There is still time to stratify your native plants seeds either in the fridge or using the winter sowing method.

 

Seed Companies

Soon your mailbox will be filled with tempting seed catalogs. If you were not able to harvest seeds from your own garden to donate to the Seed Library, please consider donating a packet of commercial open-pollinated seeds. The Seed Library relies of donations from community members.

No doubt, most of you have some favorite seed companies you buy your seeds from, but consider buying organic seeds this year. Why? Check out this podcast with Joe Gardener and Tim Sterns of High Mowing Organic Seeds for some great reasons.

Maybe 2021 is a good year to check out some smaller seed companies  too.

 

How to Grow Food Plants Indoors

Seed Talk, January 12, 2021 6:30 pm

The next seed talk is on ways we can grow plants to eat indoors in a Minnesota winter!

No, we can’t grow lemons or oranges very well inside during our Minnesota winters unless you have a greenhouse, but there are tasty plants that do grow well inside a regular house that has either a sunny south facing window or supplemental lights.

I’ll share my own successes as well as give you some ideas on what you need to grow tasty vegetables and herbs in your own home.

 As always, seed talks are community get-togethers! Please share you experiences and questions at the seed talk. You must register in advance for this Zoom seed talk.

Jan Seed Talk

 If you find the event is full please let me or the library know. The number of participants can be increased. Also, you must sign up 2 hours in advance so there is time for the facilitator to send you the email to join the meeting.

 

Do You Need Seeds?

The next seed pickup is Saturday, Jan 16^th from 11-11:30am.  Now it gets dark too soon to have a seed pickup later in the day during a weekday. Also, as it is winter, the date may have to be rescheduled due to snow storms or excessive cold. Look at the seed lists on the blogsite. Order seeds by sending me a list of specific seeds you want at wblseedlibrary@gmail.com.

If Jan 16^th doesn’t work for you I can meet you at the White Bear Lake library’s parking lot on a different day. Just send me an email and we can work out a time. Also, if you’d like to package seeds you can pick up supplies at this time, but please send me an email so I can put together the supplies before you come.

 

Volunteer Opportunity!

I have an opportunity for some people who are willing to clean some native plant seeds I received from the 21 Roots Farm this fall.  What I mean by ‘clean’ is these are dried plant parts containing stems, leaves and the seed pods or structures that contain the seeds. Volunteers would have to remove the seeds from their pods by either cracking open the pods or shaking the seed heads or picking off the fluffy seed parts. There is no need to sort the seeds as I am planning on making a special 21 Roots native plant mix to offer in the Seed Library. To be sure, this is tedious work, but necessary to share these wonderful seeds with others. If you are interested, send me an email, wblseedlibrary@gmail.com, and I’ll have a bag of dried plants for you to clean at the Jan 16^th seed pickup.

 

How to Donate Seeds to the Seed Library

See the blog post on donating seeds.

 

Twin Cities Metro Growers Network

All the 2020 virtual meetings and notes are on TC Metro Growers website.

Even if you are not a farmer, these recording are interesting. Check them out while staying warm inside!

 

Dirt Rich Podcasts

Dirt Rich is SFA’s (Sustainable Farming Association) new podcast series, bringing you seasonal conversations about food and farming. There’s a wealth of knowledge in the farmer-to-farmer network, and plenty of people who want to share it.

Season two of Dirt Rich will include conversations on seed saving, silvopasture, the Midwest Grazing Exchange, and more. Check your podcast feeds on January 6, 2021 for the next episode. Our season one wrap-up is live with all of our episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and wherever else you get your podcasts. You can also listen on the SFA website. Do you have ideas for future episodes? Comments? Drop us a line.

 

Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security

It’s not just the United States that is concerned about seed security. Check out our northern neighbor’s initiative at http://www.seedsecurity.ca/en/.

 

Upcoming Events

The Nutritional World of Dried Edible Beans

Wednesday, January 20, Noon - 1 PM (Virtual) | Learn the importance of pulses (dried edible beans) in your daily diet, and why pulses are good for the soil. Discover the wide variety of pulses and how to grow dried peas, beans and lentils in your home garden. More information.

 16^th Annual Emerging Farmers Conference

The 16^th Annual Emerging Farmers Conference, Keynote Speaker is Tiffany LaShae.  

“Tiffany LaShae (she/her) is a grower, educator and activist. She has farmed all around the world, from Texas to Minnesota to Africa. Her current projects include ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’ work with farmers in Benin & Zambia, urban and rural soils research with the University of Minnesota and plans to start a CSA in the Fall of 2021.”

This this year’s theme is: “Reclaiming Our Voices: For Farmers, by Farmers, with Farmers.” There is still time to join us for the 16^th Annual Emerging Farmers Conference taking place on January 29 and 30, 2021  by registering HERE. If you have any questions or language/interpretation needs please contact:

KaZoua Berry
651-504-8105 / kberry@thefoodgroupmn.org
Or Visit our website emergingfarmers.org for more information.

 

Future Seed Talks via Zoom, all at 6:30pm

Jan 12, 2021 Tues   How to Grow Food Plants Inside

Feb 9, 2021   Tues  Companion Planting

Mar 9, 2021   Tues   Seed Starting

Apr 13, 2021 Tues   How to Grow Tomatoes w/Ramsey master gardeners

May 11, 2021 Tues Garden Design

 

Contact info for the Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Blog site: WBL Seed Library

 

Hope 2021 brings you lots of gardening opportunities!

Pam

 

How to Donate Seeds to the Seed Library

 

The Seed Library needs seeds!!!

The seed library can use seeds from open-pollinated, non-hybrid vegetables and flowers or native plants. The plants providing the seeds must not have been cross-pollinated so that means tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, and native plants are the best plants to harvest seeds, though some annual flowers are also okay. If the plant is a hybrid the seeds will not come true to the original plant so the seed library cannot use them.

Make sure the seeds are dry!

Please place your seeds in a paper envelope with the name of the plant, the date, your location, and your name.  Plastic encourages mold.  Make sure the envelope is sealed so that little seeds can’t escape. If you only use the glued area on the envelope flap, little seeds can escape on the edges where there is no glue. It is better to fold down the top of the envelope several times and fasten with a paper clip or staple shut.

1) Drop off the envelope of seeds at the curbside pickup area at the White Bear Lake library. Do not use the book return slot.

The librarians request that you refrain from arriving during the first two hours the library is open for curb-side pick up as it is very busy during this time. Please respect their wishes! So here are the hours you can come to donate seeds:

M: 12-8pm,   T, W: 3-8pm,   Th, F, S: 12-5pm

OR

2) Bring your envelope of seeds to a formal seed pickup day where I will be at the White Bear Lake library’s parking lot. The next date is coming soon. There will be more seed pickups throughout the winter and spring.

Vegetable, Herb and Flower Seeds (Native Plant Seeds in different post) Updated Jan 19, 2021

OG = organic seed

 

Beans: (approx. 24 seeds per packet)

Blue Lake 7 – pole, 60 days

Bountiful – bush bean, 45-50 days

Empress – bush, 55 days

Mayflower – pole bean, 95 days

Climbing French Bean – pole bean, edible 4-7” pods, 65-75 days

Contender – bush bean, 55 days

Painted Pony – bush, 60 days pod, 90 days bean

Tiger Eye – half-pole, 80-90 days

Unknown variety

 

Lettuce:

Arugula – green, 40 days

Better Devil – OG, romaine, purple ruffled, 56 days

Bronze Mignonette - from Siberia, very cold tolerant, oakleaf shaped leaves, green with bronze tips, 50 days

Burpee Bibb – green, 75 days

Burpee Bibb – OG, green, 75 days

Buttercrunch – butterhead, 65 days

Cinnamon – romaine leaf, ruby rust red, 45 days

Little gem – mini romaine, 50-55 days

Lolla Rossa – OG, red looseleaf, 55 days

Parris White Cos  - romaine, 65-70 days

Parris Island Romaine – OG, romaine, 65 days

Prizehead – inner leaves green, outer leaves purple to bronze, 45 days

Rocky Top – blend or red, bronze, green, 38-45 days

Rogue d’Hiver, red, 70 days

Mesclun, mixed, 20-45 days

Winter Density – romaine, 44 days

Salad Bowl Mix

Gourmet Blend Seed Tape– OG, mixture looseleaf, 44 days

 

 

Peas:  (approx. 24 seeds per packet)

Champion of England – shelling pea, 60-75 days

Extra Early Little Marvel – shelling pea, 58-63 days

Early Perfection – shelling pea, 3” pods, 66 days

Homesteader – shelling pea, 65 days

Mammoth Melting – snow pea, 65 days

PLS 14 – OG, shelling, 50 days

Progress #9 – shelling pea, 58 days

Sugar Ann – snap pea, edible pods, 20” vines, 51 days

Tom Thumb – OG, shelling pea, 50-55 days

 

 

Peppers:

Banana – sweet pepper, yellow, 60 days

California Wonder – OG, sweet green bell, 75 days

Serrano – hot

Thai – hot

Wisconsin Lakes – OG, sweet red bell, 75-85 days

 

Tomatoes: Regular Sized:

Black Giant – purple-black, 6-14oz, 65-85 days

Black Krim – dark red-purple, 80 days

Brandywine – red, 80-100 days

Box Car Willie – red, 12-18oz, 80 days

Copia – gold and yellow stripes, 1lb, 85 days

Dakota Sport – red, 65-75 days

Earl of Edgecombe – orange, 3”, 70-75 days

German Johnson – red, 1-2lb, 80 days

Gold Medal – orange-yellow with red, 75-90 days

Hungarian Heart – reddish-pink, 1lb, 80 days

Pink Brandywine – pink, 1-2lbs, 80-100 days

Rozovyi Izumnyi – pink, 85 days

Vinson Watts – pink, 10-16oz, 85 days

 

Tomatoes: Cherry/Lunchbox Size:

Blue Berries – dark purple, 75 days

Chinese yellow – yellow, pear shaped, 75 days

Current Sweet Pea – red, very tiny, 75-80 days

Fox Cherry – red, 75 days

Garden Peach – light yellow, 2-3oz, 75 days

German Lunchbox  –  pinkish red, 70-80 days

Gold Nugget – golden, 1-2”, 60 days

Green Doctors – green, 85 days

Green Zebra – olive yellow, 3oz, 70-80 days     

Jaune Flamme – orange, 2-4oz, 70 days

Kazachka – red/green, 1-2”

Matt’s Wild Cherry – deep red, 55 days

Mexican Midget – red, 60-70 days

Tommy Toe – red, 70 days

Yellow Pear – yellow pear shaped

 

Tomatoes: Roma/Paste Tomatoes:

Amish Paste – red, 8-12oz, 80 days

Martino’s Red Roma – red, 3” long, 75-80 days

San Marzano – red, 5”long, 75 days

Striped Roman – orange stripes, 75-80 days

 

 

Other Veggies:

Broccoli – Calabrese – 5-8” heads, 58-90 days

Asian Greens:

            Hon Tsai Tai – 40 days

Tatsoi, 21-45 days

Cabbage:

Brunswick – 6-9 lbs, 85-95 days

Early Jersey Wakefield – 3-4 lbs, 60-70 days

Carrots:

St. Valery – Red-orange, excellent storage, 12”, 80-90 days

Red Core Chantenay – red core, wide shoulders, good heavy soils, 5”, 70 days

Rouge Demi-Longue de Chantenay – red core, 65-70 dys

Celery – start by Feb 15, 100-120 days

Chard – Red Rhubarb – dark red veins, 50-60 days

Corn – Glass Gem  - 120 days

Cress - Belle Island – rich in Vitamin A&C, calcium, iron, 50 days

Cucumbers:

            Hmong Red – grows from white-pale green-yellow-red, best eaten yellow, 4-5”

Lemon – round, yellow tennis sized balls, 65 days

Marketmore 76 – slicing cucumber, green, 8-9”, 63 days

Mexican Sour Gherkin – tiny 1”, sweet cucumber flavor with a tang, 60-70 days

Russian Pickling – smooth skin, sweet crisp, 50-55 days

Spacemaster 80 – dwarf plants, 8” fruit, 60 days

Grain – Jacob’s Tears – ancient grain, 4-6’ tall

Kale – Lacinato – blue-green, 65-80 days

Kohlrabi – Blauer Speck – violet-blue color, 60 days

Melons:

            Iroquoise Cantaloupe – 90-100 days

Petit Gris de Rennes cantaloupe – 2 lbs, 85 days

PMR Delicious cantaloupe– 2-3 lbs, 75-80 days

Hearts of Gold cantaloupe – 2-3 lbs, 80-90 days

Kajari melon – copper-red & green striped, light green flesh, 2-3 lbs, 60-70 days

Black Diamond Watermelon – 30-50 lbs, 60-90 days

Sugar Baby Watermelon- <10lbs, 65-85 days

Microgreens - radish

Okra – Clemson Spineless – 2-3”, 56 days

Pak Choy – Hong Tae – 50-55 days

Radish:

Chinese Green Luobo – bright green, 50-75 days

Chinese Red Meat – green/white outside, rosy red inside, 2-4”, 50 days

Champion – red, mild flavor, 25 days

D’Avignon – 3-4” long, slender, white tip, 21 days

Early Scarlet – 1-2” long, 20-28 days

Philadelphia White Root – white, spicy, 30 days

Sparkler White Top – 1” white tops, red bottoms, sweet, 24 days

White Icicle – 5” cylindrical white roots, 27-35 days

Rhubarb – start seeds indoors, grow 1 year before harvesting

Spinach:

            America – heat & drought tolerant, 8” tall, 43-55 days

Caucasian Mountain (Hablitzia tamnoides) – long lived, semi shade vine, edible leaves & shoots

Good King Henry – perennial spinach, edible leaves, seeds need stratification

Red Malabar – tropical vine like spinach, 50-70 days

Squash:

Eight ball zucchini – 3-4” round, green zucchini, 55 days

Sweet Meat (winter) – bluish grey winter squash, 100 days

Tomatillos:

Grande Rio Verde – 3-4 oz, 80-85 days

Aunt Molly’s – small yellow fruit, 75-90 days

Green - green, 60 days

Turnip – Purple Top White Globe – 4-6” white roots, pink top, sweet, 55 days

 

Herbs:

Basil:

Cinnamon

Italian Genovse - OG

Mammolo

unknown variety – locally harvested

Catnip - OG

Cilantro

Dill

Garlic Chives

Lemon Balm - OG

Lovage

Parsley

Dark Green Flat - OG:

Moss Curled

Italian Giant

Parsley Root

Sage – OG, Common

Salad Burnett

Tarragon

Thyme - OG

 

Annual Flowers:

Angel Trumpet

Bachelor Button

Bee’s Friend

Browallia

Calendula

Cosmos – yellow to tangerine in color, Sensation mix

Cutflower mix

Dahlia – Coltness, Mixed

Four O’Clocks – mixed colors

Impatiens

Indian Blanket

Korean Angelica

Marigold – Snowdrift (white), Disco Marietta, yellow, orange

Morning Glory – Milky Way, Grandpa Ott

Nasturtium – Purple Emperor

Ornamental peppers

Poppy – double pink, red

Runner Bean –Scarlet

Tithonia

 

Perennial Flowers:

Baptisia/False Indigo

Blanket Flower – Arizona Sun

Balloon Flower

Foxglove – purple

Globe Thistle – Blue Glow

Lily – Blackberry

Obedient Plant – white