Hello
Gardeners
Another
Seed Packaging Event!
The next Seed Packaging Event is Wednesday, February 28, from 6-8 pm at the White Bear Lake library. We’ll be in the Lion’s Den conference room. No experience necessary! Masks are welcome. I encourage all participants to consider the health of their neighbors as this is an indoor event. (I took this wording directly from Como Community Seed Library National Seed Swap Day event information, as it seemed appropriate. The Lion’s Den conference room holds about 9 people.)
Just a note: I get the feeling that Monday nights are preferable to many people as Mondays seem to have more people at them, but apparently Mondays are also popular to other groups in the area as the Lion’s Den room has been booked for several weeks. Perhaps Wednesday evenings work for people too? I still have lots of seeds to package, so if you’re available, please consider volunteering at this event.
Bring any seeds you harvested to donate to the seed library! I’d love to get some tomatoes, beans and peas—especially those you grew from open-pollinated plants!
Also, those of you who grew haricot vert beans for the Grow a Row project, please donate them now!
If you can’t come to this seed packaging event or prefer to package seeds at home, I can provide a bag with seeds and supplies for you to pick up at the White Bear Lake library seed table. Just send me an email (wblseedlibrary@gmail.com) and I’ll prepare the bag and let you know when I’ve placed it on the seed table for you to pick up. Directions are included!
New Seeds in the Seed Library!
Between the seed packaging events and volunteers who have packaged seeds at home I have added over 200 packets to the seed library the last couple weeks! I have tried to concentrate on the varieties that need to be started indoors early.Here’s some of the new or replenished seeds now available:
Native Plants: self-heal, pale cordalis, purple giant hyssop, lobelias, hoary vervain,
Vegetables:
Tomatoes – yellow pear, amish paste, Mandurang Moon, Apricot Zebra
Peppers – kalugerista, purple beauty, bridge to paris
Many varieties of spinach, cucumbers, summer squash, beans, pumpkins, cabbage, kohlrabi, peas, onions, leek, collards, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, celery, asparagus, kale, pumpkins, swiss chard
Flowers – Mexican sunflower, lavender, daisy, ballon flower, ayssum, amaranth, cardinal climber, celosia, bachelor buttons, cleome, hollyhock, passion flower, petunia, salvia, sweet pea, zinnia
Note that many of these seeds need to be started early indoors. Plan ahead!
Stratifying Native Plant Seeds
Just a note about native plant seeds—Most native plant seeds need a period of stratification before they will germinate. Stratification is a period of cold, moist conditions that breaks the dormancy of native plant seeds. In nature this is called ‘winter’!
Here’s a brief description:
You can help get your native seeds a head start by doing one of the following right now:
1. Direct sow the seeds outside in a prepared bed. They should germinate next spring.
2. Use the winter sowing method to create a little like greenhouse for the seeds. Basically you cut a plastic jug in half, leaving a small part uncut as a hinge. Poke holes in the top, bottom and sides. Remove the bottle cap. Add potting soil and seeds. Water. Tape the top shut and write on the outside the type of seeds. Place OUTSIDE now in a sheltered area that will get sun, snow and rain. Early next spring you should see seedlings growing that you can transplant to your garden.
Right now, the best way to stratify seeds is below:
3. You can stratify seeds inside your refrigerator by placing damp sand and the seeds in a plastic zip lock bag and place the bag in the refrigerator for the number of days necessary to stratify. Remove the bag after the length of time and place the sand and seeds on a tray with potting soil. Place the tray under lights and water as needed. Soon you will have seedlings you can harden off outside and plant in your garden.
The seed packets in the seed library are labelled with the number of days needed for stratification or you can find this information online as well.
Pam
Contact info for the Seed Library:
Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com
Blog site: WBL Seed Library
