New Seed Varieties and the Next Seed Pickup on Fridy Oct 9th

 Hello Gardeners!

The Seed Library has 3 new seed varieties!

These seeds are available now.  Just send me an email and I will have a packet ready for you to pick up on Friday, Oct 9.

Here’s some info on these new seeds:

 

Hablitzia Tamnoides ( Caucasion Mountain Spinach)  – Growing tips

Start off with seed – you can sow in pots from October through to January and leave outside in a cold frame and the seeds will germinate naturally over a number of weeks. Alternatively for a spring sowing, seeds need to be stratified for a period of 7-10 days in a fridge ( sow in damp compost or vermiculite and place in a plastic bag). Sow the seeds at a depth of 1-2mm. This period of cold followed by removal from the fridge helps to trigger germination.

Seedlings can then be handled and potted on ready to be planted out when big enough. The plants need something to scramble up and can reach 7-10 ft tall. In the autumn they produce very decorative green/white flowers which eventually turn into tiny black seeds. 

 

Good King Henry (Cheno­pod­­­ium bonus-henricus)

Info from Mother Earth Living

https://www.motherearthliving.com/plant-profile/an-herb-to-know-9

 

Spring greens are an ancient tradition that is well worth keeping alive, and Good-King-Henry (Cheno­pod­­­ium bonus-henricus) is an easy-to-grow herb rich in iron and vitamin C that blends well with such better-known potherbs as dandelions, nettles, and sorrel.

Good-King-Henry is native to Europe and was brought to North America by the early European colonists as a potherb. It now grows wild here and there in the northeastern United States and Canada.

Think of Good-King-Henry as a sort of perennial spinach, to which it is related; other chenopodiums include lamb’s-quarters (C. album), epazote (C. ambrosioides), and quinoa (C. quinoa). Stems up to 2 feet tall bear dark green, succulent, arrow-shaped leaves with smooth or wavy edges and a mealy undersurface. Spikes of tiny greenish flowers appear from May through September. In early spring, pencil-thick shoots push up from the fleshy, branching roots, and these are prized, especially in England, as a substitute for asparagus.

Good-King-Henry grows best in fertile, well-drained garden soil. It’s one of the few herbs that prefer partial shade. Buying a plant or two is an easy way to get started with this herb. Seeds are available but may be slow to germinate (established plants self-sow fairly readily, however). Stratifying the seeds (chilling them in a moist medium such as vermiculite) for a few weeks improves germination. Thin or transplant seedlings to 1 to 2 feet apart. Fertilize the plants occasionally during the growing season. Harvest leaves lightly and shoots not at all until plants are three years old. If you mulch the plants heavily in late fall with compost or leaf mold, the shoots will be white and especially tender. The leaves are most tender in spring, too. Established plants can be divided in early spring.

 

Rhubarb from Seeds

Info from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

https://www.southernexposure.com/blog/2015/02/growing-rhubarb-from-seed/

Many gardeners are familiar with growing rhubarb from divisions or crowns, but if you want to start a large rhubarb patch quickly, without spending a lot, growing rhubarb from seed is the answer. The stems of rhubarb grown from seed will not all have that intense red color you might be used to. Some stems will be red, some green, and some in between. But they will all taste the same, perfect for your home-cooked pie. If you want all red stalks, get divisions from a friend or neighbor or buy crowns from your local nursery.

Rhubarb seeds are encased in a large paper-like shell. To speed germination, soak your seeds in water for 1-2 hours before planting. If you’re starting indoors, plant the seeds in screened compost or other suitable organic planting mixture, 2 seeds per 2 to 3 inch pot. Using peat pots or cow pots makes transplanting easier. For spring plantings a heating cable or mat will speed the germination if the room temperature is below 70°F.

To start rhubarb in the spring (zones 8 and lower), sow seed in pots or flats under cover 8-10 weeks before your average last frost. Transplant the young plants out into the garden about two weeks before your average last frost, into an area amended with compost or well rotted manure and plenty of organic matter. The plants should be about 4 inches tall. Mulch your seedlings to maintain even soil moisture and keep the roots cool. Harden plants off before transplanting or protect the new transplants with row cover until danger of frost has passed.

Choose a location protected from the heat. The warmer your climate, the more important it is to provide afternoon shade (on the west and south) during the hottest months. A row of tall annual plants (your late summer tomatoes or pole lima beans), shade cloth, or a temporary structure can provide adequate shade that you can remove when the weather cools. Always remember to maintain even moisture. Letting your young rhubarb plants dry out in hot weather is the kiss of death.

 

 

Seed Pickup, Friday Oct 9, 4:30-5:30pm

The next seed pickup will be at the White Bear Lake library parking lot from 4:30-5:30 pm. Please wear a mask and follow social distance protocol.

If you want seeds, send me an email by 2:30 pm on Oct 9th with the name of the seeds you want. I will package them in a paper bag and you can pick them up on Oct 9th. Email address: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

If you need supplies to package seeds at home, also send me an email.

The lists of seeds available are on the Blog site: WBL Seed Library

 

 

Seed Talk, October 13, 2020 6:30 pm

The next seed talk is on how to save and package seeds. I have a presentation to show you and I will demonstrate how to package seeds for the seed library. 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.

Oct 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.

 

 

How to Donate Seeds to the Seed Library

The Seed Library needs seeds!!!

In general, 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. If you are unsure about what seeds to save or how to save them, attend the next Seed Talk on Oct 13th.

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 Friday, Oct 9th; time 4:30-5:30pm. I will send out an email later for a reminder. There will be more seed pickups throughout the fall.

 

Happy Fall!

Pam

 

Upcoming Events

Seed Collecting at 21 Roots Farm, Oct 24^th, 3-5 pm (rain date – Oct 25^th 3-5pm)

https://www.facebook.com/events/1331916957160667

Come collect seeds in the ‘wild’ at 21 Roots Farm. The seeds will be donated to various seed libraries in the Twin Cities, including our White Bear Lake Seed Library. I will be there helping people to collect native plant seeds.

Open House Style- come when you can, stay as long as you can.

No Previous Seed Saving Experience Required!

Come and help collect seeds for the pollinators and local seed libraries. 

Local Seed Savers will be on site to help guide you

(BYOP)  Bring Your Own Pruner ... and gloves, please wear long pants and sturdy boots for walking in tall prairie grasses and plants.

Due to Covid please wear a mask and/or follow social distancing.

 

Green Coffee Talk with Do It Green

 Seed Saving & Giving as Gifts, Oct 22, 2020

Presented by White Bear Lake Seed Library Founder Pam Larson Frink

Learn how to save vegetable, flower and native plant seeds. It's easy and a great way to keep heirloom seeds available and an inexpensive way to have seeds for your garden. Seeds are also a great gift idea! They are economical, easy to do, and of course, great for the environment. I'll show you some easy to make seed packets you can give as gifts.

More information and registration will follow.

 

 

Annual Virtual Green Gifts Fair, Nov 19-22, 2020

Join us for our 15th Annual Virtual Green Gifts Fair event!

Do It Green! Minnesota will be hosting our annual event virtually with some exciting, fun ways to participate from Thursday, November 19th – Sunday, November 22, 2020.

* SHOP! Online directory of local green artists and businesses offering discounts and specials.

* LEARN! Online videos and live chats to learn ways to reduce our environmental impact over the holidays and all year long.

* PARTICIPATE! Live feeds during the event.

Join us for our 15th Annual Virtual Green Gifts Fair event from Nov 19-22, 2020 with an online directory, demo videos and live feeds during the event!

 

Future Seed Talks via Zoom

Oct 13, 2020              Tues   How to Save and Package Seeds

Nov 10, 2020                        Tues   How to Start Native Plant Seeds

 

Contact info for the Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Blog site: WBL Seed Library

 

Fall Steps to a Wonderful Landscape

 

Fall Steps to a Wonderful Landscape

 

Many gardeners dread the traditional fall “clean-up” of their gardens and yard. It signals the arrival of winter with cold and snow and the passing of sunny warm days with beautiful gardens and green grass. But fall clean-up doesn’t have to be such a chore. Below are some recommendations to do this fall; most are more like ‘fun’ than ‘work’.

Don’t Rake the Leaves

Yes, you have been told you must rake the leaves off your lawn or your grass will die. That is a myth! Just use the lawn mower to shred the leaves and mow your lawn at the same time. Ditch the rake and the bagger attachment to your mower. As long as you can see grass poking up out of the leaves you can safely mow the leaves without harming the lawn. The little bits of leaves will add organic matter to the soil which helps improve both drainage and its water holding ability.

 

Fertilize your lawn

Fall is a great time to fertilize your lawn, but use a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer such as Milorganite. I suggest an organic fertilizer as it works with the natural balance of the soil, virtually no risk of over applying, doesn’t pollute groundwater or cause polluted runoff and adds organic material to the soil. Fertilizing in the fall helps your lawn recover from stresses in the summer and encourages deep roots which helps compete with weeds, diseases and insects. It is suggested you fertilize early September and in late October.

 

Plant

Yes, you can plant perennials, shrubs and trees in the fall! It is a great time for planting as the soil is warm and the hot, dry days of summer have passed.

Fall is the best time to plant daffodil, tulip, crocus and other types of bulbs. Plant bulbs when the night-time temperatures are around 40-50°F. If you plant too soon, you risk the bulbs sprouting early. Follow the planting instructions on the package. A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2-3 times their height in the ground.

 

Skip Cleaning the Garden

Leave the stalks of the dead perennials for overwintering pollinators. Wait until there have been several 50°F days in the spring before removing dead foliage. Not only will you increase the beneficial insects in your garden next year, you add winter interest to your landscape.

Exception: Remove all diseased plant material this fall and dispose of it at a county compost site. Your home compost probably doesn’t get hot enough to kill pathogens and in the spring when you use the compost you may be spreading disease in your garden. Most tomato plants have some sort of fungal problem in the fall, so dispose of them too even if they look okay.

 

 

Start a Compost Pile

Anytime of the year is the good time to start a compost pile, but sometimes the fall is a great time as you have less other chores to do. There are dozens of ways to set up a compost pile. Spend a rainy day researching ideas on the internet.

Here is a good place to start: https://joegardener.com/how-to-make-compost/

 

Start a New Garden

Fall is a great time to start a new garden and you won’t need to do the back breaking work of removing sod! Sometimes called sheet gardening, sheet mulch gardening or lasagna gardening. Here are the steps:

1. Outline the area of the new garden with rope or a garden hose. Place cardboard or 5-6 sheet stacks of newspaper over the grass/weeds. Make sure to overlap the sheets of cardboard or newspaper. No need to remove the sod or weeds as the grass/weeds will decompose under the cardboard or paper.

2. Spread on a 5-6” layer of compost. Top with a 3-4” layer of mulch such as shredded leaves, straw or wood chips. You can make each layer thicker as it will shrink as it decomposes. By next spring you can plant without tiling, double digging or turning over the soil. The grass/weeds at the bottom will have decomposed and your plant’s roots will easily penetrate deeper as they grow bigger.

3. Each year add more compost to your garden to create a beautiful ‘Black Gold’ growing bed.

 

Journal Your Successes (and the less than successes)

Keeping a journal of your gardening adventures helps you down the road. Use a simple spiral notebook to write down what you grew, what didn’t grow and what varieties performed the best or what you want to try next year. This winter or spring when you plan your garden you’ll know what worked and what didn’t work. I also add a To-Do List in my journal so I remember what seeds I want to grow or what plants need to be moved or replaced. 

 

Save Seeds

I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you to save seeds. The seed library is always in need of tomato, pea, bean, lettuce, sweet pepper and native plant seeds. Fall is when most native plants set seeds. Wait until the seed pods are brown and dry before harvesting. Your pea and bean seed pods are probably dry by now too.

Seed Talk on Fall Gardening Sept 8th!

 

Hello Gardeners!

Just a quick reminder the next Seed Talk is Tuesday, September 8 at 6:30pm via Zoom. You must sign up in advance via: Seed Talk

If it tells you there are no more spots available, let me know or call the library.  

Get some ideas on what trees, flowers and bulbs are great for planting this fall. Find out when or if you should mulch plants before winter. Is it better to clean up the garden in the fall or wait until next spring?

There will be ample time for questions. Seed Talks are community get-togethers where gardeners of all skills and ages share their experiences, questions and expertise. I know at a Zoom meeting it is bit harder to feel comfortable joining in, but please feel free to contribute to the conversation!

 

How to Donate Seeds to the Seed Library

The Seed Library needs seeds!!!

In general, 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. If you are unsure about what seeds to save or how to save them, attend the next Seed Talk on seed saving October 13th.

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. Stay tuned--there will be more seed pickups throughout the fall.

 

Please continue to save seeds from your harvest!

Pam

 

Future Seed Talks via Zoom

Oct 13, 2020              Tues   How to Save and Package Seeds

Nov 10, 2020                        Tues   How to Start Native Plant Seeds

 

Contact info for the Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Blog site: WBL Seed Library

 

How to Save Seeds

 

How to Save Seeds

1. Select open-pollinated (not hybrid/ F1) varieties of plants.

2. Start with the easiest seeds to save: Peas, Beans, Tomatoes, Lettuce and Native Plants.

3. Grow your plants making sure they are not cross-pollinated with other varieties. Select the healthiest plants to harvest seeds. If growing vegetables, also select good tasting fruit with high yields. Don’t choose wonky looking plants and select fruits from more than one plant if possible.

4. Gather fruits or seed pods at the correct time. See details below.

5. Dry seeds thoroughly. Store seeds in paper envelopes or small clean jars in a dry, cold location. A plastic or glass container in your refrigerator is a great place to store seeds.

6. Label, label, label!  Include the date, location and other notes about the plant, such as days to maturity or sun preference. You will forget come springtime.

Peas and Beans

Allow pods to ripen on the plants until they are dry and start turning brown. Peas and beans must be completely ripe or they won’t germinate. This will take about a month after harvesting the other peas/beans for eating. You can either strip the pods from the plants or pull up the entire plants whole and spread them to dry inside or other sheltered well-ventilated area for a couple of weeks. Shell pods and store in paper envelopes or jars. Pea and bean seeds remain viable for 3 years.

Tomatoes

Allow fruit to ripen fully and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Put the seeds and pulp in a glass jar with some water. Let sit at room temperature for 2-4 days, stirring once a day. Each day pour off the pulp and seeds that float to the top. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom. After 4 days, remove the seeds at the bottom, rinse thoroughly, drain and spread on newspaper or paper towels to dry. Package in paper envelopes or jars. Tomato seeds remain viable for 4 years.

Lettuce

You must allow the lettuce plant to bolt or grow a stalk which will make a flower head with small yellow flowers. They eventually change to feathery white tufts which contain black or white seeds. Lettuce seeds don’t ripen all at once, so monitor the plants for a month or two. Each time you see some seeds turning dark, shake the plant over a paper bag to catch the seeds. Dry indoors for a week before storing. Lettuce seeds remain viable for 5 years.

Native Plants

Most native plants produce a flower, which if pollinated, will make a seed head or pod. Late in the fall or after a frost, collect the seed pods and allow to thoroughly dry. Remove the seeds before storing. Many native plants, especially milkweeds, attach a fluff bit to each seed to allow the seeds to disperse in the wind. To remove this fluff put the opened seed pods in a bucket or container with a lid. Add a couple of coins and close the lid and shake. The shaking with the coins will remove the fluff from the seeds. After shaking, the seeds will be at the bottom of the container.

Most native seeds require a moist cold period of time called stratification before they will germinate. The easiest way to grow these seeds is to plant them in the fall and let them go through the winter where they will sprout in the spring. Otherwise you will need to simulate winter by placing the seeds in moist sand and storing in the refrigerator for a set number of days before starting inside.  

 

RESOURCES

White Bear Lake Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

 

University of Minnesota Extension information - http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/saving-vegetable-seeds/

Seed Savers Exchange – http://www.seedsavers.org/

Native plant growing from Prairie Moon Nursery - https://www.prairiemoon.com/

Seed Sowing and Saving by Carole B. Turner

Starting and Saving Seeds by Julie Thompson-Adolf

 

 

 

 

 

Pam Larson Frink                                                                                        Rev 9/2019