Seed Savers Network 2010

Here's a remarkable online resource for exchanging seeds - if you are an experienced seed saver - and for getting new open pollinated heirloom varieties of plants if you're a beginner (and trying not to spend too much).
In 2008 I had an extremely positive experience with this network, and the bulbs and seeds I received grew well for me. I was able to share my hardneck garlic locally, and hopefully will have lots more to share in 2011.

Gardeners are so generous, and nature gives us an abundance - I saved lots of seeds myself, but they all went to students in my various classes. So I have none to offer this year in the network - in spite of that I have requested some from Ewa , and from Patrick - I may have to make a small contribution to postage, but generally people are very generous.

Join in! And if you have nothing to swap now - don't worry - some day you will!

Garlic harvest

My Garlic has all been harvested, and dried, and I have lots to plant next year, and to eat for as long as it lasts!

If you have been following this blog, you'll know that I got lots of garlic from a generous member (Spade Work) of the seed network. Here's my joyous entry last November.

All the garlic did very well - I'm delighted that I'm one of only a few people in the world growing Gazebo grande. And they all taste great - but I'm smitten with the garlic scape pesto (see bottom of the archive) so I'll be planting as much hardneck garlic as possible.

I have put aside the following to grow again next year - I think this is enough for me - hopefully next year, I'll have some to share.


Marco (softneck) - 7 cloves
Inchellium red(softneck) - 9 cloves
Prim (softneck) - 6 cloves
Gypsy red (hardneck) - 2 cloves
Gazebo (hardneck) - 2 cloves
Susan Delafield (hardneck) - 4 cloves
Misc - grown for supermarket garlic - 1 clove
Unknown hard neck - 3 cloves

Going into the end of last year, I was dismayed that I didn't have a good variety of garlic to sow - that's all changed!

Garlic doing well

This year I hope to have enough garlic to harvest to be self sufficient. So I planted up some from the garden center last October . They have now outgrown the onions that I planted at the same time - they are 6-8 inches high, and very healthy looking.

Subsequently I planted some from the supermarket, and they are also doing well. I know it's not advisable, but at that point I just wanted to get some more garlic in.

Then, at the end of November, I got a wonderful package from Spade Work, planted them immediately, and they are now peeping up, and looking good with it.

At this time of year it's wonderful to have something in the ground and thriving, when much else is winding down, going to seed (the mooli) or getting ready to be planted.

Seed saving network delivers!

Yesterday the postman delivered two packets - it was better than Christmas! One had a fine selection from Mas Du Diable and the other an embarrasment of garlic from Spade Work.

Both were arranged through this Seed Network. I will or have already reciprocated with seeds that I have saved and made available. See my list.

So here I am, in rural Ireland - getting packages from France and London - I feel very connected to a worldwide gardening community. It's a lovely feeling!

Thanks to both John and Laura - I'm looking forward to planting the seeds in the spring, and the garlic went in immediately - luckily I had a bed all ready for them. The variety of the bulbs was interesting - some had only 3 cloves for a huge bulb, and others had 10 or more cloves for the same bulb size.

Planted the following varieties:
Prim - small cloves, but good keeper according to the notes
Susan Delafield - 7 cloves
Gazebo - 3 huge cloves,
Gypsy red
Inchelium red. - this one had loads of individual cloves.


The (Marco) garlic planted a month ago is shooting up - but I was dismayed by the lack of selection at the garden center. Next year I'll be ale to save my own garlic for replanting, and hopefully can swap garlic in subsequent years. What a great initiative, well done Patrick!