Mona Vale, Christchurch NZ
Pentstemons bravely flower on...
Today is the first day that I've felt chilly all day, autumn slowly sequeing into winter. Even though I was keeping warm with gardening, I seemed to have cold hands and feet all the time. A fog came over in the morning and went away again for a brief time in the afternoon but the day never really warmed up.
...as do the dahlias.
Planted lots of seeds today - carrot, parsnip, florence fennel, radishes, red cabbage, cavolo nero, mesclun, chicory, artichoke and corn salad. Also sweet peas for next year. Some of the seed I have little hope for; it's old seed that will probably come to nothing, but I'd rather sow it and take a chance than throw the packets out unsown.
I'm trying to save more of my own seeds now and sow them straight away, as they would be sown naturally. I saved and sowed some chive seed, and the germination rate has been something fantastic. The florence fennel seed is my own too, and I found an old seed-filled head of red onion today that can be put out soon.
Reading disturbing reports of various seed-libraries in the US of A and UK being destroyed or dispersed. The reason? Apparently the bodies administering them are facing crises in funding. Which is very convenient for those who produce seeds commercially. Heirloom varieties, ie. non-hybrids that produce every year from saved seed, are being sidelined for hybrids that are sterile, so we will have to buy seed every year from the mega-companies like Monsanto. Eventually it will become a crime to save non-hybrid seed, an act of subversion punishable by fines and prison terms. Home gardeners saving and swapping seed will face the same kind of penalties as drug-dealers do now. Mad, mad world.
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DeleteAutumn is one of my most favourite times of year. Crisp nights and days I can work in.
ReplyDeleteSigh on the hybrid seed front though. If it does come to past that heirloom seeds are made illegal I will be a criminal. With no shame.
I'll be a criminal with you - I think taking away people's capacity to feed themselves is completely immoral.
ReplyDeleteI'm overjoyed any time I plant things from seed and they succeed! At the moment I gave about 100 self seeded nasturtiums coming up in the wrong place so moving some will be a job tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI think nasturtiums are one of those plants that once you have them, you have them forever, like forget-me-nots. I pinched some seed from the place I was staying on my holiday, and now waiting to see if they'll come up. Good luck with the moving!
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