Heritage Seed Library

[seasprout]

Bit of info if interested..

Bit of an update for anybody interested.. got my Summer 2007 newsletter from the Heritage Seed Library recently (been a member for few years) and the good news is, after the short film broadcast on BBC1 Chelsea Flower Show preview, which many of you have referred to, the HSL (Heritage Seed List) has gained more that 500 NEW MEMBERS...200 joined on-line between 7pm and 9am on 20th/21st May. Making it the most successful promotion ever.

Thank you all.

Here is the link to the Heritage Seed List website for those interested


http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/index.php

[JazzDuke]

HSL is great if you like growing old/odd varieties. Approximately, it costs £12 and each year you get the catalogue and can choose five free packets plus at the back they have list of people wanting to give/receive/swap particular types. (You can't buy anything else.) You don't tend to get a lot of seeds per packet but they are great fun and in my experience always germinate well.

There is also Association Kokopelli in France which is similar I believe and has an English website.

[seasprout]

My Purple podded peas.

This is my purple podded peas from the HSL this year, deep purple flowers, purple podded pea pod, and the plant has grown to 6ft.

[Flummery]

I'm still intrigued to know what colour the peas themselves are - and what colour after cooking.

[TonyF]

The peas are green believe it or not and really tasty also. And the flowers are a real treat to see so have kept about 40 pods for next year.

I saved a load of French bean seeds from HSL last year which haven't been too succesful because of the rain so have kept the beans over again for next year, but those I did eat were really good.

I just think HSL is great and when other gardeners visit, they're always taken with HSL plants.

[pigletwillie]

Green Flum, its just the pods that are purple. I have wigman of canes full of them so that I can build up seed for next year. the tall heritage pea varieties are far more productive than the short ones bred to be harvested by combine and crop over a good period too so they dont all come at once.

[seasprout]

Gone to seed.

I've not picked any peas to eat, i have decided to use the lot as seed for next year, to bulk up so to speak. Perhaps to swap.

[kentvegplot]

Highly recommend HSL.

All the seed I had from them this year has grown well - better than some of the commercial varieties. Already eating tomatoes, melon, lettuce, beans courtesy of HSL.