HSL Seed Guardian and Member's Experiments

[zazen999]

How do you ensure,especially with beans, that you don't get any cross polination?

Flum has been very clever in that she knows that French Beans do not cross pollinate.

[Pies]

Flum has been very clever in that she knows that French Beans do not cross pollinate.

I was thinking more of runner beans

[gillian62]

What a great idea. Well done. It's probably a totally different thing, but I have trialled some for gardening which a few years ago, and it was nice to do something different.

[gojiberry]

I would love to do the seed guardian thing but my time available is a bit hit and miss, and I feel it is something that needs the proper time and commitment. Good luck to all you guardians and experimenters.

Ian

[zazen999]

I was thinking more of runner beans

If you wanted to save runner beans; you would have to isolate them - in a cage and use something like blowflies to pollinate them.

[braders]

Got all my experiments and all 3 seed guardian seeds through the post today.

Will give me something to do this weekend won't it?

Will be reading the destructions tonight and getting some plans in place to grow/do it all.

Hi Zaz
Reading your post has inspired me to the point of applying for membership, which I have just done...have you gone for the HSL membership..?..just seed growing tests etc..?..thats what I thought I would do, or can you advise me further..?..pm me if its more convenient.

Cheers
braders...

[zazen999]

Hi Zaz
Reading your post has inspired me to the point of applying for membership, which I have just done...have you gone for the HSL membership..?..just seed growing tests etc..?..thats what I thought I would do, or can you advise me further..?..pm me if its more convenient.

Cheers
braders...

I am a member of both GO and HSL. Once you are a member, call them and get the password for the member's area on line and have a wander through the member's area. You can apply for seed guardianship and the experiments online; but if you call them and ask you might get included in this year's tranche - otherwise you can use this year to grow on the seeds that you get sent on joining and get used to the technicalities of seed saving and go for it in a bigger style next year.

[braders]

I am a member of both GO and HSL. Once you are a member, call them and get the password for the member's area on line and have a wander through the member's area. You can apply for seed guardianship and the experiments online; but if you call them and ask you might get included in this year's tranche - otherwise you can use this year to grow on the seeds that you get sent on joining and get used to the technicalities of seed saving and go for it in a bigger style next year.

Thanks Zaz... will let you know how I get on...thanks for the info..!..

[SarzWix]

I'm 'guarding' just one - I thought I'd start small and see how I go. It's a Climbing Bean called Fabes de la Granja Asturianas - Asturian Farm Bean. Massive white beans great for casseroles and tapas!

I got some beans that sound very similar to that from my Secret Santa. Can't remember the name of them though, and I don't have them to hand... I'll be saving for myself & to share this year though

I might volunteer for Seed Guardian next year if the seed saving goes well this year.

Very interested to see how everyone else's goes this year

[Flummery]

I got some beans that sound very similar to that from my Secret Santa. Can't remember the name of them though, and I don't have them to hand... I'll be saving for myself & to share this year though

I might volunteer for Seed Guardian next year if the seed saving goes well this year.

Very interested to see how everyone else's goes this year

Would it be Spagna bianca? Not really the same as Sb is technically a runner bean and the Asturian is a climbing french. Both good meaty beans though. (BTW Spagna will cross like a tart!)

[SarzWix]

No, it's not Spagna. It's *reads from packet*... 'Tarbais'

Described as 'The ubiquitous southern French "Cassoulet" bean. A climbing bean grown for shelling.'

[Flummery]

Hey sounds good. Yours s a French one then. I feel a swap coming on next year!

[SarzWix]

Providing I can get them to grow and mature in the soggy North West, they'll be up for sharing I'm guessing they'll be more adapted to a longer, sunnier season than I can give them though. Thank goodness for a heated g/house - I can start them a tad earlier hopefully...