That GO heritage seed library

[horticultural_hobbit]

I saw this on the box the other day, and I was just wondering if anyone had membership. I'm only just getting my head around F1-boo hiss,apparently-, organic and heritage-fabulously funky looking-seeds. And having just been given some heritage seeds, I'm having an ooh moment.

[SarzWix]

Yep, loads of us HH When the catalogue starts being sent out, someone usually starts a thread about what we're going to choose this year

[donnakebab]

I've just emailed them. I saw it on the telly too. All excited now Gonna choose something easy first as not sure how isolation is achieved.

[zazen999]

I'm biased. Hence my signature.

The catalogue will be hitting people's desks very very soon, I am told.

And for isolation; here is a linkie, you can download the Seed Saving in Schools booklet, which I partly wrote and took photos for.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Oooh!

I had a quick look at their website, and wasn't too sure about how to participate. Will have another look later and try and get a better understanding of how it does. There were various membership fee's etc.

[zazen999]

£20 a year, you get the full seed saving instructions, plus 6 free packs of seed each year from the catalogue.

Because you save from these [or some of them] and swap [like on here] you can increase your varieties in a very short amount of time if you spend a little time saving just one variety.

For example; 2 years ago I saved 3 Sanguina beetroot from the year before, and let it flower, and set seed. I collected a shoe box full of seeds. I bagged loads up, swapped them, gave loads away, and still have a bag with enough to keep me in beetroot for at least another 5 years. I estimate that with that one seed saving activity; I have saved myself £30-50 in purchased seeds, which is enough to pay the next year's HSL membership. And so on and so forth.

Hence why we do the Seed Circles and Seed Swaps on here. Save from one, and get 16+ back for the price of a few stamps.

[£15 a year if you are already a member of Garden Organic]

[VirginVegGrower]

You make it sound so tempting and so easy. I might give this a whirl too. I should branch out and look to preserve lost varieties. I assume there is some of that to the HSL too?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Have just pinged them an email, so will give this some serious thought. I'm just not sure I would be able isolate very well-will be checking out that link above-as I'm likely to want I sow anything and everything. Heritage veg looks fabulously funky. Food that is fun to grow and then fun to eat.

[zazen999]

You make it sound so tempting and so easy. I might give this a whirl too. I should branch out and look to preserve lost varieties. I assume there is some of that to the HSL too?

Absolutely! That's was it's all about.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Yep, you act a seed guardian to a lost variety. Propagating the next batch of seed, and you send it back to the HSL to send out and procreate again.

[zazen999]

It IS easy.

Honest.

The main two issues are:
Isolating the right thing at the right time
Bad autumns when things rot rather than dry, so you have to have space indoors for drying things off.

I usually think that with my seed saving, I grow an extra 10% and leave the best 10% to go to seed which guarantees me seeds for the next year.

[VirginVegGrower]

OK I'll step on it and take a look see. I'm not very au fait with how to save all seed so will need to up my game. If they don't mind earnest beginners then I would like to partake.

[zazen999]

You'll make me want to run a seed saving workshop at this rate....mates rates

[VirginVegGrower]

Surely you have ENOUGH to do, but on the other hand sounds good

[VirginVegGrower]

£20 a year, you get the full seed saving instructions, plus 6 free packs of seed each year from the catalogue.

Because you save from these [or some of them] and swap [like on here] you can increase your varieties in a very short amount of time if you spend a little time saving just one variety.

For example; 2 years ago I saved 3 Sanguina beetroot from the year before, and let it flower, and set seed. I collected a shoe box full of seeds. I bagged loads up, swapped them, gave loads away, and still have a bag with enough to keep me in beetroot for at least another 5 years. I estimate that with that one seed saving activity; I have saved myself £30-50 in purchased seeds, which is enough to pay the next year's HSL membership. And so on and so forth.

Hence why we do the Seed Circles and Seed Swaps on here. Save from one, and get 16+ back for the price of a few stamps.

[£15 a year if you are already a member of Garden Organic]

Done! Now I'm excited...