Seed swap 2015

It's that time of the year again! Now that the festivities are over we can plan for the new year's planting. I have the pack of seeds ready to go - all I need to know is who wants to join in? (Sorry - it'll have to be the UK only...)
If you haven't joined in a seed swap before, you will be sent a large pack of seeds which are surplus to requirements. Most are within their 'sow by dates', some are not, but I think we've always had pretty good results notwithstanding. The pack tend to be mainly veg, but a few flowers are always welcome (particularly those which can be used in companion planting). Help yourself to whatever you would like, and replace what you take with an equal number of packets of seed. You will then be given the address of the next person on the list, and will despatch the parcel to them. When you have the pack, feel free to pass it around at work, or to a neighbour - the more people who see it, the more chances there are for some interesting varieties! We usually manage to get it delivered, looked at and sent on within four or five days, just so that it's gone round to everyone before the sowing season is fully underway.
So - all those in favour say 'aye'!!

Aye DL. You can count me in. But you knew that already

Right - you're on the list!

Yes please Dandelion.

Right-ho!

Me too please.

You're on the list!

I spent a bit of time sorting out the seeds this afternoon - there are some goodies in the pack, both unusual heritage varieties and more conventional ones. Apart from potatoes (which I don't intend to include...) I can't think of many vegetables which can't be found in the pack - and a few flowers too!

Not this year thank you. Have rather a lot of seeds at the moment.

Pol

Would any of your family want to be included Pol ? They are always welcome ...

I'm going to aim to get the pack sent off in the next week or so, to the first person on the list. If anyone else would like to put their name forward it won't be too late; I'll add you to the end of the list

The pack of seeds is on its way to Ploshkin first.

Ooh, thank you Dandelion. I must get my seed box out and have a sort through.

Ah yes. There is something exciting about rummaging through the seed box. It could be that I remember as a lad doing it with my dad. And the anticipation of the renewal of the growing year - a winter solstice celebration Iin minature !

I must go and rummage. There are still a few seeds I need to look out for - I want to grow our own popcorn this year !

I had a sudden thought just before I packed the parcel up, and put some Yellow Stuffer tomatoes in, if anyone's interested. I saved the seed from a plant I grew a couple of years ago. It was given to us by a friend at school, and I had no room left in the raised beds so grew it in a pot. The fruit never really got huge, but I've been told that if you grow it in a bed you can get big beefsteak sized fruit. The tomatoes are intruigingly hollow, a bit like a pepper, and can be filled with rice and things like that.

Seeds have just arrived, thankyou. I'll have a brivet through & send them on their way asap.

A brivet??? Is that something you do in Wales???

Brivet = rummage or ferret.  Too many years working with Radnorshire folk Dandelion.  A lot of Radnorshire words / sayings are mutations of the Welsh or follow the grammatical structure or literal translation of the Welsh equivalent which makes for interesting language.  (e.g. when someone is under the weather they would be asked 'what's on you' rather than 'what's the matter'.  In Welsh ailments are 'on' you, so it would translate as 'there's a sore throat on me).  I bet some Herefordshire words or sayings do likewise.
I don't know where brivet originates - possibly brifo (single f pronounced like v) which can mean damage, wreck or destroy which you may well be doing if you are rummaging.
They also use words like jamp (past tense of jump), dove (past tense of dive) and puck (past tense of pick).

That is fascinating! I've heard of 'dove' before, as they use it in the States for the past tense of dive, but not the others.
My other half and I have just got into Scandinavian TV series - it's really interesting to listen to what's said as well as reading the subtitles, because some of the Danish and Swedish is almost the same as English. Our viking past probably!

The seed packet is ready to move on. Could you please PM me the next recipient Dandelion.

Thank you for putting in some Mr Fearn's, I think my seed saving has been a failure - I will request some advice in a separate thread.

The seed pack will be going to Chilli next.

If anyone in the UK wants to add their name to the seed swap, it isn't too late!

Ah good. Look forward to a good "brivet"

This will be my second lot of seeds in the post this week - Gunners sent me some packets in return for some raspberries too. The daylight does just seem to be getting a bit longer now - soon be time to scrub down the greenhouse and start sowing.

Seeds are on their way to Chilli Head.

Parcel has arrived safely with me.  I'll have a rootle tonight. I think I spotted some chillies in there ...

One thing. I noticed last year that the amount of out of date seed is gradually growing. There does seem to be some very out of date - 10 years is the worst I spotted. I personally wouldn't take the risk on seed that old - I might go to 4-5 years for tomatoes and other long lived seeds, but not, e.g., carrots, parsnips, leeks, onions.

I mention it in case we are posting around seed that nobody will take a risk on - should we "thin out" so as to speak, some of the less viable packets ? It seems a shame to be circulating seed that are only earning the post office money, and risking disappointment if anyone does try to grow them ?

I think I found a table giving the life of vegetable seeds by variety somewhere - perhaps that would be a good thing to post or have a link to ... if I can find it !

Whoops, sorry - missed the ten year old seed! I did have a weed out before I sent the parcel (there were some quite muddy old packets which went, for a start) but my aim was to have nothing which was older than a couple of years. I did put in some seeds which were a little older, but which were still sealed in their packets.
If there's something which someone wants to try, which looks a bit old, it is possible to trial some of the seed on wet kitchen roll (like growing mustard and cress) to see if it still germinates.
I didn't put the date on the bean and pea seed - it was all from last summer.

Ah yes, good idea DL. I was actually considering, in the interests of science , taking some of the older seed and doing a few germination tests on damp kitchen roll. Then we would know if it really is too old. I did find quite a bit on the internet, but there is a fair bit of variation - I suppose it all depends on how the seed is stored, and what is an acceptable emergence rate.

On the subject of the interests of science, I have hopefully got myself into a trial of a sweet onion variety, organised by a local onion grower. Apparently they want to see how the growing conditions affect the taste, by getting local allotment gardeners to try it out at different sites and with different growing methods, and then have a taste test. Sounds fun !