Christmas Present To Self - Real Seeds

It's Christmas Eve, there is the usual rubbish broadcasting on the television...oh what to do?
Do as I did and order your Real Seeds, complete with seed saving instructions. This ticks all my boxes:-
~ seed saving for idiots, namely me
~ seed that supports small business
~ seed that is not GM
~ seed that is an obscure/heritage variety

Saving seed is a good deed...pass it on!

My list of purchases...Celery Giant Red, Leek Jeune de Poitou, Leek Bleu de Solaise, Mortons Secret Mixed Lettuce, onion Jaune Paille de Vertus, Mangetout Pea Golden Sweet, Pea Champion of England, Tomato Irish Gardeners Delight, Tomato Purple Ukraine, Tomato Costoluto Fiorentino, Tomato Gold Medal, Tomato Gruskovka.

Heritage Seed Library

In the interests of growing your own and not growing the explosion of GM crops, supermarket profits et al. I have joined the HSL at Garden Organic (link provided above right). It is my first time (!) and the anticipation of my seed choices dropping into my letter box is great right now. I have only ever saved peas and beans before. A combination of laziness and lack of knowledge had washed over me. All that is set to change, as the HSL actively encourages you to "adopt a seed", nurture it and pass it on. Swelling it's numbers and hopefully reigniting interest in an otherwise lost variety is the name of the game.
GYO is enjoying a revival, but as rising prices increase your tab, should not we all be looking to save costs by saving seed...year upon year?

It will be a steep learning curve for me, but one that I embrace wholeheartedly, as we creep ever closer to the 2012 growing season. Come on and join me!

UPDATE
HSL seeds arrived today. So happy and excited. Varieties never grown before feel like diamonds in my hands...priceless treasures!

THE SEED PACKETS

Lettuce Pray For A Leafy Success

OK today is a leaf day and I have sown some mixed salad leaves. Well we have got to have some interest on our plate and the kale from 2011 is not yet big enough. Question is if I sow some peas for shoots as well, do I sow on a leaf day or on a fruit day?!?

Photo of germinated seedlings shows day 3 activity

Tomatoes for 2012

OK, I have decided that in the interests of variety I should break with tradition and try something different. This year has seen me join the Heritage Seed Library, which offers six veg choices out of a catalogue - all seeds that are in need of a home for sowing, growing and sharing on! My tomato of choice is Cyril's Choice. Let's hope it's mine too!
I will also be growing Blaby Special, a variety dated pre to post war and formerly grown at Shoult's Farm in Leicestshire. I will be resurrecting this old variety in Derbyshire. My hope is to grow enough to collect seed from to share out.
Other tomato varieties I wish to grow this coming year are French Black, Black Russian, Orange Favourite, Striped Roman and one from Germany called Gelbe Koenigin.
To think I told myself not so many tomatoes next year!

UPDATED LIST FOR 2012 SEASON (and in no particular order)

Gelbe Koenigin
Striped Roman
Blaby Special
Black Russian
Orange Favourite
French Black
Roma
Best of All
Tiger Tom
Tigerella
Sungella
Black Cherry
Grushovka
Gold Medal
Purple Ukraine
Irish Gardeners Delight
Costoluto Fiorentino
Cyril's Choice
Blue OSU
Black Brandywine
Black Trifele
Green Sausage
Black Krim
Kenilworth King George

No More Sleeps Until A Fruit Day

OK lunar planting is thought to be for lunatics right? Wrong and I am here to prove it!
I shall be sowing my tomatoes early this year and what better way to celebrate Boxing Day can there be than sowing on a fruit day ready for 2012 harvest.
I will be using the Gardeners Calendar schedule which can be found at http://www.thegardenerscalendar.com/Moon_Planting.asp

Oh dear, I got carried away and sowed two of every variety of tomato I possess. My finger slipped :)

1st January 2012 - UPDATE 50% of tomatoes are germinated and through...wahooooo

6th January 2012 - UPDATE 75% of tomatoes are germinated and through...double wahooooo

8th January 2012 - two chillis are through...triple wahoooooo

14th January 2012 - All Synodic sown tomatoes are up, through and away...100% germination in January