Tweed and District Horticultural Society welcomed Karyn Wright from Terra Edibles located in Foxboro as their first guest speaker for 2012.
Terra Edibles sells heirloom vegetable seeds. The company has about 9000 catalogues mailed throughout Canada and they have over 120 varieties of heirloom tomatoes!
During her presentation Karyn showed members a cost efficient way to start their heirloom seeds. She uses washed milk bags folding the top twice to make a “cuff” then cuts drainage holes in the bottom. She adds a “seed starting mix” and 3 seeds to each bag. As the plants grow, she will pull out 2 seeds to transplant and leaves the centre one in the bag. She unrolls the “cuff” and adds more soil to her milk bag. When the seedling is ready to plant, she simply cuts away the milk bag and plants into the ground or container.
Seed saving tips were also shared during the presentation. The benefit of heirloom seeds is that they will reproduce the same quality of vegetable/fruit compared to hybrids.
Karyn discussed the process of saving squash and tomato seeds. Again Karyn uses a very cost efficient method. For squash, simply scoop out the seeds onto a screen, rinse the seeds, place on paper plate to dry and label the plate with the name of the seeds. When the seeds are dry, store in a paper bag labeled with the name of the seeds and year. Tomato seeds need to have the “jelly “removed. This is done by washing the seeds, placing in a jar and covering the jar with gauze for about 5 days and washing well after the five days to ensure that the “jelly” has disappeared. Then the process is similar to saving of squash seeds.
Members were invited to attend the “Seedy Saturdays” where they can buy/trade seeds. Future dates are….Feb 25 –Picton, Mar 3 Ottawa, Mar 4 Perth…for more information about the Seedy Saturdays, contact Karyn at 613-961-0654.
MARCH MEETING…Tuesday March 6, 2012
The topic of the meeting will be “Bees” and their importance to the process of pollination.
BUS TRIP:
The annual bus trip to Canada Blooms at the Direct energy Centre in Toronto is Friday March 16. Cost is $50 before February 19 and $55 after that date. Price includes admission and motor coach.
Posts
