Seedtech for 2008
Those (few) people who took me up on last summer's Concentric Garden seed offer received the growing guide below. As a public service to those who might want to grow plants from seed, here's the text in full. To ward off insects and taste-testing animals after the plants take root, refer to Farmer D's recipes.
Red Corn
(Zea mays)
Grows from 9' to 12'. Drought tolerant. Use for flour, cornmeal or cob eating when young. 100- to 110-day growth term. Full sun.
Sow when soil is warm and there's no more chance of frost. Plant seeds 1" deep and six to eight inches apart. Space rows 2' or 3' apart, if possible. Plant in a three- or four-row block (instead of one or two long rows) to ensure full growth of ears.
Tender corn can be eaten after 90 days (cornsilk tassles will have browned and withered). Harvest fully grown ears after they've dried on the plant.
Rattlesnake Snap Beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
Vines will grow to 10'. Have to train them on trellis or poles, or companion plant with sunflowers or corn. Sixty to 90-day growth term. Full sun.
Sow after danger of frost is past and air has warmed (let's say May). Plant seeds 1" deep and 2" apart in rows that are 6" apart (or plant in circles around poles/companion-plant supports).
Harvest bean pods for eating when they've grown to 7" or 8" and have purple stripes. For seed harvesting, allow pods to dry on vine, then pull beans from the chaff.
Morning Glories and Moonflowers
(Ipomoea tricolor, Ipomoea noctiflora)
Vines will grow from 8' to 12' (or however long they want to grow, really). Not sure about the number of days to flowering, but seedlings will emerge after 10-20 days.
**To aid germination**: Soak seeds in warm water 24 hours before sowing; scratch surface of larger moonflower seeds before soaking.
Sow seeds after average date of last frost. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, either in clusters from which you want vines to emerge, or spaced 6" to 12" apart. Imopoea prefers full sun, but will grow in part shade.
Black Garbanzo Beans
(Cicer arietinum)
Originally grown in Mesopotamia 6000 years ago. Grows from 18" to 24". Ninety-five to 105-day term of growth. Full sun.
Temperatures need to be consistently above 60F before planting (mid-April in Midwest). Sow seeds one foot apart, 1/2-inch to 1" deep.
Harvest beans when fully developed and when at least 2/3 of pods are dry. Thresh to release seeds from pods.
Sunflower Masala
(Helianthus spp.)
Plants will blossom with varying colors: full or pale yellow; yellow w/ light orange midsections; orange or yellow with rust- colored midsection; full-on rust; dense, puffy yellow.
Plants will grow from 2-1/2 to 10 feet. Flowers emerge after 60 to 75 days.
Sow seeds after last frost date (mid-April is OK for most areas). Plant seeds no more than 1" deep. Plant them in pairs or trios 1 foot apart. They're fairly drought tolerant when established, but early growth will need consistent moisture.
After pollination, cover flowerheads with cheesecloth or bag to inhibit bird-snackin' (if you want to get as many seeds as possible). Let the flowerheads turn yellow before cutting it from stalk, then place it in a paper bag or open cardboard box to dry. Make sure that there are holes in the bag and that flowerheads aren't stacked on top of each other in order to speed drying and to inhibit fungal growth. After a couple of days, you can pluck out or shake out the seeds.
Candy-colored Zinnias
(Zinnia elegans)
Varying colors: hot pink, magenta, cherry red, orange, yellow, white, peach. Plants can grow as tall as 3'. Drought tolerant and, along with sunflowers, quick to germinate [7 to 10 days). About two months to flower. Full sun.
Seeds can be planted after last frost date. Sow seeds in pairs or trios 1/2 inch deep. Space seeds 6 to 12 inches apart.
Flowerheads will develop a cone-shaped center as seeds mature. When you collect the seeds, remember that the flowers must only be cut when the arrowhead-shaped seeds are grey-black or brown. You can peel back the petals around the edge to see the color of the seeds.
Cut flowers need to dry for a few days before plucking seeds. Remember that there will likely be many seeds hidden inside the center cone, not just connected to the petals around the edge. Turn the cone upside-down over a bowl and pick at the seed sheaths.
Marigolds By Another Name
(Calendula officinalis)
Varying colors: citrus orange, yellow-orange, cream with yellow accents, bright yellow. Plants grow from 18" to 24". One-and-a-half or two months to flower. Full sun.
Seeds can be sown after last frost date. Plant seeds in pairs or trios, no more than 1/2 inch deep. Space seeds 6" to 12" apart -- with good moisture and fertilisation, calendula will get a little bushy.
Flowers can be used in salads. They can also be used for ointments or creams to treat sunburn, bites, cuts, stings, etc.
Pollinated flowers will produce curled, bug-lookin' seeds that will change from light green to beige or brown when dry. Consistent clipping of mature seedheads and unpollinated flowers will ensure continued blossoming.
Korean Kalonji
(Nigella sativa)
[The seeds of this plant are used for cuisine and medicine throughout Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. I bought the seeds at an Indian grocery in Seoul.]
Delicate and intricate pale-blue or off-white flowers on one-foot-tall plants. Growth term is about two months. Full sun or part shade.
Seeds can be sown after last frost date. Plant seeds on the surface or no more than 1/4" deep. Scatter seeds among other plantings or spread them along the edge of garden bed for a color border. Good companion in color and shape with larkspur or flax.
Nigella seedheads have a UFO-meets-paper-lantern appearance. Allow these pods to dry completely, then open the pouches to collect the seeds.
Anasazi Beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
[Anasazi is a Dine' (Navajo) word that can mean "the ancient ones." It refers to the cliff dwellers who lived in the Four Corners area of the US. The anasazi bean was originally found in the ruins of a cliff dwelling in the early 1900s. Carbon-dating indicates that this bean has been in cultivation for 1500 years.]
Anasazis are bush beans, so they might grow to 1-1/2 to 2 feet. Full sun.
Sow seeds in the early summer (mid-May). I've seen a recommendation to plant seeds 1" deep and 3" apart (after seedlings develop, thin to 6" apart). Plant in rows that are 6 to 8 inches apart.
Beans can be eaten green, like the rattlesnake beans on the first page. Or, let the pods dry and then collect the speckled beans. Anasazi beans are sold (perhaps not so) exclusively by Adobe Milling Company in Durango, CO.
Angel's Trumpet/Jimsonweed
(Datura stramonium)
[Let me first mention that the plant more accurately called Angel's Trumpet is part of the Brugmansia species, not Datura. The white or yellow Brugmansia flowers hang down like bells.]
Plant can grow as tall as 5'. Produces numerous white, champagne glass-shaped flowers that unfurl around sunset and fall off the next day. You might know that this plant is used for shamanistic/sacred ceremonies among various cultures, but be warned that the tropane alkaloid content of this plant can be lethal, and the level of alkaloid production varies throughout the growth cycle. Let its beauty be enough.
Sow seeds in mid- to late April. Plant seeds 1/2" deep, spaced one foot apart. Full sun. Not sure about time to flowering because the plant in our garden came from dormant seeds in the soil.
When flowers drop off, you'll see a spiky, dark green knob develop where the flower had been. This knob will lighten and grow to a couple inches in length, covered with prickly thorns. The pod can be allowed to dry and split open on the plant, or it can be cut and taken indoors to dry. The pod will split into four sections, from which one can find small, black, kidney-shaped seeds.
Much more about Datura here.
Garden Preparation Tips
Sketch out and measure the area that you'll want to use. Determine a budget for seeds, soil and tools (as well as for water use and soil amendments). Choose the plants you'll want to grow and when during the season they will need the most care. Determine what size pots or boxes you'll need if you're going to do container gardening. Figure six inches of container width for every foot of plant height (obviously, something like a giant sunflower ought to go into the ground -- or be prepared to anchor it in its container).
Assess the growing area's exposure to sunlight, rain, foot traffic, foraging animals, and proximity to living space (how easy will it be to water?). What else is growing nearby, and will it bush out or encroach into the prospective bed(s) in the summer?
Take a soil test. Little test-tube kits can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot for $3-$5. This will tell you the pH level and mineral vitality of the soil. Use that information to...
Fertilize and loosen the soil. Dig at least one foot below the grass, then add layers of manure and sterile topsoil (w/o chemical fertilizer) as well as grass clippings and leaves (if available). Do try to use only natural soil amendments, not chemicals or synthetic pellets.
If your soil is fine or sandy, add extra topsoil. If your soil is very dense, add layers of perlite or vermiculite. Avoid peat moss, which is overharvested for commercial use. Top off these layers with organic fertilizer pellets or seaweed-and-fish emulsion. The latter will also deter deer and rabbits.
Cover beds with at least two inches of mulch. I prefer cedar (Lowe's has an organic variety). Avoid cypress, which is also overharvested.
Weed and weed some more (particularly if you work the soil when dandelions produce their seeds). However, if you can tell something's not a typical weed, you might want to let it grow. The Datura "volunteered" itself from seeds that had lain dormant for at least 20 years until they were brought to the surface when I dug up the beds.
Red Corn
(Zea mays)
Grows from 9' to 12'. Drought tolerant. Use for flour, cornmeal or cob eating when young. 100- to 110-day growth term. Full sun.
Sow when soil is warm and there's no more chance of frost. Plant seeds 1" deep and six to eight inches apart. Space rows 2' or 3' apart, if possible. Plant in a three- or four-row block (instead of one or two long rows) to ensure full growth of ears.
Tender corn can be eaten after 90 days (cornsilk tassles will have browned and withered). Harvest fully grown ears after they've dried on the plant.
Rattlesnake Snap Beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
Vines will grow to 10'. Have to train them on trellis or poles, or companion plant with sunflowers or corn. Sixty to 90-day growth term. Full sun.
Sow after danger of frost is past and air has warmed (let's say May). Plant seeds 1" deep and 2" apart in rows that are 6" apart (or plant in circles around poles/companion-plant supports).
Harvest bean pods for eating when they've grown to 7" or 8" and have purple stripes. For seed harvesting, allow pods to dry on vine, then pull beans from the chaff.
Morning Glories and Moonflowers
(Ipomoea tricolor, Ipomoea noctiflora)
Vines will grow from 8' to 12' (or however long they want to grow, really). Not sure about the number of days to flowering, but seedlings will emerge after 10-20 days.
**To aid germination**: Soak seeds in warm water 24 hours before sowing; scratch surface of larger moonflower seeds before soaking.
Sow seeds after average date of last frost. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, either in clusters from which you want vines to emerge, or spaced 6" to 12" apart. Imopoea prefers full sun, but will grow in part shade.
Black Garbanzo Beans
(Cicer arietinum)
Originally grown in Mesopotamia 6000 years ago. Grows from 18" to 24". Ninety-five to 105-day term of growth. Full sun.
Temperatures need to be consistently above 60F before planting (mid-April in Midwest). Sow seeds one foot apart, 1/2-inch to 1" deep.
Harvest beans when fully developed and when at least 2/3 of pods are dry. Thresh to release seeds from pods.
Sunflower Masala
(Helianthus spp.)
Plants will blossom with varying colors: full or pale yellow; yellow w/ light orange midsections; orange or yellow with rust- colored midsection; full-on rust; dense, puffy yellow.
Plants will grow from 2-1/2 to 10 feet. Flowers emerge after 60 to 75 days.
Sow seeds after last frost date (mid-April is OK for most areas). Plant seeds no more than 1" deep. Plant them in pairs or trios 1 foot apart. They're fairly drought tolerant when established, but early growth will need consistent moisture.
After pollination, cover flowerheads with cheesecloth or bag to inhibit bird-snackin' (if you want to get as many seeds as possible). Let the flowerheads turn yellow before cutting it from stalk, then place it in a paper bag or open cardboard box to dry. Make sure that there are holes in the bag and that flowerheads aren't stacked on top of each other in order to speed drying and to inhibit fungal growth. After a couple of days, you can pluck out or shake out the seeds.
Candy-colored Zinnias
(Zinnia elegans)
Varying colors: hot pink, magenta, cherry red, orange, yellow, white, peach. Plants can grow as tall as 3'. Drought tolerant and, along with sunflowers, quick to germinate [7 to 10 days). About two months to flower. Full sun.
Seeds can be planted after last frost date. Sow seeds in pairs or trios 1/2 inch deep. Space seeds 6 to 12 inches apart.
Flowerheads will develop a cone-shaped center as seeds mature. When you collect the seeds, remember that the flowers must only be cut when the arrowhead-shaped seeds are grey-black or brown. You can peel back the petals around the edge to see the color of the seeds.
Cut flowers need to dry for a few days before plucking seeds. Remember that there will likely be many seeds hidden inside the center cone, not just connected to the petals around the edge. Turn the cone upside-down over a bowl and pick at the seed sheaths.
Marigolds By Another Name
(Calendula officinalis)
Varying colors: citrus orange, yellow-orange, cream with yellow accents, bright yellow. Plants grow from 18" to 24". One-and-a-half or two months to flower. Full sun.
Seeds can be sown after last frost date. Plant seeds in pairs or trios, no more than 1/2 inch deep. Space seeds 6" to 12" apart -- with good moisture and fertilisation, calendula will get a little bushy.
Flowers can be used in salads. They can also be used for ointments or creams to treat sunburn, bites, cuts, stings, etc.
Pollinated flowers will produce curled, bug-lookin' seeds that will change from light green to beige or brown when dry. Consistent clipping of mature seedheads and unpollinated flowers will ensure continued blossoming.
Korean Kalonji
(Nigella sativa)
[The seeds of this plant are used for cuisine and medicine throughout Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. I bought the seeds at an Indian grocery in Seoul.]
Delicate and intricate pale-blue or off-white flowers on one-foot-tall plants. Growth term is about two months. Full sun or part shade.
Seeds can be sown after last frost date. Plant seeds on the surface or no more than 1/4" deep. Scatter seeds among other plantings or spread them along the edge of garden bed for a color border. Good companion in color and shape with larkspur or flax.
Nigella seedheads have a UFO-meets-paper-lantern appearance. Allow these pods to dry completely, then open the pouches to collect the seeds.
Anasazi Beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
[Anasazi is a Dine' (Navajo) word that can mean "the ancient ones." It refers to the cliff dwellers who lived in the Four Corners area of the US. The anasazi bean was originally found in the ruins of a cliff dwelling in the early 1900s. Carbon-dating indicates that this bean has been in cultivation for 1500 years.]
Anasazis are bush beans, so they might grow to 1-1/2 to 2 feet. Full sun.
Sow seeds in the early summer (mid-May). I've seen a recommendation to plant seeds 1" deep and 3" apart (after seedlings develop, thin to 6" apart). Plant in rows that are 6 to 8 inches apart.
Beans can be eaten green, like the rattlesnake beans on the first page. Or, let the pods dry and then collect the speckled beans. Anasazi beans are sold (perhaps not so) exclusively by Adobe Milling Company in Durango, CO.
Angel's Trumpet/Jimsonweed
(Datura stramonium)
[Let me first mention that the plant more accurately called Angel's Trumpet is part of the Brugmansia species, not Datura. The white or yellow Brugmansia flowers hang down like bells.]
Plant can grow as tall as 5'. Produces numerous white, champagne glass-shaped flowers that unfurl around sunset and fall off the next day. You might know that this plant is used for shamanistic/sacred ceremonies among various cultures, but be warned that the tropane alkaloid content of this plant can be lethal, and the level of alkaloid production varies throughout the growth cycle. Let its beauty be enough.
Sow seeds in mid- to late April. Plant seeds 1/2" deep, spaced one foot apart. Full sun. Not sure about time to flowering because the plant in our garden came from dormant seeds in the soil.
When flowers drop off, you'll see a spiky, dark green knob develop where the flower had been. This knob will lighten and grow to a couple inches in length, covered with prickly thorns. The pod can be allowed to dry and split open on the plant, or it can be cut and taken indoors to dry. The pod will split into four sections, from which one can find small, black, kidney-shaped seeds.
Much more about Datura here.
Garden Preparation Tips
Sketch out and measure the area that you'll want to use. Determine a budget for seeds, soil and tools (as well as for water use and soil amendments). Choose the plants you'll want to grow and when during the season they will need the most care. Determine what size pots or boxes you'll need if you're going to do container gardening. Figure six inches of container width for every foot of plant height (obviously, something like a giant sunflower ought to go into the ground -- or be prepared to anchor it in its container).
Assess the growing area's exposure to sunlight, rain, foot traffic, foraging animals, and proximity to living space (how easy will it be to water?). What else is growing nearby, and will it bush out or encroach into the prospective bed(s) in the summer?
Take a soil test. Little test-tube kits can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot for $3-$5. This will tell you the pH level and mineral vitality of the soil. Use that information to...
Fertilize and loosen the soil. Dig at least one foot below the grass, then add layers of manure and sterile topsoil (w/o chemical fertilizer) as well as grass clippings and leaves (if available). Do try to use only natural soil amendments, not chemicals or synthetic pellets.
If your soil is fine or sandy, add extra topsoil. If your soil is very dense, add layers of perlite or vermiculite. Avoid peat moss, which is overharvested for commercial use. Top off these layers with organic fertilizer pellets or seaweed-and-fish emulsion. The latter will also deter deer and rabbits.
Cover beds with at least two inches of mulch. I prefer cedar (Lowe's has an organic variety). Avoid cypress, which is also overharvested.
Weed and weed some more (particularly if you work the soil when dandelions produce their seeds). However, if you can tell something's not a typical weed, you might want to let it grow. The Datura "volunteered" itself from seeds that had lain dormant for at least 20 years until they were brought to the surface when I dug up the beds.
Seedtech for 2008
mr damon, 11:30
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