Garden Seed

[Amish Country]

Found a new source for garden seeds.

his month I bought 8 pounds of dried whole green peas for $.99 a pound at an Indian grocery store. Are they GMO's? Haven't a clue. However, this week I did a germination test on 10 pea seeds and got 90% germination. That is a lot of seed for less than $10.00 US. They also had whole yellow peas as well as other beans and spiece seeds but have not yet tried a germination test on them.

I did try planting fenugreek seeds from this same store in my garden. They grew. The seed produces a short green plant called "methi". I was told by a shop keeper, historically, in her culture methi was reportedly good to eat as a vegtable cooked like spinich with meals (for high blood presure).

[Amish Country]

Re: Garden Seed

Simple home test for most vegetable seed germination

The is how I did my germination test for the pea seeds. Dampened a paper towel with water. Spread 10 random seeds of the same type to be tested in a line on the paper towel. Wrap/roll the seeds up in the wet paper towel so that the towel forms a tube with the seeds in the center. Put the tube in a clean, empty glass jar. The towel should be checked once or twice a day to make sure it is still damp and not be allowed to dry out. My pea seeds sprouted in less than a week. I did not put the jar in the sun. I just left it on my kitchen counter so it would be kept in plain sight and not be forgotten.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Garden Seed

If you are just doing a germination test you can place the moist paper towel and seeds in a "ziplock" plastic bag to maintain the humidity. It is also easier to move a bag to a high shelf in the kitchen or elsewhere, the temperature will be a few degrees warmer closer to the ceiling. Many seeds germinate without light, so the germination tests do not have to be in a lighted area.

[tigger]

Re: Garden Seed

Hi,
I did not see a place to formally intoduce myself. So, hi I am tigger. Years ago, I did not have a lot of money to buy seeds for a garden. One day while I was in the grocery store, I bought some dry beans(pinto). I took a one pound bag and planted it in my garden. If I remember right there were several 40 ft rows. Yall wouldnt believe the beans I got from those seeds.
I picked some young and used them like green beans. Some I let grow a little longer and cooked them like what we call shellies. The rest I let mature and saved them. I have had good luck with blackeyed peas and great northerns.
I am from the south, so yall will read a yall every now and then.

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Garden Seed

Welcome tigger,

Do you leave your beans on the plant to dry? I have done that with runner beans and have heard it works with red kidney beans.

[Amish Country]

Re: Garden Seed

I have had luck doing that with an heirloom variety of string bean named "Lazy Amish Housewife". I also get organic seeds like dill, beans, flax, beans, cloves of garlic, seed potatoes and sweet potatoes from a local whole food store. Last year I got the sweet potatoes in the ground too late and did not get a good crop.