Friday, January 21, 2011

Kebun Malay-Kadazan Girls Seed Inventory

There are many new things I like to plant next autumn which is not that far away. In about another 2 months I can start sowing winter-loving vegetable here. I don’t want to make a mistake of buying seeds that I already have and buying excess seeds when I have only limited space to grow them because browsing through the seeds catalogue needs hearts of steel so many temptation. So this week, I was inspired by Eliza and Nyack Backyard to do a seed inventory. I am very glad I did this if not I ended buying too many seeds which I don’t actually need and forget about what is in Kebun Malay-Kadazan Girls home-saved seeds bank account. I hope when the next ordering seeds time comes, I thought of buying seeds for spring planting as well to save the postage cost.
Allium
Alliums
I enjoy growing allium very much because they can thrive in neglect, pest don’t bother them and not a water-thirsty plant. The only pampering I have to give them is they need lots of sun, won’t grow well in partial shade and make sure no wet feet. I am starting to collect chives seeds but it not that much still. But we do have excess home-saved seeds of Red Odourless Onion. I also have one spring onion seed packet which is still unopened and we still have one opened packet which is not yet finished. So no more spring onion order this year. Some of our Musselburgh leek plants are flowering so we can collect seeds from this plant. I am actually tempted to try another variety next season but I will not order them (have to be very determined hereWinking smile)
StarMy wish list for allium:
  • Brown onion
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Garlic chives
Flowers
Flower seeds
Surprisingly, I just realised that I don’t really have many flower seeds that we bought.  Most of the home-saved seed are from nursery seedlings that I collected from. Here are pictures of some flower seeds that we are collecting this month which are still in capsules or seed pods.
White crushed silk hollyhock

Red roseKebun Malay-Kadazan Girls excess home-saved seed account list:
  • “Crushed Silk” Hollyhock (white)
  • Lakspur
  • Stock (Astral) (white)
  • Acquilegia/ Columbine (McKana’s Giant) (yellow)
  • Calendula (Sunshine)
  • Nasturtium (Jewel Mixed)
  • Gaillardia (Red)
  • Evening Sun Sunflower
  • Viola (Cottage Mixed)
  • Bellis Perennis
StarMy flower wish list (this is hard, I like all flowers and welcome all)
  • Morning glory or sweet peas ( will look great in the arch or other part of the garden).
  • Sunflower ( other variety then mammoth or evening sun sunflower)
  • Cosmos
  • Foxglove
Too many wish the list can go on and on. Nursery flower seedlings will be very tempting and offer more variety. I am still indecisive of growing flower bulbs this year. Never grown from flower bulb need more initiative.
Umbellifers
Crisp & Tender Celery
We are collecting coriander and celery seeds this month. I heard of a pink celery which have pinkish colour stalk and tempted to order them. But we have too many seeds on our hands now so no ordering celery seeds.
StarMy umbellifers wish list (all of them I have never grown before):
  • Fennel
  • Parsnip
  • Chervil
I would like to try different carrot variety as well to see which grows well at our place. So far we have tried Topweight, Manchester Table, early Nantes and New Kuroda. I still have Afgan variety which I received from Chris author of Under the Mulberry Tree blog that I have not sowed yet.
Other vegetables
Good thing I did this seed inventory, it shows that I have 4 unopened seed packets of Asian leaf vegetables that I bought almost a year ago and many variety of opened ones. Moreover, there are also some home-saved seeds so no more Asian leaf vegetable seed shopping this year.
I was also surprised within 2 years, I can actually finished using up 40 packet of seeds. I don’t throw away the finished seed packet because I might want to refer information there that might be usable or a nostalgic thing Winking smile. I don’t know why but I like to look at seed packet.
Star:My other vegetable wish list:
  • Beans (other than Redland pioneer, Purple King and Snake bean)
  • Beetroot (first time)
  • Broccoli (not the sprouting ones)
  • Cauliflower ( like to grow other than the white ones)
  • Capsicum
  • Sweet Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Pea (other then Telephone)
  • Pumpkin (Other than golden nugget)
  • Melon
  • Tomato
  • Kohl Rabi ( am I serious?I never even eaten one)
  • Basil
  • Potato
A long wish list, have to think thoroughly before ordering the seeds in few week time.
I am sorry I have not been visiting other bloggers for few days or reply comments. But I will be visiting soon.
Here is a reminder of “ Seed Week” which starts tomorrow.
"SEED WEEK" will be on the 22nd~26th of January 2011 for us to share our own experiences that is related to seeds, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes or cuttings that can be about collecting, propagating,growing them or how to keep them in top shape. It can be submission of an old post or a recent one and not limited to only one post only. In my gardening journey (well not that long yet however I am still novice), I found many joy in collecting the seeds from the one that I have planted to continue the cycle of life and watching them grow again like their parents. It fascinate me how a small seed can contain all the elements to produce such a beautiful living things for us. How like human, the seeds learn to adapt the changes in environment or the hot topic climate change. I hope we all can benefit from sharing our knowledge in this seed week. You can also submit your post earlier to me by mailing me (diana.demiyah@gmail.com) and I link it during the "SEED WEEK". I will randomly choose 5 participants for home saved-seeds give-away. I like to share my home saved-seeds to you:). Thank you I have received some early submissions. From early submissions I think of organizing it like different section for example flower and vegetable section something like that so it will be more easier to browse. I welcome early submission very much :). Open for any suggestion.
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23 comments:

One said...

Hi Diana, Your photos are getting prettier each day.

I have a message for you at the end of my current post.

I have some of the items in your wish list. How can I send them to you?

Seed week is from 22-26, right? I am working out something. Would there be a linky?

kitchen flavours said...

Wow, I like the list of your veggie wish list! You are very good to have collected a good varieties of seeds from your garden. Yes, all flowers are beautiful, definitely takes a lot of willpower not to order! Good luck in your plans. Hope to see all your lovely veggies and flowers soon.
p/s: my belimbing tree already have new shoots growing!

Veggie Gnome said...

A great way to share excess seed, and pick up new seeds is to join a Seedsavers' group near you. They are usually a great bunch of people, generous with their seeds, plants, produce, etc. I can give you more information, if you are interested. :)

p3chandan said...

Thats a long list of wish list Diana, but I guess with your climate there, those are very much possible to grow and nurture. And from your photos and precious posts you have bountiful harvests all along!I have only started buying seeds this year as Im starting my vegetable garden,and also given by you and Malar, the rest mostly are propagated by stems or bought the seedlings from Sg.Buloh. Looking forward to see all those beautiful flowers in your garden!

rainfield61 said...

All flowers are beautiful. If you grow too many, these flowers will outshine their owner.

Sue Garrett said...

Allium leaf miner has become a pest as far north as central England - we are more northerly but have been told it won't be long befopre it reaches us. One of the results of imported food. It is said to cause havoc to alliums - hope you don't get it!

I'll be buying bulbs for my front garden bed later in the year.

Lrong Lim said...

Kohl rabbi tastes good... crunchy and sweet...

Donna said...

what an ambitious list....and how great you are saving seed....good luck with your wonderful garden!!

Eliza @ Appalachian Feet said...

I feel like I'm playing "Devil's advocate" here since you've already done such a good job talking yourself out of seeds you don't need, but I really like to stagger the red/pink variety of celery with the green ones as borders around larger vegetables. It ends up looking really pretty. I have pictures here but they were with my old camera so the resolution isn't great:

http://www.appalachianfeet.com/2010/03/01/how-to-easily-grow-celery-at-home-wrecipes/

Also, I say go for the kohlrabi even if you never tried one before... you know a storebought one isn't going to taste as good as one out of the garden, anyway so it is a great way to try it!

Mr. H. said...

I agree wiht the last two comments, give that kohlrabi a try. they are great in stir fry dishes or eaten raw.:)

Darla said...

Those seed catalogs do take self discipline when browsing through them.

Beth said...

Your mosaics are beautiful. So great that you joined Fertilizer Friday! Glad to become acquainted with you and your blog!
Blessings, Beth

~TastyTravels~ said...

Beautiful pictures! I wish you lived closer because I have lots on your wish list. Do you know about any regulation about shipping seeds from the US?

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

One~ There is a linky.

Kitchen Flavour~ I wonder which part of your belimbing buloh tree new shoots are.

Veggie Gnome~ That is great. I really like to know more.

P3chandan~ I never knew that nursery in Sungai Buloh has started to sell vegetable seedlings as well.

Rainfield61~ The flowers will hide all the ugly sites.

Sue~ In South Australia, we are not allowed to bring any onions and garlic in even interstate. So I have problem of finding garlic cloves, can't order them since all the seed company is on the other states. I have to rely on the market ones. Have you decided on which flower bulbs?

Lrong, Eliza, Mr. H ~ I will give the Kohlrabi a try this year.It might be my second time growing veggie that I never eaten before but taste home-grown one. The first one was leek. I don't know what supermarket leek taste like ;-).

Donna~ Thank you.

Darla~ So tempting and introducing new seeds everytime.

Beth~ It was nice to be able to visit your lovely blog as well.

Holly~ I am not sure either what the regulation is.

Sue Garrett said...

I haven't decided on new bulbs yet but we already grow lots in the garden and also on the plot for cutting. We have snowdrops, crocus, muscari, large and small daffodils, large and small tulips and gladioli and also some chionodoxa that have been in ages and a few small alliums (not the large globe shaped ones)

I want to grow dwarf iris Katherine Hodgson in the new bed. I have a photo here of one we saw during a garden visit last year. I haven't decided what else yet 'til I browse what is on offer.

Alison said...

Great pictures, and I'm so glad you are saving seeds from your plants as well as from the nursery. If I lived closer I would send you loads of my extras, I have quite a few of your wants. But I'm in the U.S., so I don't know what kind of regulations thy have.

I love your enthusiasm!

Tootsie said...

your photos ROCK! I love it! Your list is as long as can be...and I am sure you will have a fantastic garden when it is all filled and sown! Good luck! I don't do a lot with veggies...just annuals...but there's always hope! lol
thanks for linking in. I sure hope you will again soon!

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Sue~ The dwarf iris Katherine Hodgson will be a very pretty collection in your garden. When you grow one bulb do you get more bulbs from it the following year? I always wonder about it. The things that worries me about growing bulbs is whether I sow them too early or late.

Alison~ Thank you, I am inspired to collect seeds from other blogger enthusiasm.

Tootsie~ Your party was really fun. I glad I linked in. Thank you for hosting.

Sue Garrett said...

Most bulbs do produce more and so bulk up Diana.

Planting time for bulbs is not absolutely crucial - usually they appear in garden centres and nurseries around the time for planting.

We plant spring flowering bulbs in early autumn and summer flowering bulbs in spring. Once planted the bulbs that we grow just stay in the ground. Depsite this I have been known to plant bulbs late - just when I have seen some left over for sale and had success.

Malar said...

You have very good list of vegetables and flowers in your list! Your greenish thumb really make magic in your garden!
I'm not good in seeds saving though....

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Sue ~ I made up my mind now, I will buy some bulbs this autumn. So many variety of flowers, I wonder which want should I grow, all of them so pretty. Thank you for the motivation and support.

Malar ~ You are good as saving as well, I regret I did not take your offer with the balsam seeds.

Veggie Gnome said...

I'd be happy to send you more info on our seed savers group. Please send me a note at: mad.veggie.gnome@gmail.com

We also have quite a selection of bulbs that we will dig up soon and are happy to share. :)

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Veggie Gnome~Thank you so much for your help.