Spring news

So Spring has come around again, this year has flown by. There is plenty to share

GV Seed Saver News

The Green Living Fair will be hosted by Valhalla Wines again this year on Saturday 22nd October. Over 40 exhibitors, Information sessions, workshops, great food and entertainment and loads for the kids to do. For further information visit the Green and Sustainable Living website on http://www.greenliving.org.au/

Our next meetings September we will tag along with Violet Town to visit Derek's & Kayes along with Val & Richards, a great chance to catch up with some old friends. In October we will also travel to Rushworth for a couple of garden visits. and finally November we will hold an open Seed Savers workshop where we will cover some spring flowering/seed saving techniques.

Seed saving tips

Plants starting to go to seed, rocket, fennel, rocket, peas, broad beans, Asian greens (grown through winter), carrot & parsnip (grown through winter), & lettuce.





Snow peas and broad beans should selected for desirable traits ie tallest, most health looking, having many fruits or seeds – heavy yielding, early yield, and should be marked clearly SAVE FOR SEED do not pick. Generally the pods at the bottom are the better ones to save , so you can eat some of the ones at the top.

Lettuces that have been growing through winter will soon bolt as the weather continues to warm. If you are saving seed or want them to self sow, make sure only one variety goes to seed.  Either pull other out or cut the flower heads with the variety you don't want as soon as the flowers appear .



Lettuce flowers

lettuce flowers ready to collect (seed at end of fluff)

Carrot and parsnip that you may have left from last season will start putting on new growth then will send out a thicker flower stem. These will start to flower and you will need to give it some support as it grows.  


Any broccoli or Asian greens that bolt to seed (send up flower stems early) are not so desirable to save seeds from, break them off and wait until the last one flowers, that's the one to save seed from.


Seed Saver Network News
interested in pine nuts? an excellent summary can be found here http://www.seedsavers.net/seed-blog/eat-it-or-lose-it-pine-nuts
Jude & Michel have collated all their clips and videos and can be seen here www.youtube.com/user/seedsavers


Jobs in the garden
Time to sow all Summer veg like cucumber, tomatoes, pumpkin,melons, eggplant, chili, & peppers  indoors or in warm spot for sowing in garden 4- 6 weeks when frosts have past and soil temperatures are above 20oC. Plant a years supply of root vegetables now, beetroot, swedes, carrot & parsnips. Plant a lot of celery parsley and or spring onions, some more lettuces also add some cabbages, kale, and broccoli ,but make sure up drape with exclusion fabric or old net curtains to stop cabbage butterfly & aphids from infesting them.

Potatoes, Strawberries and Rhubarb,artichokes and  asparagus (we have seed so of this if you are willing to give it a go) all go in now.
Now is also a great time growing Asian greens. some more info including uses and nutritional info can be found here http://www.natremed.com.au/food-of-the-month/asian-greens.html