I am proud to say that I am a Seed Gatherer! I have grown Heirloom seeds with some success and with the rewards, I am collecting the next seasons crop! The two tomato variations I have grown are Blondkofchen and Amish Salad Tomato.
Blondkopfchen
An heirloom tomato from eastern Germany. The name of this adorable heirloom cherry tomato means “little blonde girl”.
These tomato seeds produce big, leafy, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that yield a phenomenal amount of grape-sized, brilliant yellow/gold, cherry tomatoes in clusters of 20-30. The vines are large and sprawling, so give them plenty of space. Blondkopfchen is undoubtedly one of the best tasting cherry tomatoes. Deliciously sweet with a slight citrusy tart finish. A Non-cracking, disease resistant tomato variety that grows well in most climates including cooler growing regions.
Amish Salad Tomato
These small, red oval Heirloom open-polinated cherries seem to last forever on the vine without rotting or losing flavour. The flesh is very firm, mild and sweet, perfect for sauces, salads and for drying. There are up to 6 blemish-free tomatoes per cluster and are well-suited to both fresh market and home garden. A real advantage in the garden. They are still around during early winter!
Other seeds to gather….
Peppadew Chilli and Paprika-type Pepper
Peppadew
Paprika Pepper
New Heirloom seeds
[one_half]Organic Seeds[/one_half]
[one_half_last]Some freebies[/one_half_last]
[one_half]These going into the ground this week[/one_half]
[one_half_last]Direct sowing in raised beds[/one_half_last]
To keep the new seedlings well fed and watered – I have worm tea ready and rain water in a bucket. By using rainwater (or let the water stand so the chlorine can evaporate out) you don’t kill the beneficial micro-organisms, which is the point of municipal chlorine. I use the mixture of 1 Tablespoon to 1 litre of water.
[one_half]Worm Leachate – drains out of bin[/one_half]
[one_half_last]Rain water[/one_half_last]
Some of the benefits of the worm tea include:
- a natural repellent for scale, mites, white flies, and aphids
- natural fungicide in soil and on plant surfaces
- increase in plant stem size and foliage
- acts as a soil conditioner
- will not burn plants
- creates healthy soil for healthy plants
- aides in the creation of colloidal humus
- grows healthier fruits and vegetables than those treated with chemical fertilizers
- improves water retention in soil
- reduces the amount of waste going to the landfill, because worms eat our garbage
I really enjoy the idea of everything I use or re-use comes from my home – the worms eat the kitchen scraps, they make healthy compost and tea (homemade fertilizer), which helps my garden to grow!!
And so goes the circle of life!
Happy gardening xxxxxx
4 replies on “Keep on Growing”
Just ahsd the fourth year in a row where the heirlooms have succumbed to blight…I hope someday to gather seed but I need more time in the fall. I am so jealous that you can grow so much in the winter.
Donna, that is such sad news. This is my first season that I am saving heirloom seeds.
Do you use only a tablespoon of worm tea to a liter of rain water? I just pour water over my worm bin, let it seep through, and take the stuff that drips out the bottom undiluted for my plants. No risk of drowning them cause the worm castings drain easily. I’ve been doing this for like two years. I saw my friend an organic farmer do that and he said you can pour a liter of water over and catch it up up to twice a day. Although I’m sure he diluted it to cover more crops.
I wonder if it can be bad, undiluted in such larger quantities? Since it contains a variety of nutrients (not just nitrogen for instance) I hope the plants will just take what they need and let the rest seep into the ground. I’ve never done a test to compare worm tea fed crops with comparable non worm tea fed ones so I guess my belief in worm tea is mostly superstition for now.
I always like the taste and texture of the heirlooms. I tried them for the first time four years ago and always them plant when I can. The tomatoes are the best. I like that you have so many in the planning with the seeds.