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Post by extremegardener on Mar 21, 2010 14:13:35 GMT -5
Anybody know anything about growing the seed? Does it need a period of dormancy or something?
I had a nice big seed crop last summer, but when I sowed it about a month after harvesting the seed I got 0 germination - even though conditions were right for happy maches. Couldn't bring myself to toss out the seed, though. Then, this winter I did a germ test and it was about 30% which is OK by me because I have enough seed to sow thickly. But, of course, no lovely spring maches....
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 21, 2010 19:40:38 GMT -5
I'm not sure by mine self sow in the summer and seem to sprout about a month or so afterwards, maybe two months. I wasn't paying close attention. They don't seem to (all - maybe there's variation) need cold dormancy but maybe they do need a 'rest period.'
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 21, 2010 19:41:42 GMT -5
Are you growing large / small / other seeded mache? Mine are a large seeded Italian variety.
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Post by ianpearson on Mar 22, 2010 4:40:14 GMT -5
Hi extremegardener. I've always found it to be an easy self-sower, but have never tried to formally save seed. It will not germinate in conditions which are too warm though, so perhaps that was the reason. I don't know the limiting temperature.
I first grew it about 9 years ago. When it went to seed, I chucked the plants on the compost heap. The compost was spread the following year, and I have never had to sow it again - I just have to de-select the plants that are in the in the wrong places.
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Post by iva on Mar 24, 2010 15:32:02 GMT -5
Extremegardener, the seeds sprout better after a year or more (the older it gets). I always saved seeds from mine and sowed the seeds from the previous seasons and that works well for me. When you grow it for many seasons it reseeds and the seed stays dormant in the ground for a couple of years and it sprouts when 'it feels like it'. I hope this makes sense...
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Post by atash on Mar 24, 2010 23:50:00 GMT -5
I don't know the answer, because I've always gotten poor germination from Cornsalad myself.  |
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 25, 2010 8:06:28 GMT -5
Hmmm... the self sown plot seems to self sow very thickly but there might be a seed bank built up in the soil from previous self seedings. I should collect some myself and do a germination test. I remember them germinating adequately when I sowed them for the first time but I don't know how long that purchased seed rested.
Now what I have terrible germination on is claytonia (oh and skirret).
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Post by atash on Mar 26, 2010 2:17:12 GMT -5
>>Now what I have terrible germination on is claytonia (oh and skirret).
Those have done well for me. Especially Claytonia. Might help that it's native. Doesn't mind our soil, unlike real lettuce.
Claytonia is a cool germinator. If your climate goes from cold to hot quickly, that might be a problem.
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Post by extremegardener on Mar 26, 2010 16:36:19 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! Iva - that makes sense to me. I was just really surprised that nothing germinated, because I knew a lot of seed had dropped before I harvested it, and I also sowed another patch quite thickly. Now, I just hope I didn't flame those two patches after giving up on them for fall greens....
OG, the variety is Cavallo (T&M I think), I don't know whether it's large or small seeded. Seemed to be large to me, but it was the first time I ever really got good results from maches, good sized, abundant leaves, and when it did finally bolt, it flowered heavily and set seed well.
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Post by flowerpower on Mar 27, 2010 6:42:36 GMT -5
I shoulda grabbed the seeds when I saw them. They were sold out. |
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Post by spacecase0 on Mar 27, 2010 9:44:39 GMT -5
I shoulda grabbed the seeds when I saw them. They were sold out. that is sad, I have had that happen in the past for many years in a row with other seeds, so I never hesitate to buy seeds now, and this year it payed off: I managed to get 3 new kinds that sold out only a few days after I got them, the one I had been trying to find for a few years... good luck getting them |
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 27, 2010 11:51:17 GMT -5
If I see some, I'll grab some for you!
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Post by flowerpower on Mar 31, 2010 6:46:46 GMT -5
Thanks, Telsing. I'll look today and see if it's included in the Italian Greens mix. Maybe I will grab the pack anyway.  |
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Post by iva on Mar 31, 2010 14:30:21 GMT -5
Flowerpower, I can send you a couple commercial packs of corn salad (it is called 'motovilec' here) that was bred in Slovenia ('Ljubljanski motovilec' and 'Žličar' - that one translates to spoon, the leaves are actually curled upwards and form little spoons) if you want...
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Post by galina on Mar 31, 2010 17:03:35 GMT -5
I am also a fan of corn salad. However the self-seeded ones usually grow very close together and stay quite small, unless they are being thinned or transplanted. Not as big as the beauties held in ottowagardener's hand.
Last year we were away when the majority shed their seeds and this year they form a very dense carpet of green. I transplanted them into the greenhouse in little patches (one trowel at a time). This way the outer plants grow to eating size quickly, because they have room and the inner plants follow later.
Even when I catch the seeds at the right time, there is quite a bit of shedding, as they dislodge so easily. Does anybody have a trick up their sleeves to get most of the mature seed?
I can thoroughly recommend corn salad as an over winter vegetable. Here in Britain they sprouted in February outdoors but are still too small to eat. The transplanted ones in the greenhouse have been producing for two weeks now. They will be over by the time we can harvest the first leaves of 'real' lettuce.
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