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Post by templeton on Mar 6, 2015 17:22:58 GMT -5
I grew some very nice Mills Creek onions this summer (thanks Holly for the seed), but with limited space and a lack of real aptitude, have got maybe 50 or 60 keepers, and a hundred or so 'pickling size' onions. I have 2 questions: In my mostly frost free temperate somewhat unpredictable climate, when should i replant the bulbs for a seed crop for next southern hemisphere summer? A bit worried about winter rains rotting bulbs in the ground. and should I plant everything, or rely on a smallish foundation population of the best selected bulbs? The line does need a bit of cleaning up - a few torpedo shapes have snuck in, one or two flat tops, and a single paleskin which I noticed in a clump planted patch. If I plant everything and let it masscross, I imagine cleaning up the line will take quite a few generations. I'm not really up to reselecting a whole new line of flat top or torpedo shaped mills creek selections. Ultimate plan - offer a new (for Oz) red, keeper onion that works in central Victoria (and San Martin Ca  for distribution to a few favourite growers - and maybe seed retailers? And space is somewhat limited. T |
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Post by philagardener on Mar 6, 2015 19:33:50 GMT -5
Hi T! Sounds like a fun project! Since the contaminating off-types seems few, might it help to try a few isolated smallish groups to see if you can select one or more pools in one generation that come true to type? Seed from smaller populations also would emphasize any mixed genetics in the F1 grow out. Then you are off to the races!
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 6, 2015 21:27:29 GMT -5
Well, you must remember I was doing onion trials and a few NZ torpedo's might have snuck in. I blame this on Ceazar because the NZ torpedos were so good, I had to save seed from them too.
The flat onion must of been an Cippolini. Do not let them turn your pretty head.
It's really hard to keep those bees on the straight and narrow. They often bob between rows. And you know when Bob's your uncle, you never know. Select for round and always re-plant your absolute best keepers. 35 will do. I replant as early as I can. So hardly even spring yet. That way when the weather heats up...they make seed. The are not day length sensitive, so you should be able to plant them whenever you like. Even in a raised bed to keep them from drowning.
Boy, would I like some of that rain. Dry as chewing cotton here.
Massive tilling and planting this weekend.
I've got Mill Creeks and Belgium Breeder Leeks to go in.
I also did an experiment with Mill Creeks.
I took a whole seed head crown and cut the flowerettes off. I put each one on top of the soil and barely sprinkled potting soil on top of them. (They were in a cell tray). So I put on whole seed head in each cell. I got about 5 onions in each tray, so I'm separating these bad girls this weekend and putting in about 500 onions! (100 cells, 5 onions in each cell).
500 onions really seems like overkill, but work it out, one onion per meal 365 days a week and man, that's barely enough for me and my best friend.
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Post by templeton on Mar 6, 2015 22:18:00 GMT -5
Hi T! Sounds like a fun project! Since the contaminating off-types seems few, might it help to try a few isolated smallish groups to see if you can select one or more pools in one generation that come true to type? Seed from smaller populations also would emphasize any mixed genetics in the F1 grow out. Then you are off to the races! Might be enough to play with...time room and mental space are considerable constraints - my main question was whether 50-60 was ok as a foundation population. T |
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 6, 2015 23:03:47 GMT -5
Oh T....I can send more seeds.
Seeds, had some, got more, they got some, they got some more. I guess this is the way that money is supposed to work.
I guess first you have to have some!
Canning jars and seeds....both I have. Can I send you some?
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Post by philagardener on Mar 7, 2015 7:34:54 GMT -5
Seeds are great because they make more seeds!
Haven't figured that out for canning jars yet! :>)
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Post by templeton on Mar 7, 2015 15:41:24 GMT -5
Sorry, holly, missed your midddle post. I'm not worried about the torps or the Cippolini - but my head is turned - red little hips so provocatively flouncing on those latin girls, whew! And if another seed arrives at Casa Templetonia -well, if I, like some of you, lived on a plate boundary, I'd be bracing for aftershocks....you've been warned T |
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Post by templeton on Mar 7, 2015 15:49:42 GMT -5
But I like this topic - feels like I've been allowed out to play with the big kids - foundation populations, cleaning up varieties, selection pressure, rougeing - hang on, ...is that Carol Deppe walking up the drive with her peasant hoe...?
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 7, 2015 15:58:22 GMT -5
Phil, you see when I moved away from home I had no canning jars, and so I went to the store and bought some. Then my neighbors found out that I did canning, and she brought over 7 cases. She said if she never canned again, it would be too soon. Then my dad died and my mom gave me all their canning jars, another 7 cases. Then the neighbors on the other side of me found out I did canning and gave me another 7 cases. My neighbor across the street went to clean out her mother's barn and found 10 cases. During the summer I often find that someone has tagged my house with canning jars. I swear, each jar attracted another jar. I now have about 400 and some jars in the barn. That's only quarts. For some reason, pints and half pints never make it to my house...maybe they're too small to attract?
I have the same problem with cats. I had one, it died, so I adopted another. Then a mother cat arrived and left me 4. I kept 2, found homes for 2 and spayed the mother. Another mother cat arrive. I caught her and spayed her. Then an old cat who disappeared came back and my son came back home with another cat. Oh my I'm up to 7 cats.
Seeds, I had some, traded some, got more, grew more, saved some, I event bought some and got more. I've filled a freezer and Leo has put an embargo on incoming seeds. Yesterday a box came from Joseph, and another from Ceazar. The ones I snuck in by mail order also arrived, I wasn't home and Leo got home early and I was caught red handed with Mouse Melons. Now if Rowan hadn't mentioned them, I could have lived without them.
Not to mention seeds from Laelia in Italy - tomatoes!
Hey I'm on the fault line here. The jars, cats and seeds may just make California break off from the rest of the country. (Wait, that might not be such a bad thing.)
My neighbor accused me of being like a reformed drunk going by a bar, I can't pass up a nursery or a seed. Maybe we should do a new reality show called "Seed Hoarders"...we could look for pumpkins behind Ox's couch, see what lurks in Joseph's spare room and take a tour of my barn. That would be a really scarey show.
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Post by meganp on Mar 7, 2015 16:03:30 GMT -5
Phil, you see when I moved away from home I had no canning jars, and so I went to the store and bought some. Then my neighbors found out that I did canning, and she brought over 7 cases. My neighbor accused me of being like a reformed drunk going by a bar, I can't pass up a nursery or a seed. Maybe we should do a new reality show called "Seed Hoarders"...we could look for pumpkins behind Ox's couch, see what lurks in Joseph's spare room and take a tour of my barn. That would be a really scarey show. photos please of your barn |
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 7, 2015 21:40:52 GMT -5
Joseph reminded us all awhile ago that this is a "G" rated site. If I post photos of the barn it could be so scarey that it would be N-17!
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for distribution to a few favourite growers - and maybe seed retailers?
