Savouring the Seed List

December is the month for planning our new year vegetable growing as we look back at what has done well, what hasn't done so well and what we still have in the seed box...ermm okay I confess there are seed boxes...and then the icing on the cake -  the email that announces the new Heritage Seed Library list of seeds for members to choose from. This wonderful organisation keeps the seeds of generations gone by safe for future generations, it encourages current gardeners to keep varieties alive long after they have dropped off the commercial seed lists, and is made up of amazing Seed Guardians who grow on crops just to ensure there are sufficient seeds to share and other marvellous folk who collect, cherish and collate the seeds ready to send them out over the next few months. The focus is on open-pollinated varieties - that is varieties that will grow true from seed each year and that means you can then grow from your own seeds in future years if the variety does well for you and, most importantly, tastes good!

SO the big question is - what do we choose? We get to pick 6 varieties for our membership fee from a list of dozens and dozens of varieties. From sorting our seeds last month I know we only really need beetroot, carrots, parsnips and maybe some leeks but whilst there is only 1 variety of leek this year, there are 2 varieties of beetroot on the list and 7 of carrot so choices need to be made - interestingly there are no parsnips this year so obviously it was a problem crop for other folk over the last couple of years too. And we definitely don't need any bean or pea seeds but then again there is a beautiful crimson coloured climbing bean called Portuguese that is screaming out pick me, pick me I'm pretty pick me!!

So my friends, watch this space, some decisions need to be made this weekend and decisions aren't my strong point these days!

Beautiful bountiful beans don't really need any new companions, but...