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Seed Library of Galiano Update Spring 2022
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Seed Library of Galiano Update Spring 2022

News

Seed Library of Galiano Update Spring 2022

By Colleen Doty, President

Attention all seed savers and farmers: a Mobile Seed Cleaner, operated by Farm-Folk-City-Folk, will be coming to Galiano October 8, 2022 to showcase the possibilities of more efficient seed extraction. Joan Robertson has been busily coordinating to bring the Seed Mobile to Galiano the weekend of October 8, 2022 at the Lions Hall, also the last day of Galiano’s Saturday Market. Stay tuned as details evolve.

For more information on the Mobile Seed Cleaner, see: https://farmfolkcityfolk.ca/bc-seed-security-program/mobile-seed-cleaner.

The Seed Mobile is outfitted with seed cleaning equipment to help farmers save and clean their seeds; it is meant to save time on the oft-tedious tasks of cleaning seeds and allow producers to scale up and increase food security resiliency instead of relying on multi-national seed corporations to provide seed.

On another note, I hope you will be inspired by Francis Moyle’s article this month on Swiss chard and its culinary possibilities. Chard is a versatile vegetable that thrives in our climate and can be cooked variety of ways. When I was the school garden coordinator years ago we made Swiss chard gratin with freshly grated nutmeg, deftly inspired by Huguette, and the kids and staff loved it.

The Seed Library of Galiano is a volunteer-run non-profit society, now in its sixth year, with a mission to preserve and loan organically grown, non-GMO, open-pollinated, locally successful, and genetically diverse seed varieties to the Galiano community. If you are interested in volunteering or participating in some way, please reach out. Many hands bring many seeds. For more information, please see our website at: seedlibrarygaliano.org.

By Colleen Doty|2025-02-13T18:25:09-08:00May 24th, 2022|News|

Cross-Pollination and the Importance of Saving Galiano Seeds

By Doug Latta, Board Member

I recently became a director for the Seed Library of Galiano (SLOG). I soon learned how well organized and efficient the library operates, though it became clear to me how important and somewhat difficult it is to keep our seeds from becoming cross-pollinated.

Cross-pollination is when one plant pollinates a plant of another variety. The two plants’ genetic material combines and the resulting seeds from that pollination will have characteristics of both varieties and is a new variety. Sometimes cross-pollinating is used intentionally in the garden to create new varieties. Cross-pollinated plants will not produce ’true’ to the original parent and the results, while interesting, may be inferior.

SLOG has a detailed website which lists the seeds we have and describes the plant characteristics. seedlibrarygaliano.org.

There are various strategies to avoid cross-pollination. The first step is to understand isolation distances for each type of plant you are growing. Seeds Savers.org is an excellent resource for Growing Guides and Isolation Distances.

What is the purpose of SLOG?

We encourage Galiano growers to borrow organic, open-pollinated (not hybridized) seeds, plant them, save the seed from several of the plants (if possible) and return the saved seeds to SLOG. This will ensure that this new seed is viable and able to reproduce the same plant in the following years.
This borrow and return endeavour will keep the seeds fresh and the food supply sustainable year after year.
Our seed supply becomes the saving of heritage plants that have proven to be successful in the Galiano environment over many years.

How the library works

Go to our website seedlibrarygaliano.org. Review the Inventory. See if any seeds interest you.
Decide which seeds will work for you and your garden, considering sun exposure, growing difficulty, fenced areas, watering needs, and what you like to eat.
Become a member of the Seed Library, if not already. Membership is $10 per person. Email us for details on how to join: seedlibraryofgaliano@gmail.com
Through email, send us a seed request for up to five different seed packages.
Or, attend a SLOG distribution day in spring at the Galiano Library meeting room. You can sign out five different seed packages.
Plant and grow out the seeds in an area where the plants will not cross-pollinate with other varieties of the same type of plant. This can be difficult; check to see how much distance is required to achieve this. Seeds Savers.org is an excellent resource for Growing Guides and Isolation Distances. See https://www.seedsavers.org/isolation-methods
After the plant has produced a seed crop, dry them and return some to the SLOG library. This can take two growing seasons to produce seed (e.g. onions, carrots).
Watch for the days SLOG is open at the library. Communications happen through our email, Facebook Page @SeedLibraryofGaliano, and website seedlibrarygaliano.org.

Saving seed that is adapted to our region is increasingly important as our climate changes. Be part of this worthy endeavour and feed yourself and your family nutritious, happy food.

By Doug Latta|2022-05-24T22:02:11-07:00May 24th, 2022|Articles|

New presentation: Cover Crops for Sustainable Agroecosystems by Grace Augustinowicz

By slog|2022-05-24T22:29:30-07:00March 30th, 2022|Presentations, Website Updates|

Asian Loose-Leaf Red Lettuce
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Asian Loose-Leaf Red Lettuce

Past Featured Seeds

Asian Loose-Leaf Red Lettuce

By Lezlie Wagman, Board Director

Thinking about what salad greens to plant this spring? What about Asian loose-leaf red lettuce? Your Galiano Seed Library has just acquired some of these easy to grow seeds, Galiano-grown and adapted to our local conditions.

This is a beautiful lettuce not only for eating but decorative for any garden. The leaves are ruffled and green at the growing point turning to a deep red hue towards the edges. When mature the leaves are about fifteen cm long and fall out as loose leaves do from the centre. The texture has more bite to it than regular green leaf lettuce and has a very fresh taste. It tears easily for salads and also has enough hardiness to be used as a wrapper for grated vegetables and grilled meat, which is how it tends to be used in South Korea.

As with most lettuces this one grows best in cool weather during the spring and fall. Well-drained, fairly fertile soil and lots of sunlight is a good recipe for growing. I sow these seeds directly outside and usually start in early April. The birds love the new growth so covering the baby lettuce with a cloche or some other bird barrier like a screen is essential. Once the plants are ten cm tall they’re not in near as much risk to being munched on by our feathered friends. You can also start these seeds indoors or a greenhouse. If starting in-doors you’ll need a very good grow light otherwise the plants become leggy and weakened.

For continuous harvesting, sow seeds by scattering lightly on prepared soil or in shallow short trenches five mm deep with a light scattering of earth on top. Planting can be done every two to four weeks. Germination should happen a week from planting if the conditions are right. The first little salad leaves are usually ready to eat about a month after germination. For fuller heads this lettuce will mature in approximately sixty-five days. It’s important to ensure even watering as it’s growing otherwise the lettuce can become a little bitter. An interesting feature of this Asian loose leaf red lettuce is that after maturity the leaves can be used in stir-frys and for steaming and retain a good flavor. Even once the flower stock appears these too may be cooked.

Seed saving of this fine plant is easy. Let the flower stocks mature into little yellow flowers. These will eventually fall off and you’ll be left with a tiny seed ball resembling a very miniature dandelion puffball. Once these seed heads form they can be cut and placed in a paper bag to dry before gleaning the seeds. To keep this variety as pure as possible it’s important to know that lettuce cross-pollinates easily with other kinds so keeping it in a separate area of the garden is helpful.

April seed lending days will be held at the Community Library Meeting room on Saturday, April 2, and Saturday, April 23, 2022, both days from 12-2pm.

Membership is $10 to join the Seed Library.

By slog|2022-05-24T22:07:34-07:00March 30th, 2022|Past Featured Seeds|