EURR Round 2 err 2

Hi, Baa;

thank you for your good will again; I have a few good photos of several species that now do not have photos in PF, and want to take a few more, and hope to do it by the end of the week, and will let you know.

No signs of the RR yet - I hope it will show up by the end of the week.

Dimitri

Wow, that package is taking a long time again! I must confess I didn't post it on 25th May as I'd hoped - I think it was two days later when I finally made it to the post office....even so, it should be there by now. Lixi, is it time for the "giving up hope workshop, level two", do you think?
Maggi xxxx

Cheers !! THE SEEDS RR HAS ARRIVED !!!!

this was the good news.

I am inundated with seeds, seedlings, plantlets, plants, pots, card files, archives and all the rhubarb connected, related and consequential to the feeling we all get when we face a new envelope with the magic seeds. I feel I should add to the pack ALL my unused seed packets (about 100) and send them over to make someone else crazy. It does not say on the packets "efforts, time and water to realize and materialize what these seeds mean ARE NOT INCLUDED".. - CAUTION : you have been warned.

this was the bad news.

Then I started to look at them: How can I turn down the many kinds of pumpkins Philomel put in, the others like "Japanese burdock" from Baa (that on earth is japanese burdoch? I don't know even plain burdoch, let alone the japanese one... the name could very well be in the title of a firm, e.g. Burdoch & Parsley building society, and what do you mean japanese? perhaps it cures some ache, or I have to sweep the pebbles around it everyday? Ah.........what is the difference between a pumpkin and a squash? I know people play squash, but do they play pumpkin? Which one to choose? winter(indian - curry flavored???), butternut (hello Sorgina), scallop, etc?etc? then the real exotics: omphalodes (= "looking like belly button" in Greek), nicandra (= "beats the men" in Greek), nectaroscordum ("a divine drink that smells of garlic" in Greek).

this was the mysterious news.

I will add what fresh seeds I can, to make some other neurotics (like me) happy (like real gardeners) and remove some of my own seed bags from last time that are now useless (like last year's bauhinia). AND I will add a small plastic envelope with 4 computer screws left over from the last upgrade - try them, if you can make them germinate, you know you are a HYPER fellow, DG is too small for you.

this was how I felt right now.

What if we add a donation to a poverty fund for every visit we are allowed from the RR?

this is the down-to-Earth idea of the moment.

I will sleep on these (ideas, not the seeds) until Monday.

AND Lixie, start taking some valium, they will come to you as urgent post VERY SOON.

Dimitri

ROTFL Dimitri, I can well understand the feeling.

Ahh yes, my apologies, Japanese Burdock or Gobo in Japan is Arctium lappa, a medicinal and culinary herb which is often used as a vegetable and is a good source of fibre. The seeds are from Japanese cultivars which have been selected to reduce the bitterness one finds in the European occuring species and some are even grown for young salad leaves. It is however something of a self seeding annoyance if you don't take the flowering stalks off immediately as you see them, they will also send out very long roots and persistent roots. They are best container grown near a house so you can cut off any stem that dares to flower! http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/burdoc87.html

Dandelion and Burdock is my favourite pop, I must look for a recipe!

If anyone does manage to get the computer screws to germinate, please do share your method, much cheaper than buying a new computer or indeed should it only fruit computer screws it might be a good cash crop *G*

A donation to a poverty fund! What a lovely idea and one well worth considering.

Laughing hard here too. Dimitri, you put into wonderful words exactly what i am feeling with all my seeds, (sown and unsown - more of the latter), seedlings (most in urgent need of potting on), and plants (most in need of planting out but I have to make more flower beds and enlarge the veg. plot first...) Since joining DG my seed greed is way out of control, but it's great fun...
Glad the RR finally arrived. I hope you found lots of seeds, as you obviously need more of everything......The "Indian" in the squash (or pumpkin??) is the Native American kind I think.....curry flavoured would be wonderful though, wouldn't it?
Maggi xxxx

I love your translations from Greek Dimitri. I did a little Latin at school a long long time ago which occasionally comes in useful with the plant names, but most of them don't mean a thing to me now. The Greek is quite descriptive and very funny, I will look at the plants in a whole new light.

I too am in the where am I going to put everything situation and trying to keep the seedlings growing and happy until I find or make space. The little acacia plants are very cute. They close their leaves and go to sleep at night.

I've never tried growing burdock, but one of the recipes for nettle beer included some burdock root, so that could be quite interesting. The nettle beer was very delicious without burdock though - we drank the whole gallon in less than a week - hic!

Very glad the RR is safe and sound - I think we all breath a sigh of relief each time it arrives.

Hmmmmmmmmmm............. burdock.............. No thank you - here in Crete we eat at least 10 different wild greens, dandelions among the most sought after, and the more bitter they are, the better - all of them, boiled, salt lemon juice and olive oil added. The least I need now is yet another, this one with roots sprouting giant leaves here and there - I would rather brush the pebbles with the broom to get a japanese garden feeling......

I am happy I made you ladies laugh - if seeds do not give pleasure, they are the seeds of evil (perhaps these are seeds of evil as well ?? what is evil? looking for more pots like a lunatic and then forgetting to water the plants in them is not evil, is it ??

Think again about the donations - you British people are champions of the sport. Perhaps like Oxfam (Oxford against Famine) we should create SeedPov (Seeds against Poverty ...... nay........ too poor a name and not original at all) but do get the thing working please. Here we have a type of wealth (seeds that some are not on the market, and with a non-profit attitude, so they might as well serve a social benefit purpose since they are to fill our vice of greed.......) I AM WAITING TO HEAR AND WILL SEND 10 euros just to stay in the game !!!!!!!!!!!

Dimitri

(See? I am not always exhausted from long operations - there is still some life left in me.........)

I've tried growing computer screws in the past but the mice always get them... :-)

Wonderful .............. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike-G and Dimitri you are both nuts!

I like the idea of donating spare seeds to people in need but wonder how we should go about it. I'm sure there are lots of charities working in these areas who would make very good use of them, although I think they would probably prefer to promote the local seed bank. They have enough trouble trying to avoid the chemical companies' genetically modified seeds without trying to grow things suited to the Yorkshire climate. I'm thinking of hot countries here, but there could be British people in poverty who could make good use of them or similar European climates. We do cover quite a wide range of climate zones on this web site don't we?

I always have a load of seeds left at the end of the year, and never know what to do with them, I've passedthem onto Jazzs school and Guides for their plant sales, but they never seemed overly keen....I just hate to see things go to waste.

Dimitri, you had me fooled ...I had to read your post twice to see that you were joking!!...and please don't think me totally stupid, but what exactly are computer screws?...Sorry guys...complete nerd here...LOL

ROTFL Mike!

There's a charity called Thrive in the UK which uses gardening as a kind of therapy for disabled and otherwise disadvantaged people, I've sometimes sent them packets of seeds. There are more local charities, there was one in Newcastle upon Tyne but for the life of me I can't remember the address. Perhaps there are some community gardens that could use seeds too?

I wonder and this is only me wondering, if someone with an eBay account or willing to set one up could collect unwanted seeds and sell them on eBay with the express purpose of donating all but the fees and P&P to a specified charity which I noticed is something you can do on eBay now? Or have the occasional seaonal table at the local carboots or plant fairs? We could indeed be SEED POV or Seed POD Seeds against poverty, oppression and disadvange :D or we could just donate it to an actual cause!

Just a thought

I wonder if we could sell the seeds and buy a family in the third world some chickens or a goat or something, I can't for the life of me remember the website right now but I think it was 5 chickens to a family for a £20 donation?

Thrive website http://www.thrive.org.uk/can-we-help-you.asp

Sounds good to me, hows best to organise it?

I do have an e-bay account, but buy more than sell !!...LOL .

Very good ideas going on here :)
Never done anything on ebay - yet...
I like the idea of buying goat, chickens etc (I'll donate some of my cockerels LOL)

I've started a new thread for ideas on the charity thing here http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/617211/

Apologies. My father in law died suddenly yesterday morning, aged 86. I just came back from the funeral. Seeds still with me, promise to send them out tomorrow.

Dimitri

I'm so sorry to hear of your family's loss Dimitri, my deepest sympathy to you all. Please take whatever time is necessary.

So sorry to hear of your loss Dimitri.
Maggi xxxx

Yes, my deepest sympathy too Dimitri.
Hilary

I thank you all for your kind feelings and sympathy. He was a very wise man, content, introvert, a born giver who kept nothing for himself. We was completely healthy; ten days ago we went for a 2 hour walk on some ruins of a newly discovered ancient town here in Crete, that his niece supervised the excavations in the last 2 years and she showed us around. A man of no pathology (normal blood pressure, heart, lungs, kidney, liver, brain) and a lover of wild nature, he had premonition that he would not live long and sorted everything logistically in the last 3 months. He left behind his widow, two daughters (a professor of psychology and an architect) and two grand children ( a mechanical engineer and a computer engineer). If I am to epitomize his philosophy, I would say: "persevere and pursue your goals without laziness, live in virtue, quietly and with only the necessary things, never give up when under pressure, give generously when you believe in someone". I never met or heard of another such man in my life. He was a bit difficult to live with, stubborn and not articulate, but his virtues were rare.
Excuse this epitaph, but I think that we should try to summarize the life principles of those around us and learn from them. May he rest in peace.

This epitaph needs no excuse Dimitri. What a wonderful tribute to a man you clearly valued highly. None of us is without fault, but in sharing with us the virtues you saw in him, you offer this insight to us all. Thank you for that Dimitri and, although I only know him through your description, I would like to wish him peace also.

Dimitri

My sympathies also: your eloquent epitaph has sown seeds with me about what is important in Life.

All things must pass; and when I go, if anyone regards me with a fraction of the respect and affection that you've demonstrated for your father-in-law, I will think that I had done very well.

Mike

I'm sorry to hear about your father in law, you never can be prepared for these things, but as you beautifully put ,he sounded a good man, and had left a great legacy in his family.

Mike and Sue, I thank you very much for your kind feelings.

I am trying to work on the seeds a little and hope to have them ready tonight.

Dimitri

A very moving epitaph Dimitri, and one we can all learn something from.
Maggi xxxx

A beautiful description. Thank you for sharing some of his life and philosophy with us.

Seeds going out to Lixi this morning;

I added :

matthiola incana x 4 :

gladiolus italicus

osteospermum fruticosum

lathyrus odoratus

I kept for me : agapanthus 1 env

paeonia dodrata alba 1 env

digitali mixed
nectaroscordum

deep ribbed pumpkins
early white scallop squash

Need to rush now, will describe the seeds tonight

(3 broken bones for today, just routine difficulty)

dimitri

(( Omphalodes remained with me - what is it ???))

That's great thanks Dimitri!

Omphalodes, I can't recall who contributed those and if it was a perennial or annual one but they are pretty, usually bright or light blue or white and should do well in Crete. They do look a bit like a navel.

Perhaps it's fortunate no one has added Narthecium ossifragum for you since you already have plenty of broken bones to deal with!

This message was edited Jun 26, 2006 12:02 PM

LOL Baa - Narthecium ossifragum!!!!!!
Perhaps some comfrey would be helpful???????

In the heat of the night, it is quiet enough to analyse on the seeds I added, in case someone wants to try them:

matthiola incana ( 4 envelopes) : the usual stocks, in very aromatic purple, some flowers single, some double. They produce multiple pods with plenty of seeds and are very easy to grow, can manage without much water and on poor soil as well. They are very much like DG # 83954 in appearance, only these are a traditional greek garden heirloom, so I wouldn't swear they are "vintage rose" or something.

gladiolus italicus ( 4 envelopes) : my usual wild gladioli, perhaps byzantinus and not italicus, very easy to grow, ideal for xeriscaping, nad very colorful.

osteospermum fruticosum mix ( 4 envelopes) : these are a mix of 2 - 3 species, some whitish and crawlers, some pinkish and not-so-crawlers. They provide a wonderful ground cover, self-seed easily and give a magnificent color carpet in the Spring.

lathyrus odoratus ( 4 envelopes) : whatever cultivar(s) you start from, pink or blue or what, if you continue to collect seeds and sow every year for 4 - 5 years, you end up with deep purple and bluish flowers, so my seeds are Dimitri's whatevers, please take a chance and see what you come up with.

In July or August (I think) I am waiting for the bauhinia seeds to mature. Last time I spotted a tree in Heraclio, with abundant white flowers and no leaves at the time of flowering, completely extraordinary. As soon as I can get my hands on the pods, I will let you know.


So long, take care (no overwatering)

Dimitri

Baa, I really like the narthecium, thank you

I must say, that some huge Agave "flowers" that grow wild here, have a very interesting story: they are supposed to be the largest flowers in the world, since the flower stem is about 4 - 5 meters high, and as they grow quickly, they create very light "wood" inside to support themselves. People here call them "a'rtykas" , the word being a simplification on the modern greek " narthecas" (=protecting splint), from the ancient greek "narthex" of the same meaning. The locals say they were used to support fractures in the old times, but I never laid hands on the stuff.

Lixi, I sent the seeds last Tuesday as urgent mail, have you got them yet ??

Baa, my contribution to the Garden Gate coming to you by mail - address hasn't changed I believe.

Dimitri

Matthiola incana is one of those plants with such a beautiful fragrance isn't it!

It never ceases to amaze me what we have used plants for in the past. I would never have guessed an Agave could be used in such a way although it would certainly make sense that it would need to be light and strong to hold such a flower head.

I seem to have managed to stay in the one place for the time being LOL it's over a year. Now it could be age is catching up with me or the camels are being particularly stubborn ;) whatever the reason I'll look forward to your parcel Dimitri and a big thank you for it too!

Yipppheeeee!
The huge envelope from Dimitri arrived on Friday and I had all the weekend to make up my mind what to choose ... really difficult!

I couldn`t manage to get it out again today, sorry,(stressy days with lots of work ...), but now everything is selected, added and packed, so the envelope will go on tomorrow morning to the Netherlands !!!

I took:
- 2 different sorts of winter squash (sorgina)
- Cardoon (Philomel)
- Rhubarb (Philomel) ... will it do here in our heat???
- Black raddish (Philomel)
- creeping Rosemary (sorgina)
- Lathyrus latifolius (Baa)
- Euphorbia canariensis (Baa)
- Rudbeckia hirta (dpmichael)
- Matthiola incana (dpmichael)
- Nicandra physaloides ... don´t know from whom

I added (allways two packages of a kind):

- Kokia: greek big beans, really tasty, when young!
- red beet, a small round sort
- Raddici, used like spinach
- wild Raddici, even more bitter, used like spinach
- Coctai-Tomato, my own selection for 10 years now: very tasty, quite big, resistant against almost every desease and ripening even under bad (cold) conditions ... I grow them here in winter!
- Chili "Cherry Bomb", quick and tall growing, hot!!
- Luffa aegyptica, growing like cucumbers but need more heat (greenhouse!)

- Zinnia rosé (very "old-fashioned" colour, like grandma´s pillow...)
- black (!) Hollyhock (they do not come all true from seed, some stay dark red, but the others!!!)
- Mirabilis jalapa, white-mauve striped or splashed
- Cerinthe major purpurascens
- Euphorbia marginata (snow on the mountain)

- Phoenix canariensis (Date Palm), I dried the seeds myself, so they should germinate ... but take some month...
who ever likes to try should put them in a plastic bag with some humid stuff ( I use Kokohum) keep them warm
and wait ... and wait ... I added quite a lot. Who ever wants to try should take some out and leave the rest ...

Just hope, that the envelope will travel quick and save!
This RR is really great fun and I hope to join again.
Sorry for being in a hurry, I´m leaving tomorrow for a week ... next year I would love to start in January or so!!!

Kisses from
Lixi!

That's great Lixi, thanks for all the listings! Oooh, Kokia, I love those when in Greece - if they are the ones that are popular as a starter dish? .......do you eat them fresh too then? The tomato and the chilli sound good too!

I'm trying the rhubarb in shade, somewhere that I can water easily and with lots of humus and horse manure. Fingers crossed. It certainly germinated easily and well.

Enjoy your week away :)

I think I'd like to join the next RR please. Sorry if I'm jumping the gun but I'm feeling a bit left out here!!!!

When does it start? I should have some seeds by then.

cheers
Lizzy

Thanks Lixi, great choices and inclusions! I've never heard of Kokia before, what are they?

B1zzyL1zzy it's already been past Spain but I can post it on to you from here when it comes back if you like or you can join in the next round later in the year/early next year if you prefer.

Thats ok...I can wait till the next one. I'll have some to add then.

Thanks
Lizzy

http://malvaceae.info/Genera/Kokia/Kokia.html

I didn't know either but there might be an answer in the above link.

I think these are the beans Lixi is referring to
http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekfoodphotogalleries/ig/Greek-Ingredient-Photos/Koukia-Gallery.htm
They are broad beans or fava beans. In Greece though fava are dried split peas - very confusing lol.

Thanks B1zzyL1zzy!

If you change your mind please let me know :)

Thanks Philomel!

Talking of broad beans, how did the crimson flowered do for you in the end?

Tabtab the cat is going mental in the bath as I type, we've had thunderstorms this morning and the doors are closed so she can't go out at will. She frightened the life out of me, I thought it was Bo the dog having a fit!