Heirloom seeds

OahuSFG 12/21/2010, 3:49 pm

Anyone have tips on planting Heiloom seeds?

I've tried several varieties of soybeans and not one sprouted. I replanted and again not one grew.

The same thing happened for some lettuce seeds, (Bronze Mignonette).

The zucinni sprouted and grew very well only to die off after producing a lot of flowers. I have never had any luck with this anyway , even with regular and hybrid seeds, though I keep trying anyway.

ander217 12/24/2010, 7:55 am

OahuSFG, I've never noticed any difference in the germination rates between open-pollinated and hybrid seeds. Germination rates vary from year to year depending on a lot of factors, but with so many varieties failing to sprout anything I would guess that your problem isn't because they are heirloom varieties.

Was your seed old? Could some chemical inadvertently have gotten into your planting medium or water which inhibited sprouting? Did you plant too deep? Was the soil temperature too hot or too cold? Did they have plenty of moisture?

Did you plant anything else in the same conditions which grew well?

Maybe someone else will have a better answer. Sorry your beans didn't germinate for you.

Lavender Debs 12/24/2010, 8:37 am

Oahu it might not be your "luck" or type of seed. Are there "Master Gardeners" in your area? Talk to them, find out what they say about these crops in a tropical setting. Some of the crops you mentioned, like lettuce, do not do well in heat. It is possible that the cool season in Hawaii is still too hot for success with some plants. As easy as zucchini is for some people, I find it to be a touchy little plant (but it probably knows that I don't like it).

Never stop learning, never stop trying.
Debs

Megan 12/24/2010, 10:52 am

Zucchino Rampicante squash LOVES heat. Just sayin'. (But be prepared when it starts to grow, is all I can tell you. Shocked

)

OahuSFG 12/24/2010, 4:17 pm

Ander, I don't think my seeds were old. I just got them this year and kept them in the fridge as Mel suggests.

The beans were planted in July with asparagus, basil, creeping thyme, and a native Hawaiian plant in the same box. All of them did well except for the heirloom zuc and beans. I put a screen over the second planting, thinking that pehaps the birds took my sprouts. It wasn't the birds.

The lettuce was planted this month. I waited a week and re-planted another batch. Still, nothing.

I have read that Heirlooms will do better and better as they get used to the area, so planned on saving seeds from each generation.

Deb, that's a good suggestion to check with the MG's here.

Megan, hopefully my black thumb regarding zuc's will eventually be solved! I have tried at least 4 different varieties using conventional and SFG, and still no luck!

I' love to hear how anyone in Hawaii or in zone 10 grows their zucs.

elliephant 2/1/2011, 10:07 pm

OahuSFG wrote:
Megan, hopefully my black thumb regarding zuc's will eventually be solved! I have tried at least 4 different varieties using conventional and SFG, and still no luck!

I' love to hear how anyone in Hawaii or in zone 10 grows their zucs.

I've had trouble with zucs here in zone 9b. They start out great, but succumb to disease shortly after they start fruiting. This year I'm trying Tatume. One article I read called it "virtually bombproof" Shocked

We'll see about that, but it is from this general area, so I'm hoping it'll do well for me. It's vining, too! Here's an interesting write-up. You'll have to scroll down a bit. This part is particularly encouraging to me:

Recently, I've been hearing a lot from Southern gardeners (Texas and Florida) singing the praises of Tatume. For flavor and texture they like it, but more than that they see it as a survivor. Bush zucchini just don't last. When disease or insects cause other summer squash to cease production, Tatume comes through.

Megan 2/5/2011, 9:13 am

I've never heard of Tatume, sounds very interesting! I can tell you that Rampicante loves heat, though.

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