Seeds from many places

I am fortunate to have friends & family save me seeds or buy them for me from where they live or travel to.

I have gotten wild arugala seeds that really GROW wild, in fields, along the roads, in the hills of Rome. The Italians every where in Italy have a long history of foraging for there food: always eat local, always what 's in season only, as wisely we have began saying that mantra. But for Italians it's been a way of life for centuries.

   

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My cousin brought wild arugala seeds back for from Rome. I have been growing them in my garden since 2009. Some in planters, some in ground, in the flower beds too. And until this winter, they were perinneal here. But not worried if I lost them. I have been letting some plants go to seed so I can save and replant. The yellow flower comes first, then the green seed pods appear along the stem.

I also got tomato seeds from Sicily. My friend's father was visiting here & he gave me some tomato plants he started here in buckets from his seeds back home. I saved those tomato seeds. A paste tomato but more chubbier round than a true plum. I saved those seeds and this spring I am planting them for the first time to see how they grow. They might change as tomatoes are tricky to save. Pollination might mix different plants together.

Also I'm planting two kinds of San Marzano plum tomatoes. One is from Italy, by FRANCHI Seeds of Italy, that I order online. I planted these last year also.

The other San Marzano are from another seed company in Italy my friend in Arizona sent from her trip to Florence. I like the Italian seeds best because they are not treated, success always with them germinating & growing, and you get triple the amount of seeds than an American company for the same cost, which is super because they last longer too!

Still another friend from Iowa sent a new type for me to grow: an Italian Heirloom, from Seed Savers. I did see this one before for the first time last year. They are big, dense with very little seeds & an orange red tomato. Excited to try.

Saving seeds, collecting them & trading them with others enhances your gardening experience. Not hard or time consuming. Just like planting them,

REMEMBER to label your saved seeds immediately.

 

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