If one of my new neighbors had ventured out in the predawn
light this morning, they would have observed me squatted down beside my plants,
with a small plastic juice bottle in one hand, while I patiently picked slugs
with the other. The morning was chill,
the doves sang out boldly, and as the light grew slowly brighter other birds
joined in to weave the dove calls into a complicated chorus. Picking slugs, while a rather slimy chore,
has its rewards. The lilacs smell
sweeter. The colors of the hills--so
muted in the early light, gather definition; and then the trees standing on the
ridge line catch the first sun rays and glow against the sky.
Picking slugs is patient work. They are colored and shaped to help them blend
in with their background—which generally happens to be the tender plants you
have carefully grown from seed. Your eye
catches the sight of the prey, you squat and pluck, and then you pause, letting
your eyes adjust and as they do, you notice other things.
What called me out to the chore this morning were three young
cardoon plants settled into their spots in the yard. While they will grow up tough and
architectural, while still being delectable (if the slugs let them), at the
moment they are very vulnerable and they are getting hit very hard. But once I had cleaned the few slugs from
these little plants, I moved on to other garden spots—those dang slugs have
been doing their best to recycle nutrients before the plants are done with
them.
I have giant red Japanese mustard growing from seed saved in
my Hoopa garden. As I have been watching
it grow I have been paying attention to the colors, the leaf shape and size,
and the general vigor of each plant.
I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to which particular plant I want to carefully
save seed from and which one I may not allow to produce any seed at all. In regards to saving seed, one plant is
absolutely showing more vigor, it has larger slightly more colorfully leaves which
are slightly more savoyed--presenting a lovely curled and crinkly texture for
fresh salads. This morning I noticed
that this particular plant is also somewhat resistant to slugs; it only had a
few, while some of the plants had hundreds.
In addition, I discovered this morning, that several of the mustard plants
are beginning to bolt. My favored plant
is showing no signs of bolting at all. This particular plant is definitely a
keeper! (Large and vigorous, lovely
color and crinkliness, bolt and slug resistant!) As to the one I will probably pull out before
it flowers—the slugs like it so exceedingly well that its leaves have been
reduced to a haphazard display of lace. While
it is serving as a slug magnet now, I don’t want those genes to multiple in my
seed bank, because I am trying to grow food for myself!
Between these extremes of desirable and undesirable traits
there lies a lot of middle ground in any genetically diverse planting. My next little exercise will be to number the
plants, pick a bit of mature leaf and an immature leaf from each one, and give
them a taste and texture test. I may
discover an additional plant that I wish to save seed from—for its superior or
diverse flavor or texture. However, as
noted above, there is only one plant that I plan on thwarting completely
(unless one or more of the others really tastes terrible or has a terrible
texture). The mediocre plants may have
latent survival traits that have not yet expressed themselves. I will enjoy their bolts and flowers and
immature seed pods at table, and I am sure to enjoy their seeds as a seasoning
and for sprouting later in the year. And
I will also sprinkle some of their seeds around my yard. Those that manage to grow on their own,
without being tended and coddled, will provide a tough counterpoint in genetic
diversity to temper the potential sissiness that could be developed in those I
carefully select and grow by hand.
In this process, two sets of factors are working towards refining
the seed bank while maintaining genetic diversity. The first set, of course, are your own
preferences. The second set –is natural
selection. With climate change very much
upon us, the most adaptable plants are the ones that will survive season to
season. By allowing these adaptable
plants to pass pollen back and forth with your hand selected favorites you
ensure your favorites are not becoming so genetically refined that they will
not also adapt.
Hand picking slugs in the early morning hours definitely has
its rewards. Having fewer slugs in the
garden is important. But time to observe
and reflect is just as valuable.
Your questions and comments are always welcome! Please scroll down for copyright, repost, and
reprint information.
~~~~~
Links to more
information on Seed Saving--
Snow, News,
Politics, and Saving Seed:
Seed Secrets: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/06/seed-secrets.html
A Seedy Perspective: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/seedy-perspective.html
Organizing the home seed bank:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/organizing-home-seed-bank.html
~~
On the importance of genetic diversity—
Up with GMO and Down with Local???
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2008/12/up-with-gmo-and-down-with-local.html
~~
On Controlling Slugs—
Slimy Slugs: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/12/slimy-slugs.html
What I forgot, Grandma, Shrubs, & Slugs:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/what-i-forgot-grandma-shrubs-slugs.html
Beer Bash News & Seedling Update:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/beer-bash-news-seedling-update.html
More on the Beer Bash & High Country Gardens:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/more-on-beer-bash-high-country-gardens.html
Empress Flowers and Ground Beetles:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/empress-flowers-and-ground-beetles.html
~~
For a Cardoon photo and a little information see: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=76765212483&l=048bd0fb7c
(If you can’t
access the photo either send me a friend request or e-mail me at
digging_the_dirt @ yahoo.com with a link to your profile or timeline and I will
send you a friend request.)
~~
Giant Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html
And here is a photo of an unselected batch of the mustard:
(Again, if
you can’t access the photo either send me a friend request or e-mail me at
digging_the_dirt @ yahoo.com with a link to your profile or timeline and I will
send you a friend request.)
~~~~~
Copyright 2012,
Harvest McCampbell
You may repost this article on the Internet as long as you include
my by line and copyright notice with a link back to this blog. Before reprinting in print media please
contact me at digging_the_dirt @ yahoo.com (take out spaces) with the
particulars. I will want to see a copy of the publication prior to agreeing and
I will want to receive a copy of the publication after the article appears.
Gardening (and other) articles can also be arranged for
under contract for first time rights. Please contact me at the e-mail or
websites above for more information.
Blurbs and Trials: If
you have a garden catalog, a book, a plant, or seeds that you think my readers
would enjoy hearing about and that you would like to see a blurb here—please
feel free to contact me. I am, however,
very picky—so only the best of the best will be discussed on my blog!
~~~~~
"We are apt to forget that the man who owns his own
land and cherishes it and works it well is the source of our stability as a
nation, not only in the economic but the social sense as well." From: Pleasant Valley, By Louis Bromfield
