Heritage Fruit and Veg

Comment by Magic Cochin on August 13, 2010 at 9:05

I'm a member of the Heritage Seed Library and have a collection of bean and pea varieties that do well in my garden from which I save seed each year.

Celia

Comment by VP on August 13, 2010 at 9:32

I'm a big fan of heritage apples and grow several of them on my allotment. Some date back a couple of centuries. I've found a supplier who has a couple of varieties which are local to Chippenham and I'm pondering just where I can shoehorn them in

Comment by Patrick Wiebe on August 13, 2010 at 9:47

MC: My peas all get eaten by birds this year. I have lots of beans, including some from HSL.

VP: I also just started grafting apple trees this year! I would love to get some scion wood sometime of your favorites, in trade for some of mine if you're interested. I also have space problems.

Wow, you guys joined a few minutes after I created the group!

Besides beans and apples, I'm also growing lots of different potatoes this year. VP knows all about these...

Comment by VP on August 13, 2010 at 13:54

Wow Patrick you're ahead of me on the apple cultivation front. I need to find out exactly what you need re getting some scion wood for you, but you're welcome to have some. No need to trade, I've already taken advantage of lots of your garlic when it's been on offer :)

Comment by VP on August 13, 2010 at 13:56

Interested in how the potatoes are going Patrick. I don't think I've got any berrys on any of mine this year, so won't able to send anything to Tom or to pursue any breeding work here in Chippenham :(

Comment by Patrick Wiebe on August 13, 2010 at 14:14

By grafting scion wood, it's possible to have multiple varieties on the same tree. I'm still learning this myself, but my understanding is 4-5 on the same tree is easily done, but some people manage to get 30-40 on one tree.

Comment by Stephen Shirley on August 16, 2010 at 12:19

Be careful with grafting multiple varieties onto one stock - especially with older varieties.

Whilst all will be well with the varieties that 'take' for a few years you will find that eventually one or possibly two varieties will become dominant - causing the others to become weak and eventually die out.

If you were trying to keep a 'bud wood library' in limited space this would maybe be a way forward - but for growing 'sensible' harvests long-term sadly I don't think it your best way forward.

Comment by Patrick Wiebe on August 16, 2010 at 15:05

Thanks Stephen, I had never heard of that. That's really good to know, and I'll put my efforts into single variety trees.

I see you are part of a family run nursery!

I have a question for you. I am looking for winter hardy citrus, in particular I am interested in a yuzu lemon. Do you know where I can buy a reasonably priced tree? Do you sell anything like that or do you have any experiences with it?

Comment by Stephen Shirley on August 16, 2010 at 16:33

Yes, for my sins I am a nurseryman - but I'll aim to behave and be impartial in all I say and do!

As to hardy Citrus, the reality is there are very few - so check the small print in ads and things that will say "hardy down to -5C" or similar.

I've never grown the Yuzu lemon and don't know of a supplier. http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/ is always a good starting point for hunting things down though.

The Yuzu sounds very much like the Japanese Bitter Orange - Poncirus trifoliata - which was re-classified from being a Citrus a few years ago. That really is a tough plant (and vicious!)

Comment by Joy Turnbull on August 16, 2010 at 18:26

Ooh! This looks an interesting idea, a group for anyone interested in heritage veg! I'm expecting delivery of seed of Salmon Flowered Peas from someone who got them from someone who got them from the person who originally got them from the HSL. This appears quite normal for heritage varieties in Europe.

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