Started 2025 season by sowing c.praetermissum x c.capsicum F2s and it’s backcrosses (25% c.praetermissum/ 75% c.baccatum) on 18-19.3. I started a bit earlier than in the years past as both c.praetermissum and .cpraetermissum x c.baccutum F1 had had bad germination. However, it seems like that’s not a problem with this generation. At least there are enough of those that have germinated within normal timeframe (8days for the first). I did sow hundreds of seeds, but only will keep maybe a hundred at most so there will be some culling early on to eliminate that slow germination once and for all. Otherwise I’m not planning to do that much selection, but instead make cross pollination by hand between them and direct sown baccatums to increase genetic variability. Possibly some separation based on fruit size and preferential sowing from bigger fruits the next year and eliminating those that have reverted to fully c.praetermissum sized fruits (maybe more in F2s with 50% praetermissum). Have to see what I get. Backcrosses have so much variability that it’s completely open what they will produce. Then after this season they will get hard schooled, given that there isn’t too much work to be done with the fruit size.
Same morning I didn’t see anything, but afternoon they were already visible and the next day with cotyledons open. Now a day later there are dozens and it’s soon time to cull all that come after.
Thanks. I have a stupid question. I am a beginner at landrace. So, how do I start doing this. What do I combine? The seeds? The stems? The roots? All of the above? Thanks. Daniel Weinberg. gardener in Chicago, IL usa.
Got some seeds from @ThomasPicard and @Tanjaeskildsen to start new projects. From Thomas kiwano, luffas and litchi tomato (s.sisymbriifolium). Kiwanos I’ll direct sow all and see how possible it is to direct sow them here. If it fails, then I’ll more information next year.
Litchi tomatoes I got 5 distinct strains so I’ll grow transplant to make certain F1 crosses to speed up the hybridization and diversification. They took a little more to germinate than I expected, more like chilies than tomatoes or eggplants. Not long, but it’s still interesting whether it’s because of germination temperature or is it that they are still quite wild and for wilds fast germination isn’t always the best trait. Several of the traits have already germinated and I expect that all will do so sooner or later.
Luffas I started transplants, but also direct sow just as test to see how much they need to improve. They will get clear plastic tunnel and black mulch, but still it’s going to be difficult for them (unless summer is extra warm). Usually it’s recommended to start them already during winter here, but I don’t think that’s not necessary even in general if they have good conditions. One of the varieties have really started fast and it looks like it might be even a bit early if it continues like that. Not sure if there is some indication that they would be more cold tolerant as they germinated fast even in quite mild temperature.
First of Tanjas sweet potato seeds took less than 24h to germinate. I nicked the seeds a little, soaked in water for some hours and put them in germination box in a warm place. I didn’t really expect them to have germinated when I checked on them this morning, but couple of them had clear roots which had in couple hours grown to almost a 1cm so I potted them. Seem like I have to keep a close eye on rest of them. Seeds took a bit longer to arrive for many reasons and yesterday I was dreading that what if they take long to germinate so that it would not make it worth trying this year, but it looks like it doesn’t come to that. Summer might still make it hard to get tubers to keep them alive for next year, but that I can’t do anything about. Not even dreaming about seeds, but interesting to see if they flower like mother variety.
Hope you get seeds! One of my seedlings that I started a month or so ago is starting to flower already. I don’t know what’s up with that😂
I have managed to keep cuttings alive in a window over winter, so that’s always an option, but an annoying one.
Yeah, better have low hopes so any success is greater . Sweet potatoes do seem to quite possible to induce to flower if they just have the flowering trait. I have had some slips flower fairly early with just little stress with heat and irregular watering in a small pot, but only varieties that flower otherwise.
Tell me about it. Just have kept alive basils from cuttings that I took last september. Constantly forgot about them during the winter, but didn’t quite kill them. It’s certainly one option with the ones that don’t make good tubers, but we’ll cross that brigde once we get there.
. Sweet potatoes do seem to quite possible to induce to flower if they just have the flowering trait. I have had some slips flower fairly early with just little stress with heat and irregular watering in a small pot, but only varieties that flower otherwise.