Seed meeting

Box for sprouting tests, selfwatering, Årslev model

Springs seed meeting started with a lecture in seed saving in private gardens, an introduction for beginners. The friday evening ended with a big seed exchange between participants. OK, not really exchange – more a seed handout for interested members, and there was a huge amount of seed. I couldn’t resist the temptations, and brought plenty of new seeds and cuttings back home. Talking about our seeds like that, I realise how differently we all grow our gardens. Some are very concerned about saving old varieties and their history of origin, one experiments with permaculture based on winter-harvestable vegetables, others grow medicinal herb, others specialise in a few crops, some grow a little of everything, one has been completely selfsupplying with vegetables, seeds (and meat) for twenty years. Together a richness of experience to share.

Seed exchange

Saturday we spend a day learning at Research Centre Aarslev. First Gitte Kjeldsen Bjørn lectured on plant genetic resources and the maintanaince of the danish clone collections of hop, jerusalem artichoke, horseradish, rhubarb and shallot.

Gitte Kjeldsen Bjørn demonstrates the multiplying of the danish hop clones and lectures on their aromatic qualities and the research in beerbrewing with these clones.

Rhubarb clones needs space. At every stick are two copies of each clone.

Gitte Kjeldsen Bjørn served four selected clones of jerusalem artichoke raw. We judged the taste. One in particular was cause of discussion – It was judged either best or worst, no one in between.

Martin Jensen explained vigor and seed dormancy in a way, that both beginners and experienced listened carefully and brought home new knowledge. He taught us, that seeds dried at room temperature can be stored in the freezer, as long as there has been normal heating in the room. At 50-60% relative humidity in the air seed dries perfect in only three weeks. What a concrete and usefull knowledge.

Martin Jensen explains sprouting tests. By now he had been talking like a river for almost three hours, and we are still hungry for his knowledge.

Many trials in Aarslev are performed in greenhouses, where conditions can be controlled in details.

Sunday Flemming Pedersen (right) learned us how to make a willow tower. At left Brian Krause (Gourmethaven.dk) is working on his willow tower.

The beautiful willow knot Flemming introduced to us.