Wahoo

[zazen999]

I'm so HAPPY!!!!!

I saved some Bleu de Solaise leek seeds last year; lovingly transplanted the parent leeks to a separate spot [now the base of my permanent leek bed], watched them flower and slowly go over...waited until a day came when they were halfway between flowering and dry [leeks are notorious for going mouldy before the seeds ripen and dry off properly], put the heads in the greenhouse for months, put them into paper bags and I'm waiting still for each tiny flower head to dry enough to pop the seeds out....

So on 14th Feb I sowed a handful alongside some Mussleburgh....and the Mussleburghs came up really quickly and I though - oh gosh, they haven't been saved properly, something's gone wrong, I've wasted a year's flippin seed saving time...

I've gone to the tray tonight and THEY'RE UP - LOADS OF THEM.

I'm so chuffed!!!!!!

Phew!!!

[binley100]

and how many times have you looked at them since they were sown.....willing them to show their faces, talking to them . Hoping , wishing , dreaming and finally ................

Congratulations on the new arrivals

[zazen999]

Several

I really thought I'd blown it.

Now, I must get the rest of the bag sorted and cleaned.

[FionaH]

Nice one!

[Magiccat1978]

Fantastic, you must be so pleased ( well we know you are ), well done

[COMPOST CORNER]

Brilliant. Well done.

[Snadger]

Congrats Zaz! I have a seedhead which hasn't quite dried out yet. Its from the seed leek that I'm growing the grass from. I would like to grow some seed leeks from the same head so here's hoping. Its upside down in a paper bag in my bedroom at the mo. It has black seeds in it but it hasn't dried out and shed them yet!

[binley100]

Try hanging it in a germination room

[solway cropper]

I was tempted to save some seed from a whopper I grew last year. (See photo if the upload works.) Can't remember if it was winter giant or prizetaker but it stood head and shoulders above the rest and was lifted in October from a May planting. After reading this thread I wish I had let it grow and saved some but the leek and tattie soup was delicious

[zazen999]

Congrats Zaz! I have a seedhead which hasn't quite dried out yet. Its from the seed leek that I'm growing the grass from. I would like to grow some seed leeks from the same head so here's hoping. Its upside down in a paper bag in my bedroom at the mo. It has black seeds in it but it hasn't dried out and shed them yet!

No, they take AEONS to dry out. No wonder it is so hard to get a good amount of seed out of them.

I put mine under the stairs which is the warmest place in the house.

During my research - I found that allium seeds like to be conditioned - so a little heat is good for them...prior to germination. So, perhaps an airing cupboard or somewhere warm would do it.

Some of mine are still a slight shade of green; rather than brown which they should be by now......I'm just going to get them out, and crumble a handful at a time and bag up.

Solway - that's a whopper!!!

[pipscariad]

Congratulations Zazen! I do admire you for persevering - well, erm, for saving seed full stop. My resolution this year is to try to do the same, the only seed I've ever saved up to now was some broad bean (hardly challenging that one!), and I 'lost' those somewhere.....

Here's hoping that your leeklings thrive and have children of their own one day .