Teach Your Seeds how to be Locals & Miracle Mustard Microgreens!
It’s Spring and time to plant. Where do I get local seed?
Native Seed Search, West Wind Seed, Botanical Societies and if you are lucky, your grandmother. Or you can create your own local seed. Here’s my story…it could be yours!
In the spring of 1986 in Cusick Washington, that’s Washington state, I obtained some great heirloom Italian celery seed from a gourmet seed catalog, called Sheppards. I grew this seed in my garden in a cool elevated climate for three years. I enjoyed the celery and saved seed each year, and with each year the celery, was bigger and juicier.
The celery seemed to, with each year, to become accustomed to the cooler Washington weather. Then I moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1996. And I brought allll kinds of seeds with me, including the now cold weather Italian celery seed. The seeds did not do as well the first few years. Some seed, I simply could not grow, others slowly flourished. However, the warm weather Italian heirloom celery was stunned the first year, then became taller and juicier with every year after.
Then it occurred to me, I had localized my heirloom Italian celery…twice!!
First a warm weather Italian heirloom localized to the cool Washington climate, then re-localized to the warm weather of Tucson, Arizona.
Incredible genetic flexibility! Warm….cold….warm!
Think about it. Typically, we look for seed in a catalog that has been collected from who knows where. The seed is stored in a cool dark place, put into an envelope and shipped allll over the planet. Then you receive the seed in an envelope, take it out and hopefully plant it immediately. All that is ok, but this is what most of us haven’t considered. The seed doesn’t know where it is at. It has been packaged and kept in the dark for preservation…but the seed is without orientation or knowledge of the weather conditions. It is not localized.
So how do we localize our seed?
Pick out seed that is a heirloom from a similar climate, plant and save the seed and replant.
Grow the plant and save the seed.
Grow the plant and save the seed.
Grow the plant and save the seed.
Get it? Keep growing and planting till the seed adjusts to the climate, until it localizes. You can do this! DIY!
Depending how relevant and flexible the original heirloom is to your climate, will determine if the seed will localize and how long it will take to flourish.
Now aren’t you the smart one. You know how to select and localize your seed!
And thank you Mr. & Mrs. Sheppards for making available to us so many tasty vegetables from flexible seeds. (Sheppards has been purchased by a larger seed company.)
News: The big news is; folks are signing up for the up and coming to “Sprout Walk.” Check it out.
MUSTARD MICROGREENS FEATURED THIS SUNDAY!
Last weeks’ sprout menu included Chia Microgreens and they sold out quick. High in nutrition and low in calories, they flew off the table, ready to cut and eat at home.
We have another microgreen featured this week: Mizuna or Chinese Mustard or brown mustard.
Mustard was first grown and consumed in the Himalayans over 5000 years ago and is now grown and consumed over much of the planet.
Brown mustard microgreens have a bright, peppery flavor that taste great on salads, sandwiches, soup garnish, green drinks and smoothies. Just cut them off their roots and enjoy.
Brown mustard is very high in vitamin K, A, C and also rich in Selenium, Copper, E, Calcium, Iron, Betaine and B6.
The health benefits of Mustard Greens may include:
Healthy joints and bone health
Rich in antioxidants
Improve mental health
Eye health protection
Heart health
Fights cancer
Helps prevent acne
Aids pregnant women
Fights off colds and flu
Helps prevent urinary stones
Helps to reduce the symptoms of arthritis
Mustard Micros are available in a bag still growing with roots on. Just cut and serve on any food for a spicy flavor and high nutrition any time at home.
Enjoy!
