Growing Your Own Lambs Quarters

[T-Bird]

A lot of us have big eyes/high hopes!

Well it best work out this year!

[streetsurfer]

Store them well, and by the estimates I've seen, they could last you from 2-5 times their normal shelf life of a few years. Place them in a jar with a dessicant (silica gel, charcoal fines), in the package to keep them seperate from the dessicant, remove the air with a vacuum sealer, and refrigerate or freeze.

[T-Bird]

Maybe you'd like to divvy up some of the packets?

oh - seed exchange is really a great idea, that is, if there are ANY seeds I haven't bought yet - seriously - I've got over 20 types of tomatoes alone, loads of lettuces and other greens, herbs, plus carrots, beets, corn, hot and sweet peppers, cukes, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupesit's crazy! I live in the city....

Hopefully - I can at least make even money on food production for these seeds! It's not like I'm a particularly good gardener......yet! Not to mention the 200+ I spent last year on soil for the raised bed....plus the cost of lumber, concrete blocks, hours of back aching labor....sheesh - I might just be ahead buying the produce!

One thing I didn't order that I latter realized I wanted was some "good king henry" seeds, here's what I ordered from rickters if any have interest in exchanging:
1 pkt S5030-001 Rosemary SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S8202-001 Carrot, Little Finger SowNatural(tm) 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8205-001 Carrot, Royal Chantenay SowNatural(t 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8529-001 Pak-Choi SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.50/pkt 1.50
1 pkt S6450-001 Thyme, English SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S5300-001 Savory, Winter SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S8340-001 Fennel, Florence SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8500-001 Mustard, Mizuna SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8501-001 Mustard, Mibuna SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S8474-001 Lettuce, Black-Seeded Simpson SowNat 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S8300-001 Daikon SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S6310-001 Thistle, Milk SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S6455-001 Thyme, French SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S8675-001 Sylvetta SowNatural(tm)Seeds 3.50/pkt 3.50
1 pkt S1670-001 Catnip SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S1340 Beet, Sugar Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S8216-001 Corn, True Gold Sweet SowNatural(tm) 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S8580-001 Rapini SowNatural(tm)Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8520 New Zealand Spinach Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8420 Jicama Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8045-001 Bean, Tendergreen SowNatural(tm)Seed 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S5050 Rue Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S1730 Chickweed Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S1240-001 Balm, Lemon SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S1470-001 Borage SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S2020 Watercress Seeds 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S2480 Feverfew Seeds 1.50/pkt 1.50
1 pkt S4733-300 Poppy, Opium Seeds 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S5345 Schisandra Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50
1 pkt S7010 Yarrow, Yellow Seeds 1.75/pkt 1.75
1 pkt S8285 Cornsalad Seeds 1.25/pkt 1.25
1 pkt S3780-001 Lovage SowNatural(tm)Seeds 2.50/pkt 2.50

[T-Bird]

oh - also in the market for:

Miners lettuce (aka winter purslane, claytonia)

[T-Bird]

also - I didn't get the lambsquarters as they just had regular and I wanted the magenta spreen.

The regular grows in my yard without assistance!

[T-Bird]

Hey street surfer - couldn't post you a message so I'll write here.

I do have a packet of stevia seeds, will be experimenting this spring....my notes say harvest after cooler days as makes the leaves sweeter.

any tips on germinating appreciated....was going to try chitting them - not that i've ever done that before, just reading up on things....

[streetsurfer]

I'll see if I need to do something to allow messaging...I accepted the friend request so it should work now.
My reply to this will be in your message center.

Hey street surfer - couldn't post you a message so I'll write here.

I do have a packet of stevia seeds, will be experimenting this spring....my notes say harvest after cooler days as makes the leaves sweeter.

any tips on germinating appreciated....was going to try chitting them - not that i've ever done that before, just reading up on things....

[RawKnitster]

Those are gorgeous plants. I would love to see them growing on my deck this season.

[T-Bird]

Those are gorgeous plants. I would love to see them growing on my deck this season.

Steve is good photographer.....they really do look pretty weedy.....maybe if the lamb's quarters was in the center with other shrubby greens (mizuna?) surrounding, punctuated by beets to bring out that magenta in the lqs?

also thinking lots of pruning (early harvests!) might make a bushier, more showy plant?

[Mary Kay]

Well, if it means anything, I had some heirloom tomato seeds that I've saved in my freezer from 1997, that I planted last year. That's what? 11 or 12 yrs old!!!

They grew, and I've saved the seeds again.

I had them triple bagged in the freezer. I just sucked out or folded out the air in new baggies.

I even tortured them by leaving them in the original flat too long before planting outside!

So, T-Bird, with all the work you've done, you just may want to save any unused seeds. It's also good to make a note on the seed packet as to how well they did, if you liked them etc.

Takes a lot of organization and time. and no, I've never really found my garden was an inexpensive way to grow food. LOL

Mary Kay

[T-Bird]

lol - words of wisdom marykay!!

I'll maybe give those old seeds one more try - I'll try the chitting method.

I started dill, basil, celery the same time- all of those are up.

Interestingly, I had a spinach potted out doors, took it in about a month ago....I see a lambsquarter by the edge of the pot - what a riot, huh? not a magenta, of course, just the old "garden variety" type weed!

very cool on your frozen seeds. I need to be more careful with mine, for sure, now I've got about 3-4 hundred invested....

[T-Bird]

Success!

I got 4 of the lambs quarters germinated in a wet coffee filter in a baggie. Put them into soil today - still have about 15 ungerminated seeds in the baggie.

Lets see if these take off!

[steveoregon]

Lets see if these take off!

I think you will find these are pretty low maintenance - and grow easily.

Look forward to your pictures.


.

[T-Bird]

I haven't done pictures anywhere - don't know how to do them

I should learn though!

[freelive]

I am thinking about being strong and just use last years seeds. Except fennel since I didn't love it yet last year. But now I am tempted by those magenta lambsquarters. For some reason my community garden plot never produced any lambsquarters in two years that I have it. I do have some chickweeds, that grow in my blueberry pot though, and I always leave a bit of them, so more can grow.