The types of seed crops that will do best in South Burnaby are ones with small isolation distances (self pollinating) due to small plots of land. The climate offers a long season with cool and moist springs, hot and dry summers and long autumns with increasing precipitation in late fall. South Burnaby is protected in a valley so wind is low and temperatures can become quite hot. The water table is also really high in the spring. This climate is conducive to "warm-season, dry-seeded crops." The conditions can also tolerate "cool-season, dry-seeded crops" if planted early enough in the spring.
See seed crops choices below! Enjoy reading and thank you for following my blog!
Fava Beans
Family: Fabaceae
Species: Vicia faba L.
Cultivar: Vroma
Life Cycle: Annual
Mating System: Mixed Selfing and Crossing
Favourable Temp Range for Pollination/ Seed Formation: 16-23C
Seasonal Reproductive Cycle: Late Spring Through Late Summer or Fall (4-5months)
Isolation Distance: 100ft Away from Vegetable Crops and Neighbours
Climactic Conditions: These seed crops typically do well in low humidity, clear, warm and sunny days; and cool nights. My growing area is conducive to these conditions. South Burnaby is very hot, dry, clear, sunny and has low humidity in the summer. As well as being in a valley and close to the Fraser River the evenings will be much cooler than the days. The Vroma cultivar is more heat tolerant than the most common variety of fava (Windsor)
Soil Conditions: Fava beans tolerate high acidity and water logging more effectively than other bean varieties.
Other Benefits: Small isolation distances conducive to small amount of land, nitrogen fixing ability to replenish some of the lost N on farm and can eat the seed as food if needed.
Garden Peas
Family: Fabaceae
Species: Pisum sativum L.
Cultivar: Maxigolt
Life Cycle: Annual
Mating System: Primarily Selfing
Favourable Temp Range for Pollination/ Seed Formation: 16-23C
Seasonal Reproductive Cycle: Late Spring Through Late Summer or Fall (4-5months)
Isolation Distance: 100ft Away from Vegetable Crops and Neighbours
Climactic Conditions: Do well in cool and moist springs with gradually warming into summer! Perfect for the Lower Mainland. They can be sensitive to temperatures above 29C during anthesis, fertilization, and early endosperm development. So it is key to get this crop planted as soon as possible in the spring for the seed to set before the really hot summer days. Dry conditions are favourable for peas. Again perfect for the Lower Mainland in the summer. Hopefully no drought this year though.
Soil Conditions: Can grow in a wide variety of soil textures and fertility, however good drainage is key. They also cannot tolerate excess nitrogen. Since my soil is N deficient this will not be a problem (will still need to apply some N). Good drainage will need to be established by raising the beds and planting water loving cover such as watercress and some cat tails (lots in the area that can be transplanted) around the perimeter of the pea seed growing area.
Other Benefits: Small isolation distances conducive to small amount of land, nitrogen fixing ability (must ensure to inoculate with Rhizobium the first year) to replenish some of the lost N on farm and can eat the seed as food if needed. Peas are sensitive to frost in the spring, not a problem here on the west coast!
The Maxigolt variety is a late variety pea so has a longer window for growth: May be beneficial to this land since we are still waiting for the water table to lower in order to plant. Maxigolt is dwarfing and may not need to be staked which will reduce the cost and maintenance of growth.
Lettuce
Family: Asteraceae
Species: Lactuca sativa L.
Cultivar: Coastal Star
Life Cycle: Annual
Mating System: Highly Self Pollinating
Favourable Temp Range for Pollination/ Seed Formation: 16-23C
Seasonal Reproductive Cycle: Late Spring Through Late Summer or Fall (4-5months)
Isolation Distance: 50ft Away from Vegetable Crops and Neighbours. No Problem!
Climactic Conditions: Great dry seeded crop that specifically grows well in the Pacific Northwest! Can handle hotter summers which is good for seed production of lettuce.
Soil Conditions: Likes heavier soils (clay to silt). Does not like excessive N. Likes plentiful amounts of phosphorous. The last soil report indicates heavy textured soil, low N and optimum to excessive P: Perfect! Likes moist soil but still needs to be well drained, raising the beds up in the spring is crucial.
Other Benefits: Delicious and popular! Romaine likes moist soils - in our soils, likely will not need irrigating until July.
Photos Retrieved from; http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Hi Carla;
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you are growing lettuce and peas. They are great choices for beginning seed saving, as the small isolation distances mean you have little chance of crossing with neighbours growing those plants to seed. And the favas are nice, they are a great crop, and while they need more isolation distance than the peas and lettuce, you should be ok. A couple of recommendations I have.
Favas: Once they get to full height, I find it useful to stake and twine the bed on both sides, as they will often flop over. They dry better, and there is less chance of mold and disease if they are upright.
Lettuce: Coastal Star is a great romaine variety. Keep in mind that it is a PVP (Plant Variety Protected) cultivar. You can save seed for your own use, but you cannot sell that seed legally to a seed company, or even in your own packaging.
Peas: They will grow best, and dry down best with least browning and disease if you trellis them. I build short 3' or tall 5' trellises depending on the length of the pea vine. I simply use stucco wire I buy at the hardware store, but there are many pea trellising systems you can read abuot on the internet, or ask other gardeners and farmers what they do.
Good luck!
Hi Patrick,
DeleteThank you! I will plan to maintain good isolation distances of the favas as well as stake and twine them. Good intel on the coastal star lettuce. I will be growing them for my own personal use this year but good to know for the future. How can you tell they are PVP? Does it say on Johnny's website? I will plan to trellis the peas!
Thanks!
Hi Carla - I really liked the detail you put into your analysis of which seed crops would work best for your particular environment and growing conditions! This is the kind of in-depth analysis you need to do to produce good quality commercial seed crops. Other than that, I support Patrick's comments.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary! :-)
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