Hoots
Member
Watching my typhoon and nanda devis grow has made me wonder on the benefits of a Scottish landrace.
A true breeding, open-pollinated, natualized variety happy in our enviroment would open up all sort of possibilities.
Reading through Dyr and Tanska's grow from last year I can see that for Denmark the typhoons already seem to fit this description. True breeding but with lots of variety and able to self seed and germinate outdoors.
One of the things that has impressed me about Himalayan and other original landrace strains is there almost dislike for feeding and rich soils. I don't know how the typhoons are in this respect but it is the case with the nanda devi.
There is an abundance of empty land especially in the north of Scotland but all poor acidic soils. Knowing a few crofters, farmers and estate workers I know how keen-eyed and observant they are to the slightest oddity in routines and changes in the landscape. In the huge expanses of badly manged forestry however there is acre upon acre of hidden clearings, windfall and such that is never visited usually with some kind of public access. Carrying large bags of compost,etc to spots is hard work and a bit obvious and fairly wears a track in. The less feeding the better.
Just picked up a copy of 'Breed your own vegetable varieties by Carol Deppe'. I can't remember who recommended the book in one of the Scottish threads but it is a really excellent read so cheers. She talks about accidentally breeding in slug resistance into peas by having selected plants that shoot up on long stalks very quickly as seedlings. The typhoons have stayed quite short in the cold weather but the nandis have put on a quick spurt of height the minute a bit of warmth came in to it.
If the plants have some form of natural slug resistance(Carol seemed to think hairy plants survived better as well), have seeds that survive our winter and can then germinate in poor soils and grow through the year then minimum attention is required.
By selecting the seeds from the best females and growing separately in closer better prepared plots, selecting for potency and mold resistance and reintroducing them to the 'wild' population it should be possible to stop them getting to hempy.
The select population would also provide material for crossing with other strains and the possibility of new Scottish landraces.
In the Himalayas every valley and village has its own variety distinct from the next and Scotland should be no different given the dramatic changes from one end of our country to the other.
By keeping a 'wild' population the genetic depth is kept for adaptability to changing situations, allowing for self sufficiency.
And as the law will change one day being prepared is no bad thing, alot of crofters could do with a better paying crop, Afghanistan of the north anyone?
Alot of this is quite new to me so feel free to point out the gaps in my knowledge, I have more questions than answers but I am enjoying the journey.
A true breeding, open-pollinated, natualized variety happy in our enviroment would open up all sort of possibilities.
Reading through Dyr and Tanska's grow from last year I can see that for Denmark the typhoons already seem to fit this description. True breeding but with lots of variety and able to self seed and germinate outdoors.
One of the things that has impressed me about Himalayan and other original landrace strains is there almost dislike for feeding and rich soils. I don't know how the typhoons are in this respect but it is the case with the nanda devi.
There is an abundance of empty land especially in the north of Scotland but all poor acidic soils. Knowing a few crofters, farmers and estate workers I know how keen-eyed and observant they are to the slightest oddity in routines and changes in the landscape. In the huge expanses of badly manged forestry however there is acre upon acre of hidden clearings, windfall and such that is never visited usually with some kind of public access. Carrying large bags of compost,etc to spots is hard work and a bit obvious and fairly wears a track in. The less feeding the better.
Just picked up a copy of 'Breed your own vegetable varieties by Carol Deppe'. I can't remember who recommended the book in one of the Scottish threads but it is a really excellent read so cheers. She talks about accidentally breeding in slug resistance into peas by having selected plants that shoot up on long stalks very quickly as seedlings. The typhoons have stayed quite short in the cold weather but the nandis have put on a quick spurt of height the minute a bit of warmth came in to it.
If the plants have some form of natural slug resistance(Carol seemed to think hairy plants survived better as well), have seeds that survive our winter and can then germinate in poor soils and grow through the year then minimum attention is required.
By selecting the seeds from the best females and growing separately in closer better prepared plots, selecting for potency and mold resistance and reintroducing them to the 'wild' population it should be possible to stop them getting to hempy.
The select population would also provide material for crossing with other strains and the possibility of new Scottish landraces.
In the Himalayas every valley and village has its own variety distinct from the next and Scotland should be no different given the dramatic changes from one end of our country to the other.
By keeping a 'wild' population the genetic depth is kept for adaptability to changing situations, allowing for self sufficiency.
And as the law will change one day being prepared is no bad thing, alot of crofters could do with a better paying crop, Afghanistan of the north anyone?
Alot of this is quite new to me so feel free to point out the gaps in my knowledge, I have more questions than answers but I am enjoying the journey.
