Seed Tips 1-- Label Carefully!

Sounds obvious, doesn't it? Whatever you collect in: bags, buckets etc, you want the name of the plant, variety name or description if needed, and if it comes from somewhere other than your garden, you want the location as well. So, you keep a Sharpie or other appropriate marker handy, and label everything as you go, right?

Sure, but sometimes- for me, anyway- life gets in the way, or intentions don't quite match up with what happens. a) I'm in a location with multiple species to collect, they are not similar, so I'm sure I'll remember which is which to label them when I get home-- which I would if I did it right away... but weeks or months may pass, and then the memories may be less clear. If I'm lucky, there may be habitat photos of each thing I collected from the occasion to match to the seeds. b) Permanent marker is not so permanent as I'd hoped, and/or my quick field scrawl is illegible. In this case I just have to keep looking and hope I figure it out, or again, try to remember (or look at photos) to see what I collected that is not accounted for. c) Worse yet, I simply find the seed long after the original collection with no idea of what it is or where it was collected. Chances are poor of ever fixing these mistakes, unless the seed itself is distinctive enough that I might just remember what it is by looking or comparing with labelled packets!

So, the moral? Do as I say, not as I do, and label things immediately and carefully!

Today saw a small kerfuffle or another sort, which shows that, in addition to writing those labels, you should take the time to read carefully. I'm adding several species of seed to my list that got missed in the main alphabetical listing. One of them is a Betula /Birch, which I read as B. papyrifera/ Paper Birch. So I was looking to see if I took photos when I collected, since the trees are very variable here. Instead I came across pictures of B. pumila/Dwarf / Bog Birch which I had collected seed from-- but, gee-- I haven't come across those seeds! Darn, if I can't sort out for sure which seed I have, I'll have to chuck it.... So, back to the bag I collected the seed in: sure enough it says BETUL PUMIL... why I ever thought it was papyrifera I have no idea... 'Disaster' averted, I have seed of Betula pumila /Dwarf Birch /Bog Birch, and photos (more photos with the listing, on the Late Additions page, soon...)

Betula pumila /Dwarf Birch /Bog Birch

contact: cohanseeds@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/cohanseeds/

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