I am going to have 2 different mothers. Milk and Honey has a little one about an inch long. I did 3 flowers with my favorite CG. All on different plants the 3rd one I cut the limb off for cuttings I figured it did not take. Now I will leave the flowers alone after I pollinate one. My milk and honey was the hardest brug I have ever rooted it took 3 months and went from bucket to pot to log. From there it was live or die. It made it not a stellar brug but maybe CG will make it good. Pollinator is a good name for my 1st try. I will be a hybridizer when I do something with more of a goal in mind. I did seal the flower. Question is can I cross between different CG's from different sources. I have some blooms getting ready to open. I imagine that they will not make the winter but there is a chance.

I meant to reply sooner, but have been away. Pawneepapa, you made it it a success! We just helped a little. I was wowed by the variety I received in the pack. I can't wait to get planting. This certainly helped stave off the winter doldrums. It's good to know the extras will be used and are appreciated. Thanks to all for making my first seed swap experience wonderful. I'll be participating again! Barb

I have tried both side by side. Blanch, food saver. Fresh, food saver... same day. Dated and frozen. I see no difference. Blanching will do a minor good thing by tenderizing cell walls. May be a good prep for freezing. (?) Our freezers are so much better now. Moisture is the enemy in a freezer and air in your containers. (freezer burn) Ever noticed all that water in frozen spinach? The cardboard rectangle blocks? I've roasted corn on the smoker lightly before freezing, using the heat already going for a meal, so no extra trouble. I do prefer that but have frozen corn without a blanch. I know for many reasons blanching is preferred. It is time really. If i have a huge harvest, like i predict next weekend, i want it frozen quickly. If i make a quick veg stock, or a roasted bone stock...(have some duck necks and paws in the freezer), i will cool that down a bit and add that as my liquid. It will add a warm heat to my veg and act as a blanch while cooling in an ice bath. The big enemy is that most tend to blanch way too long. A quick dunk for 15 seconds is all that is needed and into an ice bath. All set up it can be a quick process. Not that hard but in a pinch... I do drop off harvest overload to the senior center. And neighbors. But sometimes i just am pinched for time when the garden does better than expected. ...so i try things... : ) I've read about some swearing by freezing corn fresh on the cob in the husk. Did that trial for two ears once. Did not work for me. So much air in the center 'cob'. And took up too much freezer space for any quantity. I found it lost the fresh flavor.

The sweet peas were a variety supposedly planted by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. Pretty pink to magenta color, but no scent at all. They were robust and came back in the Spring every year. Strong climber. I think I have also seen this variety planted as a ground cover on slopes. I haven't had nice morning glories for the past four years or so. I used to grow them on the side of the barn where I switched to sweet peas. But the MGs stopped doing well there and also failed on a picket fence I would normally have great luck with them. I don't know if it's the seed source or what. I plant the Heavenly Blues and have tried different companies.This photo is from 2012. After that, leaves turned yellow, flowers bloomed late and few.