Collaborators to grow out rare Pea varieties and Germplasm?

[Andrew Barney]

It sounds like there may be lots of people working with peas on here. I'm in an apartment right now so I don't have the time or space to grow as much as i want to. Is any one interested in growing out some pea stock to increase it and send some back? Preferably those who know they won't fail and have a high success with peas.

[Diane Whitehead]

Yes, I can take part  Peas really like my conditions.  I have the latest lot in flower now.

[Gilbert Fritz]

Well, I'm very interested. And I already have a lot of your material. But . . . I'm quite likely to fail! I'll do my best, though, to return some seed.

Are you particularly interested in purity of lines? I'm interested in trying to get as many crosses as possible without intervention by close planting and possibly introducing the mutant varieties discussed in other threads.

[Andrew Barney]

Yeah, purity I suppose,  but in my experience most peas don't naturally cross all that much. Now when you try to grow a lot of peas like 17+ varieties all with colorful flowers in close proximity the cross pollination rate may increase quite a bit.

Mostly it's for some I have very little seed for anyway. Like one line that is super rare and has black seeds. Or a few from Ethiopia or 1 line of pisum fulvum which may cross with domestic peas with or without genetic difficulties. Etc.

If I haven't already,  i can send you some NAP gene seeds. I got plenty of seed to share from that last year. But the one line of cochleata I only have enough to send maybe 1 person. It might be worth requesting a few other coch lines as well as they might all be different.

Diane, where are you located,  when does your season start,  and how many varieties could you fit in?

[Diane Whitehead]

I'm on the Pacific coast of Canada.  My pea season never really ends.  If I am breeding during the winter I grow in my greenhouse, but that's more for my comfort than the comfort of the peas.

I can fit in lots - it's a big greenhouse 11 x 14 m and two storeys.  Plus I grow in the house as well.

[Andrew Barney]

I'm on the Pacific coast of Canada.  My pea season never really ends.  If I am breeding during the winter I grow in my greenhouse, but that's more for my comfort than the comfort of the peas.

I can fit in lots - it's a big greenhouse 11 x 14 m and two storeys.  Plus I grow in the house as well.

Ooh. Sounds great.  I'll try to start planning what to send you then. I have much more than I can grow here. At least right now.

[Gilbert Fritz]

Well, don't send me anything rare. (Much as I'd like to try them!) But if you have lots of nap gene peas, I'd be happy to trade for some.

[Andrew Barney]

Diane, I've nearly got a pea package ready for you. If you hadn't already,  PM or email your Canadian address.

Gilbert, Remind me of your address too in a PM or email and I'll send you some Nap gene peas.

[B. Copping]

If you don’t mind some of them going to a couple of seed libraries...I can grow some for you in the seed library’s garden plot.
Otherwise, I can grow some for you in my personal garden plot.

I’d need you to tell me about how you normally start your seeds.
I’ve noticed that some varieties are fussier than others.

[Andrew Barney]

Thanks for the offer! First major batch is going to Diane, after that I can figure out what else needs some where to be grown out. One project I've been thinking about is a group of 8 varieties of peas that have the traits Mendel worked with as I was thinking of making a "Mendel Pea packet" of sorts with an accompanying pamphlet for schools or others looking to start easy with genetics and plant breeding. I probably need some or all of those grown out.

P.s. I don't mind about seed libraries,  in fact that's probably a good idea actually. But i just direct seed mine in the soil around late March (for my climate).

[Diane Whitehead]

The Mendel Pea Packet is a great idea!  I'm a retired school teacher who had my classes growing
vegetables, but I never thought of that project.

[Andrew Barney]

Ok. Getting ready to send these two packets to Canada. Thanks again for the help with peas!!