Phoenix Bird

SAVING SEEDS

When you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, do you ever think about where they come from? How are you going to have fresh fruits and vegetables if you can't just buy them? The answer is seeds! Nature's treasure is found in the tiny seeds that can be planted to reap a bountiful harvest. You can collect your own seeds from your favorite plants to sow again next year if you know a few things about seed collection.

What is a seed?

A seed is a case that holds within it a tiny plant embryo plus the food it needs to start to grow. This seed case can be dried without harming the plant embryo, which lets you save seeds for a couple of years. When the right conditions present themselves the seed will start to grow. Sometimes, especially for trees (fruit and other trees), the seed needs to go through a rest period before you can plant it (from one to several months) with the right temperature combinations. These temperature combinations can involve at least one freeze cycle; some fruit tree seeds need two freeze cycles.

Why save your own seeds?

Saving your own seeds can be time consuming. However, when you replant from seeds that you save it usually yields plants that are better suited to your soil and climate. Over time these characteristics can develop into larger plants with resistance to pests and diseases in your area. Saving your own seeds is also a good way to increase your family's self-sufficiency, and provides a good lesson on plant biology.

Selecting the seeds you want to save

When you have your garden planted you will want to start from the very beginning to watch which plants are the healthiest and most vigorous. Mark those plants with a colored string or stake, because you want to harvest seeds from the best plants in your garden. As you gather and eat the produce from your garden, check the fruit on the marked plants to be sure that it tastes as good as it looks. You may want to save seeds from several of the best plants to ensure a healthy gene pool for future plantings. Self pollinating plants are plants that are able to produce seeds on their own, without the aid of wind, bees or other insects. They are the easiest plants to harvest good seeds from. If you are planning on saving your own seeds from non-self-pollinating plants you will want to plant only one variety of each non-self-pollinating plant. If you plant more than one variety of non-self-pollinating plants, you will need to hand pollinate them or plant them far enough apart to avoid cross pollination (which creates hybrids). Different plants need different amount of space. For instance, peppers need at least 500 feet of separation to avoid cross pollination and melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and squash need at least half a mile.

A note about Hybrids As you plant your garden with seed collection in mind, make sure the seeds that you initially sow are not hybrid varieties. While a hybrid seed will grow great the first time it is planted, seeds harvested from a hybrid plant will usually yield unusual produce. For instance you may end up with a beautiful, large tomato that is very resistant to disease but tastes terrible, or a carrot that looks like x-files alien produce instead of the nice straight ones you are used to.

Collecting Seeds

There are many different types of seeds that you can to save from your garden. Some plants, like carrots and onions, require two growing seasons to produce seeds (biennials). Other plants are very easy to collect seeds from. If this is your first try at saving seeds you should start with the easy ones: beans, squash, dill, marigolds, and other self pollinating annuals (ones that produce seeds every year). Here are some guidelines for collecting the seeds of specific fruits and vegetables.

Carrots and radishes will not produce seed until the second year of growth. You can leave them in the garden over the winter with a heavy mulch on the top or you can dig them up and store them in a damp root cellar for spring replanting. At the end of the second season, when the seed head is almost ripe, tie a paper bag over it to collect the seeds and prevent them from falling to the ground.

Cucumbers are ready for seed harvest after they are fully ripe. Wait until the cucumber begins to turn mushy and change colors. Cut the cucumber in half and scrape the seeds into a bowl. Remove the slimy coating by rubbing them gently around the inside of a sieve while washing them. To remove the slimy coating you can also soak them in water for two days, pour off the seeds and slime that rise to the top, and then rinse and dry them.

Eggplant should be left on the vine well past the point where you would harvest it for kitchen use. They are ready for seed collection when they are dull, off-colored and hard. Cut the eggplant in half and pull the flesh away from the seeded area. Dry the seeds, removing any plant bits from the seeds as they dry.

Lettuce and most herbs need to wait until the seed stalk appears, but before it has completely dried out. Dry the seed stalks in a paper bag placed in a dry, warm place, When the seed stalk is completely dry shake the seeds off the stalks and store in a cool, dry place.

Onions are also biannual like carrots and radishes, but producing bulbs or sets (which is what you use to grow the onions you eat) requires even one more year. Follow directions for collecting carrot and radish seeds at the end of the second year. The following year plant the onion seed quite thickly (about a quarter of an ounce in four square feet) so they will not get too big. When the tops of the onions fall over pull them up and store them in net bags for planting the following year. So, it takes four years from initial planting to final harvest for onion seeds if you are saving your own.

Peas and beans are some of the easiest to seeds to save. Mark the earliest pods with a bright string or yarn as a sign to not pick those pods. When the pods are completely ripe and dry, pull the vines from the ground and hang them in a garage or shed to dry further. When the pods are brittle shell them and store the seeds (the peas you eat are actually the seeds). Peppers should be selected when fully mature. Select one that is healthy, with good color and then let it turn completely red before taking the seed. Slice the pepper open and remove the seeds. Place the seeds on a screen until thoroughly dry.

Summer squash is at the seed saving stage when it is hard enough that you cannot dent it with a fingernail. Cut the squash open and scoop out the seeds into a bowl for washing. After washing drain the seeds and set them to dry.

Tomatoes benefit from a fermenting process that kills germs and promotes germination (sprouting). Start with a ripe tomato. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place it all in a jar with a little water. Set it out at room temperature (80 degrees F for 2 days then 70 degrees F for 3 days) and stir daily. Pour off the liquid that forms each day and any seeds that float to the top (they are bad seeds). Dry the remaining seeds.

Watermelon needs to have the natural sugar washed off the outside of the seeds before storing them. Place the seeds from ripe fruit in a strainer. Add a drop of dishwashing liquid to remove the sugar. Rinse and dry. Zucchini, pumpkins and other squash are ready for seed gathering when they are very ripe. Let them mature in the garden past the point that you would normally eat them. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rinse them off in a strainer and lay them out to dry.

Flower seeds are some of the easiest to collect. For seeds that grow in the middle of the flower (like marigolds, sunflowers, and coneflowers) just pick the flowers after they have bloomed and set them in a warm dry place to dry out. When they are completely dry shake the seeds out of the flower into a bag. For flowers that produce pods (like poppies) you will need to let the pods stay on the plant until the pods turn dark and are dry and brittle, but before they break open. After picking ripe seed pods wait until they are completely dry, then shake the seeds out of each pod onto a piece of paper. Blow gently on the seeds to remove any chaff.

Drying Seeds

When you have collected your seeds it is essential that you dry them thoroughly before you store them. Any excess moisture will cause the seeds to mold and rot, making them useless. Paper towels are a poor surface to dry your seeds on because the seeds stick to them and are hard to separate from the paper towels. Instead of paper towels use a fine screen or a sheet of plastic or glass to dry the seeds on. As you are drying the seeds keep them away from direct sunlight in a warm dry place. When your seeds are thoroughly dry you are ready to store them.

Storing Your Seeds

Storing your seeds properly is as important as the collection and drying process. Coin envelopes, small pill bottles, empty film canisters, and other small envelopes or containers are good for storing your seeds. Make sure you label each container with the type of seed and other information you will want for spring planting. If you decide to use small envelopes you can label the individual envelopes and store them together in an airtight jar. To control condensation inside the jars or containers use the silica gel packets that come in vitamin bottles and shoes, or make your own. You can make your own moisture absorber by placing a teaspoon of dry milk in the center of a 3 to 4 inch square of cloth. Gather and tie the corners before placing underneath the seeds. If you live in an especially humid climate you may want to place two under the seeds to absorb moisture. As you store your seeds make sure they are in air tight containers (except legumes which store best in breathable bags). Don't open the containers until you are ready for spring planting.

Saving and storing your own seeds can give you a sense of self reliance and satisfaction, but it is a time consuming process that needs to be repeated every year for some seeds. The storage life of seeds varies from one year for sweet corn to six years for some types of melons. Seeds from most corn and onions will store for 2 years, peas and beans normally store for 3 years, tomato seeds store for 4 years, cabbage and spinach for 5 years, and beets and squash for 6 years. To test if the seeds you have stored are still viable you need to test germinate them by soaking 10 seeds in water, draining and spreading between layers of moist cloth. Keep the cloth moist while you wait for germination (usually takes 2 days to 2 weeks). If your seeds are still viable there will be little green shoots coming from the seeds. For more information on saving seeds and trading seeds with other gardeners you can write to/contact:

Native Seeds/SEARCH
3584 E River Rd
Tuscon, AZ 85718

Seed Savers Exchange
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, Iowa 52101

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