# Grown From Seed, Hybrid and Non-Hybrid experiement



## RONSERESURPLUS (Oct 9, 2008)

Hello all, RON L here

While I often Buy and ensure the Seed I buy and Trade for is Heirloom and Non-Hybrid, these shaky timkes got me thinking? The question of folks, seed stocks and grows of Plants in winter might seem a little odd? I've had time to reflect on my preps and despite some positive turns in our finances, it's tough going! I know many folks feel the same way and live day to day, month to month in their personal lives as well as their spendng habits?

How to get Good, solid seed stock that non-Hybrid, self sustaining and can be a start of a way to become even more self sufficient and independent of catalogs, extra dollars spent and with an investment in time and skills that one day might save your family!

I have always bought produce at Road side stands, Flea markets and farmers Markets, the quality is better and I like the idea of supporting local growers. As well, the prices are good and fresh is always better.

With the Ice and snow here and perhaps too much time on my hands, I though, how to extend my seed stocks of Crops and produce I like and use a lot in our cooking and meals. With all the local farmers markets closed and ditto any Flea markets or Roadside stands, I had to think outside the box. Buying my Produce at Wal-mart, Kroegers or Aldis and many other food markets. I saw this as a way to duplicate what other would do and do in their weekly shopping sprees?

I gathered Bell peppers, Hot Peppers, Romanao as well as a few different tomatoes! I used the Flesh of the Vegetables for our meals but made it a point to remove the seeds from the Peppers, and Tomatoes to save.

How to save the seeds, not let them rot or ruin, and how to harvest them? A use of Bing as well as few other search engines, showed how many seed companies gather seed year to year for sale and saving. I duplicated the Process with Wax paper as well as Paper towns, Newspaper ands other low cost recyclable material. I as well, saved many different Metal cans, as well as other disposable containers food came in to use as vessels to grow the seedlings.

I Spread the Seed and pulp from the Tomatoes as well as the peppers and laid them out to dry. Not wanting blow the save by being too impatient, I set them on a shelf in the laundry room and on wash day used the heat and drying action of that room to dry out the seed masses.

Once dried the wax paper was easier, but I also used seeds spread out on Paper towels to dry, see PIC #1 :

pic # 1:









As you can see, this Laid them out so they could be seen and identified from the vegetable pump, this was easier on the peppers than the tomatoes! Using a dull knife, as well as my Fingernails I gently scraped the seeds present on the sheet in PIC #1 and dumped them into a small Container to save, see

PIC # 2:










Once that was One, I used many different containers sizes, shapes and sizes, mostly what ever food stuffs we used they serve as the base for the seedling growing process! Then, a sunny window area became the base for my widow box gardein grow,

See

PICS # 3:









Pic # 7










Pic # 8










pic #11










pic #12










Pic # 13










Pic # 14










As you can see, all I did was add Potting soillet nature, the sun and time do it's thing? I will add more PICS of the Grow to this thread till they produce flowering buds and fruit, or bust out? Either way, it cost me little, but time and some effort and should be a solid base for next summers crops?

You can do it many different ways and I'm not saying mine is perfect or the only way! Try it yourself and see what I mean, Prepping need not cost ya major MONEY! It's a Lifestle not a bank account?

PICS #6 - 7- 8-9-10-11 , AND LATER ARE FULL GROWN pLANTS FROM SEED AS WELL AS SOME cOMFREY AND ALL THAT I BOUGHT AS ROOTINGS, THIS CAN BE DONE AND I WILL FURTHER ADD MORE PICS AND WHAT THE PRODUCE LOOKS LIKE ONCE THEY FLOWER AND PRODUCE!


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## priest75 (May 1, 2011)

*re: Grown from seed*

While your methods are actually great for in-a-pinch and in-need times, the seed stock gathered and used via store bought produce will in fact be far inferior compared to quality heirloom seedstock found from reputable growers and seed savers. This is due to the fact that grocery stores use suppliers that use non heirloom seeds that are hybrid, pumped full of chemicals and mass marketed to ensure their maximum profits. Also, as I am sure you noted, your seed survival rate from dried and stored, after planted, was probably around 50% germination. This is in part due to the fact that when you harvested your seeds you did so from fruits that were ripe at the time. In nature, seeds are not dropped from the fruits until the plant is well past ripened stage. This is actually when them seeds are most ready to harvest for keeping, drying and storing. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking your creativity or the fact that you are trying to be a little greener and a lil bit more self reliant - I give you props for doing so actually. Next time you try a project like that, let a couple fruits shrivel and get a lil rotty, then get them seeds. Do the same as you did with the store bought alongside them and take notes, compare the germination rates of both, you will be amazed.


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## RONSERESURPLUS (Oct 9, 2008)

*Thanks onthe responce!*

Priest75

RON L here

I appreciated your commens and I will keep them in mind! Yea, this was a sort of Winter snowed in Project,and I thought "what the Heck"? I did use seed from Peppers that were far past use, but not quite rotten, ditto with soe of the Tomatto seed! As Far as Sucess rate the seed was more like 75-90% Germination! Now that said, totally agree that who know what sort of Product it will yield if at all? The main Idea what to use what I had here, not spend any extra $ and see what it yields? Time will tell on that and I have a Good Different varity of Tomatto and pepper Plants growing, as well as some Rooted Comfrey and more! I appreciarted your comments and agree with much of what ya aid, Plus, your the only person that took the time to comment so, as that's appreciated! I hope all yuour efforts come out well and thanks again for takng the time and all to respond!

RON


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