# Saving seeds



## DrakesFarm (Oct 14, 2013)

K so this year we are actualy planning the garden, and are thinking about trying to save back seeds from most of it. Not sure what all will be in the garden but the usual vegies will be so any hints and instructions would be apreciated


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

Check out Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. It has been an invaluable guide for me. I consult it every year, several times a year  Not only does she explain how to save each type of seed, but she goes on to write up a short description on growing the plant in question, and how long seeds should be viable once saved. Awesome awesome awesome book!


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

redhorse said:


> Check out Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. It has been an invaluable guide for me. I consult it every year, several times a year  Not only does she explain how to save each type of seed, but she goes on to write up a short description on growing the plant in question, and how long seeds should be viable once saved. Awesome awesome awesome book!


I have this book. It's really good!

Beans are easy to save. Just let them stay on the vine until the pod is dried out. Then place in a basket in a cool, dry dark place.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Another fan of Seed to Seed. 

Give yourself time to learn. Seed saving isn't hard, but it's easy to start a big gardening project and become overwhelmed. Sorry, I couldn't help that voice of experience slipping out there. 

I remember when I first read about seed saving for tomatoes, and was intimidated by the fermentation process. Turns out it's easy-peasy, and now I'll never need to buy another tomato seed again (if only I can stop myself from trying all these different varieties!). For fermentation, it's good to save little tubs/plastic containers (like margarine containers) throughout the year, so that when you do ferment, you can use the disposable tubs and not care how yucky the process gets.

Definitely check out Seed to Seed (maybe it's available at your library?). Pick out what you want to grow and seed-save. That way you'll have an idea of the process and any supplies you might need to collect as the season goes along.

There might also be youtube videos for different plants? :dunno:


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I have not read the seed to seed book so cannot comment on it. But, saving seeds is not as difficult as it may seem. Tomatoes may sound intricate but they are really not. 

Take a look at what happens in nature, plants grow, mature, produce 'fruits', then die. Next year most will re-seed themselves off of last years fruit production. Say you have some beans this year you really like, you have been harvesting them right along and they do really well where you are. Choose the best producing plants and let some of the beans alone, to die off with the plants themselves. When they are dead and all brown, withered and nasty, pick the remaining pods off them. Bring them inside to dry, put them up and they are your seed stock for next year.

For tomatoes, leave a few from the nicest, best plants you have. Let the plants die back and the tomatoes fall to the ground, rot and turn all nasty before they dry out. This was the fermentation process. Scrape them up, dry them out inside and pull them apart to get the seeds out. I can't say if this will work for 100% of the OP types out there but for the ones I grow this works for me.

Some plants, like carrots, take two years for seeds. Down here (you don't state where in the world you are gardening) the ground does not freeze and I can leave root crops in the ground year round, harvesting all winter as needed. I leave a section of carrots alone to re-sprout the next spring and go to seed. Back in Pennsyltucky I pulled them and replanted some the next spring for seeds.

If this is your first attempt, a book, or knowledgeable neighbor! is always a good bet. Good luck and let us know how you make out!!!


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html has some great beginner information that's easily printed. It has a glossary of terminology & specific information about how to harvest each seed. It also breaks down which veggies are easiest & best for beginners. Good luck!


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

Think about what plants you'll have. If you have multiple heirloom varieties if the same thing (eg, beans), you need to put space between them, although I forget how much. Bees stick to one type of plant, and then move on the next nearest type, so you want that next nearest type to be a plant that can't cross-pollinate with its immediate neighbor. Each bee can only carry so much, so they'll go home and get cleaned off before coming back and continuing. I made this mistake last year, so I'm stuck either buying brand new heirloom seeds or planting a probably mixed variety (I'll be buying heirloom, btw).


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## DrakesFarm (Oct 14, 2013)

Where do you guys get your heirloom seeds?


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

Just google heirloom seeds and then check daves garden for reviews. Think it is under garden watchdog.

Or just read my sig.....


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

I usually buy via Burpee; they state explicitly if a product is heirloom, so there's no doubt. Many other places as well, so your choices are both varied and numerous!


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Here are a few resources you may find helpful DrakesFarm:


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

Another fan of _Seed to Seed_. The main things to remember are:

Keep your varieties pure. Know their pollinating mechanisms and how to keep them from being crossed.

Make sure the seeds are ripe before harvest.

Dry thoroughly before storage but no high heat. A dehydrator on low works well in humid climates, but dry climates will allow seeds to sufficiently dry in the air.

LABEL, LABEL, LABEL No, you won't remember what year, what variety, etc. Many collections have been ruined by poor record keeping.

Store in impervious containers like canning jars.

Keep at low temps (freezing not needed) and in the dark. If moisture forms on the inside of the jar when refrigerated, then the seeds weren't dry enough. Take them out and dry again.

Use commercial desiccant if you are going to save for more than 1 year. A brand I use is called DrieRite.

Do not confuse desiccant with oxygen absorbers. Although a dormant seed's oxygen requirements are low, they need it to survive. O2 absorbers will harm your seeds, and don't vacuum the air out either. There is plenty of O2 in a full jar of seeds for them to survive if you don't suck it out.

If you only have a small amount of many varieties, place each variety in a labeled paper envelope and then place all the envelopes in the same jar. Saves a lot of space.

Grow some of your storage out at least every other year and save those seeds. Try not to save any individual batch more than 5 years. Although some species and varieties will retain viability for many more years, they lose vigor before they lose germinability. This means they may germinate, but may not do well or survive till harvest.

Never grow out all your saved seed at once. Keep some back in case of crop failure so that you have some to replant.

This sounds like a lot to remember and can be overwhelming to a beginner, particularly the methods for keeping varieties pure. However, if you are saving seed just for yourself and not to distribute named varieties then it's less important. Just be aware that some species like squash and corn are very promiscuous and that you may not be planting what you thought!

If it helps, just remember that it's all about sex!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Interesting and informative. I never really gave it much thought though. My 'Wando' peas I have had for a long time may already be cross bred! NOT GM mind you, just not true to breed. I grow my peas in rows, next to each other, have done so for a long time. Every year I try a new variety, and have not found anything that I prefer to my Wando poles. Have my tastes slowly adapted to the change in breeding? I still prefer them to all the new varieties I try.

I knew with corn and such you have to stager the planting dates according to the tassle formation. Peas and beans blossom pretty much all season, I would really need to separate them.


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

Lovetogrow's resources are awesome! Thanks!

Seed Saver's Exchange is another incredible resource. People like the Whealys (SSE), Jere Gettle (Baker Creek Seeds), and Gary Nahban (Native Seed SEARCH) and many, many more are true modern day heroes. They don't get much fanfare and they were saving heritage agricultural varieties way back before it was cool.


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

Woody, your peas are probably OK because they have very closed flowers that resist outcrossing. You could buy a pack of Wando and grow out to compare to your saved crop if you're concerned. But, remember that years of saving your own seed have adapted your Wando to your own garden conditions. Even if they have changed somewhat, you may want to keep them anyway!


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

dirtgrrl said:


> If it helps, just remember that it's all about sex!


Actually, most of the work is in the learning/preparation phase, so it's really all about the foreplay 

Hold on, I have to relinquish my man card...


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## UniqueOldGal (Mar 7, 2012)

*My Seed Saving Mistake!*

Hi All

Today I had a surprise that is a no brainer for experienced seed savers but I wanted to post this for those who get "in a hurry" during harvest season and Forget things...like DUH things.....but we get so busy...and for beginners not everything is automatic.

Time to plant peas here and I got a self-saved packet of Lincoln peas from 2012 out of my refrigerator crisper drawer where I keep most seeds. I had the bed ready and the strings up and OOOPS. I opened my nice little sealed packet of peas with LOTS of Holes in them and several dozen dead small beetles in the packet!!! Now I well know a little diatomaceous earth in that packet would have killed the first beetle or two that got the whole destruction cycle rolling BUT I was So busy canning and so busy feeling great about Saving seed in the first place.....Well, the obvious protection escaped me. We never forget doing protection for grains in buckets do we.....but don't forget with Seeds either!

The good news is I had a non contaminated 2013 packet I saved and I got my bed all planted. That's called "back up"! At least I wasn't Totally dumb!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

That would never have occurred to me. Thanks for the heads-up!


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## cqp33 (Apr 2, 2012)

Another fan of SEED TO SEED here! Also check the Seeds Savers Exchange, both are a great source for saving seed's! There is also a lot of info here and a lot of people with a lot of experience on here, that may be one the best sources around IMO!


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

The seed savers exchange is a good source for heirloom seeds. If you join, you get their yearbook in Jan; it lists thousands of seeds available for trading for the cost of postage only. A sample packet is about 10 seeds, more or less...enough to tr y out a cultivar, and then you scan save your own if you like them. The thing I liked is that the members also wrote descriptions of each cultivars' special qualities...drought resistance, disease resistance, yield info and storage abilities among other things.
They are on the net...www.seedsavers.org


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

redhorse said:


> Check out Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. It has been an invaluable guide for me. I consult it every year, several times a year  Not only does she explain how to save each type of seed, but she goes on to write up a short description on growing the plant in question, and how long seeds should be viable once saved. Awesome awesome awesome book!


Just got this book yesterday. Looks great!


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