Do you seed save?
I have saved seeds from tomatoes , broadbeans and sunflowers.
This year Im planting my third generation tomatoes and second year generation broad beans and sunflowers.
Im going to try saving seeds from some other veges and flowers this year.
After growing and saving seeds for a few years you will find the plants have adapted to your unique soil conditions, gardening methods and climate.
These seeds will be far superior , I have definitely noticed this with these three things.
I really noticed the difference with my tomatoes as I bought some seeds last year and the plants hardly produced where my plants that I had saved the seeds were abundant with tomatoes.
This is what I do.
Since I have so many tomatoes what we dont eat fresh I cut up and place them in freezer bag and pop in freezer to make sauce at a later date, as Im cutiing them up I save a few seeds and pop on some paper towel and sit on window ledge to dry out, the picture above is from tomatoes last season they are about 8 months old.
I save my empty toilet rolls wrap them in newspaper to make a pot then fill with seed raising mix, I then rip of the paper towel with a seed on it place it in pot like picture then poke it down so it is covered in soil and water.
These pots are a few weeks old. You are sure to have plenty of plants for friends and family.
My broad beans this year are quite crazy, last year I saved a few of the pods and let them dry out then placed them in a jar. I just planted the beans straight into the soil, as I havnt saved seeds from these before I didnt really expect much but seems I shall be eating broad beans for quite a while.
Im yet to experiment with saving seeds from other veges so any helpful hints would be fantastic. x
My first gladi of the season I love these flowers they remind me of my Mother as she always had them growing and had every color
I thought I would just pop up some photos of some towels a friend did for my children, she has some beautiful work she has a facebook page if you would like to pop over and like her page and have a look
https://www.facebook.com/LyndalsPersonalizedEmbroidery?fref=ts
Thanks for the tips on saving seed, I recently moved to a different home, and the growing conditions are certainly different to any of my other homes, and to have plants adapt to this one specifically will be great.
ReplyDeleteJoy xx
Hi Joy, good luck with planting xx
DeleteI save seeds from every thing that I can, I just pick the strongest plant and mark it then let the best fruit ripen and save seed from that. Climbing beans will shoot again from their roots if you protect them from the cold. I mulch the row with about 12" of well rotted manure and then add a thick layer of straw. The manure is gradually pulled down by worm action so I keep an eye on it and top up as necessary. I do save some seed as I do lose some plants, well it is the UK., but I have some 5 year old and they are really productive.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam I must try that with climbing beans.
DeleteOh my your broadbeans are huge whoop whoop. Do you eat the tops? We enjoy then very much.
ReplyDeleteYes I seed save but have a terrible organization system... so wish I was more organised. We are gearing up for planting this week SUCH FUN!
Love Leanne
Hi Leanne, No I have never tried the tops. I have no organization with my seeds I was going to do that last night but didnt get around to it lol. Good Luck with planting this week I look forward to reading about it xx
DeleteNo, I haven't saved seeds but my dad and I were only talking about this the other day - its something I plan giving trying. And great idea with the newspaper tubs, another idea to store away!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by today.
Joluise
Hi Joluise thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI have a bag of drying spring onion heads at the moment. Thousands of seeds.
ReplyDeleteIm waiting for my potting bench set up to get really into growing from seeds.
It would be lovely to have a potting bench ..... I use my laundry bench, my friend had a look the other day she said it looked like a nursery in there lol.
Delete