Seed saving

[Cjk85]

One really great habit my parents taught me growing is seed saving...

When I need seeds, I defer to Eden seeds as I mentioned in another thread, but I prefer if I can to save seeds from my current crop, only take them from the healthiest looking and best producing plants, often I find myself with an excess, which I sometimes send back to Eden seeds..

There is no limit what type of plant I save seeds from, for example my Tomatoes are up to their 7th generation from saved seeds, and after selectively picking and choosing from the best plants every year they seem to get just a little bigger and hardier to tough weather conditions and stress.

I do most of my growing in Aquaponics, the seeds I have saved seem to have evolved a little towards Aquaponics, when planted in dirt they still do nicely but not as well as seeds saved from soil based plants, the same can be said vice versa.

Is anyone else into seed saving? If so I would be really interested in hearing your experiences and any know how you might have.

 

[Trellum]

Wow, I'm quite new to planting edibles, but I'll definitely consider seed saving !!!! It almost sounds as selective breeding, but with plants, hehehe! It's so interesting you have noticed changes in the vegetables and fruits you have harvested. I'll definitely try this in the future, once I move to the new place

 

[Mariam]

I tend to be a seed saver, even when it comes to stuff I have bought at the store. I figure that the worst that could happen is that it does not grow. I have not steadily had a place to grow a garden, so I have not had a chance to keep seeds from my plants like you. I can see myself becoming a seed hoarder, though.

 

[claudine]

Saving seeds is a great idea! Whenever I remember to do it, I always save at least a few tomato seeds. Of course it doesn't save me a lot of money, but it's still better than nothing and I know I get the best seeds

 

[zigs]

I've got a few heritage varieties I save, Peas - Champion of England & Ne Plus Ultra, and the Bridgwater Bean.

 

[Cjk85]

So what seeds is it people are saving?

 

[headfullofbees]

I save petunia seeds, chilli, tomato, snapdragon, dill, dahlia, peas and beans.

 

[Mariam]

Right now, I have cantaloupe seeds. They are from a store bought melon, so who knows if they are duds. I also have some pepper seeds from store bought stuff. In my freezer, I have tomato, pepper, castor bean, and watermelon seeds. All those seeds came from fruit/vegetables that were grown from seed packets.

This sounds so weird, but I thought about throwing the cantaloupe seeds in the field next to a local church. It is in walking distance and the church does not use the field. They do not even mow it. So, I thought, if they are duds they will not take up my garden space. If they actually grow, I can harvest a few and donate the rest to the church. Sneaky, huh?

 

[Cjk85]

Right now, I have cantaloupe seeds. They are from a store bought melon, so who knows if they are duds. I also have some pepper seeds from store bought stuff. In my freezer, I have tomato, pepper, castor bean, and watermelon seeds. All those seeds came from fruit/vegetables that were grown from seed packets.

This sounds so weird, but I thought about throwing the cantaloupe seeds in the field next to a local church. It is in walking distance and the church does not use the field. They do not even mow it. So, I thought, if they are duds they will not take up my garden space. If they actually grow, I can harvest a few and donate the rest to the church. Sneaky, huh?

Store bought seeds can work just fine, I don't see a problem with them, that's how I started out growing Watermelons, I wound up with HUGE and tasty melons.
Come to think of it some years back I also started some beans off that way - the seeds I grow from now don't come from them though, but they grew no problem and quite tasty too.

 

[Jewell]

I have found that saving seeds and replanting them year after year that they seem to get better and better plants and produce. This was really brought home when I lost my scarlet runner bean seeds and had to purchase new seeds. They just weren't quite as tasty and as prolific as the seeds I had been growing and saving year after year. My calendula seeds/plants are much nicer than any I see other places, and I weed out any that aren't the bright orange that I like.

 

[Cjk85]

I have found that saving seeds and replanting them year after year that they seem to get better and better plants and produce. This was really brought home when I lost my scarlet runner bean seeds and had to purchase new seeds. They just weren't quite as tasty and as prolific as the seeds I had been growing and saving year after year. My calendula seeds/plants are much nicer than any I see other places, and I weed out any that aren't the bright orange that I like.

That's what I find with my seed saving, every year they seem to get just a little better than the year previous...

The place I get seeds from when I need to buy them is more or less a commercial seed saver, I have never really had anything bad from them they tend to pick and choose the absolute best, as opposed to what the large commercial producers distribute, which often fail to even germinate.

If you don't have a commercial seed bank in your area, it could be a fantastic business idea, even it was only a side business.

 

[cmckinney01]

I occasionally save seeds. If you have a vegetable which grew well, try and save the seeds for it. I just dry them on old newspapers in my cellar. Then, I store them in a paper bag and stick it in my cellar. I think you can use almost any container to save seeds once they have been properly dried. Just keep them in a dark place and away from the light.

 

[Mariam]

I almost forgot I had some saved watermelon seeds, from the best watermelon I ever ate last year! I am usually disappointed when it comes to watermelons. They might look pretty, but the taste is so bland. Last year, after installing a satellite for a customer, the old man gave my husband a watermelon. It was so tasty, I saved the seeds. I hope they come up just as tasty as the mother plant!

Just curious, is there a way to tell whether or not the store bought seeds will produce fruits? I know the numbers on the fruit can tell you whether it is organic, GMO, or other things.

 

[Cjk85]

@Mariam try growing any variety of watermelon in Hydroponics or Aquaponics, you will love them regardless of type, they are just a nutrient hog on the soil so if there isn't enough nutrients in the soil it will taste sort of bland.

One way to quickly improve that is to water with Hydroponic nutrient diluted into water. Of course with soil compost is always the best way but that can be a slow process if it's not already available.

 

[Mariam]

I have always been interested in hydroponics, but it seems so difficult, expensive and labor intensive. I have not done any major research on it, though, so I could be wrong.