How To Save Seeds
Ever wonder about the art of saving seeds?
Here is seed saving 101 in a nutshell.
EASY : Beans, Lettuce, Peas, Tomato, Peppers
These varieties produce seed the same season and are relatively self-pollinating so there is no worries of damaging cross pollination. The beginner seed saver will have the best results with these seeds.
EXPERIENCED : Corn, Cucumber, Mellon, Radish, Spinich, Squash, Pumpkin
These vegetable varieties produce seed the same season they are planted as well but they require separation (withing their same family) to keep from cross pollinating. Cross pollination could cause an unwanted trait to grow with the next seasons seeds and its fruit could be un-edible. Some crossing is ok ~ this is where we get resistance over the years. Your goal is to keep the Old Fashioned Heirloom seed as pure as you can. These require distance, row covers at times and careful planning / planting of "family" varieties that would not cross.
ADVANCED : Cabbage family, Turnip, Chard, Beet, Carrot, Onion
These expert varieties mandate distance separation to keep the variety 100% pure.
Don't despair....One should practice these but keep pure supplies on hand until your skill is honed in. The saved seed will still grow but it may not look like the picture perfect variety you thought it would be.
REMEMBER ....PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT ! Dont over stress the "crossing" delima.
It is more for informational purposes- not to discourage. DO TRY!
NOTE: While saving "pure seed" is very important to large scale companies it may not be so bad to have a few off types that have crossed in the backyard garden- as long as they are tasty.
Do what you can with what you have been given and what you are able. Save seed from the best fruit of a crossed variety out of necessity- who knows you may come up with a masterpiece.
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Glossary:
Cross Pollination~pollen exchange between different plant strains or plant species
Heirloom Seed~a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings.
Open Pollinating~is pollination by insects, birds, wind, or nature, and contrasts with closed pollination, a type of self pollination.
Self Pollinating~occurs when pollen from one flower pollinates the same flower or other flowers of the same individual plant. It is a form of pollination that can occur when a flower has both stamen and a carpel(pistil) in which the cultivar or species is self fertile and contact each other in order to accomplish pollination.
Cultivar~ a cultivated variety of a plant that has been deliberately selected for specific desirable characteristics (such as the color and form of the flower, yield of the crop, disease resistance etc.). When propagated correctly, the plants of a particular cultivar retain their special characteristics.
Definitions taken from Wikipedia