SAVING YOUR OWN SEEDS

SAVING YOUR OWN SEEDS

Saving seeds is an essential part of household gardening. You can save money since you do not have to buy seeds in the market. You can get quality and hea lthy seed since you produced seeds with your best care. You can make money by selling your extra seeds. And you can keep your best varieties to enjoy for many years to come. Save seeds from your best vegetables, because these are the seeds that will produce the best vegetables in the future. HOW DO PLANTS MAKE SEEDS? Cross-pollinated plants require another plant for a pollen source. Self-pollinated plants do not require another plant. The f lowers on the plant have both anther and stigma which pollinate each other; that is, pollination and subsequent fertilization may occur within the same flower. To produce a fruit or vegetable, the flowers of the plants need to be pollinated, which involves transfer of the pollen from the anther (the ma le part) to the stigma (the female part). Hybridization is the crossing of two plants of dissimilar genotypes. Hybrid seeds are developed from different species within the same genus. Open-pollinated seeds maintain the same plants as the parents..'.. -. 0 0 00 0 0 et O CiOOO 0 0 0 o 0 Q CROSS POl.\..l>-JATIOW

MALE AND FEMALE Some plants have only a male flower or a female flower, li ke those shown in the illustration below.

Other plants have both male and female flower. PARTS OF- A FLOWE R A>mIER -r FILAME NT = STAMEN /~ - ---PEnL OV/IRY = PlSn L WILL YOUR PLANT SEEDS PRODUCE CHILDREN LIKE THE PARENTS? Yes, if 1. Seeds are from open pollinated plants AND 2. Seeds are not the result of different vegetable varieties cross-pollinating

The pollen of vegetable plants of the same genus and species (or related plants) can pollinate each other. Th is is known as cross-pollination. If this happens the resulting seed if planted may not have the qualities you want. If you want to maintain generations of open-pollinated species, save seeds from a species that you like and avoid letting the plant cross-pollinate with another species. To avoid cross-pollination do the following: 1. Plant these vegetables in different gardens, far away from each other (isolation distance); 2. Plant only one variety of a species in the same place and at the same time (clustering); 3) Plant different varieties of species at different times of the year or at a different growing season (adjust time of planting). HOW DO YOU PRODUCE SEEDS? It is actually quite easy! Annual plants (chard, beets, lettuce, squash) will produce seeds within one growing season. Biennial plants (carrots) will produce seeds within two growing seasons. For dry seeds, let the seed dry on the stock until brown, then cut. Some of these are in pods (Brassicas: broccoli, mustard, kale, Chinese greens). Some are not (chard, carrots, spinach, beets, lettuce, onion). Winnow out the seed by separating the seed from the chaff. For wet seeds (squash, melons) let the fruit mature so that it has a hard outer rind. Then cut it off the vine and cure for some time. Finally scoop out the seeds and dry.

CHARD: requires two seasons to produce seeds. Cut stalks when seed clusters are dry and brown. Take sta lk and dry on a flat surface. Hang to finish drying then thresh seeds. Chard and beets are of the same species and will cross. So avoid planting of chard together with beets at the same place and time when you think about seed production. o q, BEETS: require two seasons to produce seeds. Leave in the ground through the first season so that the plant can go to seed in the second season. Cut the sta lks when seed clusters are dry and brown. Hang to finish drying and then thresh seeds. Beets and chard are of the same species and will cross. KALE: requires two seasons to produce seeds. Cut stalk when the seed clusters are dry and brown. Dry stalk on a flat surface. Hang to finish drying. Winnow. Kale will cross with cabbage if it is in the same garden.

CARROTS: require two seasons to produce seeds. When seeds are mature and brown, cut stalks and hang to dry. Rub seeds from heads and clean. CABBAGE: require two seasons to produce seeds. Plant 10 or more plants together. Make a shallow X in the cabbage head to help the seed stalk grow and res prout. LETIUCE: requires one season. Cut the stalks when about half of the tiny flowers are white and fluffy. Hang over tarp to dry. Rub off seeds. Winnow. BEANS: can be harvested for seeds when the pods are dry. Hang upside down until the husk is brittle. Break open and save seeds.

TOMATOES: harvest tomatoes when they are very ripe. Scoop out the seeds and mix with water. Let sit for three days in the open but not in direct sunlight. After three days, skim off moldy layer on top of water. Spread seeds on a dish. Dry. Store. STORAGE Off-sized, shriveled, diseased and insect-attacked seeds should be removed before storing to maintain the quality of the seeds. All seeds must be stored in a dark, dry place. In general, the older the seed the le ss likely it is to germinate. For best chance of success, use within a year. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Eshetu Agegheh Abebe, Jessica Bilecki, and Andy Carlson for writing, to Seifu Wolde-Abraham for translation, and to Anna Carlson for illustrations. 5.27.2011