How to Collect and Save Vegetable Seeds for Next Year
Many vegetables grown in our gardens produce seeds, which if harvested and stored properly can become plants.
As Associated Press horticulturist Jessica Damiano reports, late summer is that the perfect time to start collecting them. She warns beforehand about the importance of the fruit you choose for the seed.
Make sure the seeds are from plants that are of the inherited, or open-pollinated, type. These are plants in their original form. Their seeds will produce plants with similar properties to their parents.
Hybridized plants usually produce vegetables sold in large food stores. they're created by breeding two or more different types of plants to capture the best qualities of each. However, attempting to grow seed from hybrids won't result in a good harvest.
The resulting plant won't have the expected traits, but will only have the genes of 1 of its parents. And, it's impossible to spot which parent he would be. For this reason, it's best not to grow seeds from store-bought food.
Many plants within the garden are cross-pollinated. Pollen grains, other insects, animals and therefore the wind spread pollen from one plant to another. to form sure the seeds you collect will grow into plants that match their parents, place them! When planting a home garden, keep differing types of the same crop as far apart as possible.
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To avoid cross-pollination surprises, plant just one type of each vegetable from which to harvest the seed. for instance , if you would like to save tomato seeds, grow just one type of tomato in your garden.
If that seems too limiting, plow ahead and experiment. Choose heirloom plants to attenuate the risk of cross-pollination. The plants are going to be fine, whether or not they are not quite as you expected.
Store the seeds during a glass jar or paper envelope in a cool, dry place faraway from ripening fruits. Temporarily adding a drying element to the jar will remove any remaining wetness. But remove it after some days to avoid over drying.
Here's the way to collect and save seeds from some common household crops.
salad leaves
At the top of the growing season, lettuce plants will grow a flower which will develop a seed head. the method is called bolting and the seed heads are called puffs.
When the puff is dry, remove the stalk. Place the puff during a paper bag, close the bag, and shake. The seeds will drop from the flower to the underside of the bag.
basil
Basil seeds are tiny, so separating them from the small flower is a slow and careful process. When the plants bolt at the top of the season, allow the flowers to stay until they are completely wilted. Cut them and keep them during a sieve. Then use your fingers to push them towards the underside of the strainer.
Beet and Carrot
Beet and carrot plants produce seeds only in their second year, after a period of cold storage. In areas with cold winters, simply leave the plants within the ground over the winter.
In warmer climates, you will need to "winter" indoors: at the end of the first season, cut the plants back to five cm. obtain the roots carefully, and store them within the refrigerator or other cool place. Replant them outside the subsequent spring.
When the leaves of a second-year beet plant turn brown, remove the seed stalk from the highest of the plant and place it in a paper bag. Store during a cool, dry place for a minimum of two weeks, then shake the bag well to separate the seeds. Take them call at a plate and blow on them to separate the husks.
Allow second-year carrot flowers to dry on the plant, cut them off and dry during a paper bag for a week or two. Then treat them like beets.
Black pepper
Choose the simplest looking pepper from your healthiest plant and allow it to remain on the plant until it becomes more mature and wrinkled. Cut it in half and take away the seeds. Throw away anything that has discolored or is otherwise undesirable. Spread the seeds evenly on thick paper and allow them to dry in a warm place. don't keep them in direct sunlight. Stir the seeds from time to time to make sure drying. the method should take about a week.
Eggplant
Allow the eggplant to ripen on the plant until it becomes hard and wrinkled and loses its luster and color. Cut it open, remove its seeds and pour water in a bowl. Stir the water to scrub off anything that may stick. Then use a cloth to softly dry the seeds. Leave the seeds on a bit of cloth, shaking them a touch every day, until completely dry. this might take several weeks.
green beans
Green beans can produce plenty during the season. to get seeds, leave the beans on a plant until they dry completely and switch brown. Next, cut the pods off the plant and store them during a cool, dark place for further drying. then take out the seeds and spread them on the cloth. allow them to harden there for a few days.
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