A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

I finally finished shelling my broccoli seeds. The plants bolted when it went from spring to summer too quickly, and I got multiple buckets of them. I shelled them on our porch.

I now have broccoli growing through the cracks in the boards.

I guess some of the seeds escaped.

Quality assurance right there!

 

[heirloomgal]

You should be able to thresh & winnow the radish seed. Put the pods in a pillow case or other fine-woven cloth, walk on the pods or beat them to break them. When enough seed is exposed, pour the mix between two deep containers - under a fan or breeze - to blow off debris. It may take some adjustment to get just the right fan speed to blow off the debris without blowing the seed. Repeat as necessary until all you have left is seed.

Ooooh, good idea! Why didn't I think of this?! My methodology thus far borders on madness.

 

[heirloomgal]

I think I finally got some well matured watermelon seed.

Couple more to go. Strangely, unlike the sweet but unripe one I tried a month ago, this one tasted *blech*.

Picture of zero labour. The Gong Bao's dried themselves! The tray in behind, all were green when I picked them, I'm surprised they ripened further.

Purple UFO dried perfect with you suggestion @Zeedman. I still sneezed my head off scooping these off the tray and into a bag but that's okay with me given the alternative!

 

[Zeedman]

Purple UFO dried perfect with you suggestion @Zeedman. I still sneezed my head off scooping these off the tray and into a bag but that's okay with me given the alternative!

Now that the peppers are dry, you can separate most of the seed by placing the peppers in a large covered jar or can, and shaking vigorously. A large jar works best, so you can see how much seed has broken loose. Then pour the broken peppers & seed through a screen with holes just larger than the seed (a collander or strainer basket often works for me). This will catch most of the stems & debris. Then pour the seeds through a sieve or strainer with holes just smaller than the seeds (to remove dust & under-developed seeds). You might want to be outside, or under an exhaust fan, to do this.

If you intend to make pepper powder, having a few seeds left on the pepper pieces will increase the potency. Hopefully most of the stems will break off during the shaking.

 

[flowerbug]

Ooooh, good idea! Why didn't I think of this?! My methodology thus far borders on madness.

what's the hurry? you have all winter...

 

[Pulsegleaner]

The first Borneo Jungle cucumber fruit finally began to look like it was spoiling, so I retrieved the seeds. Got a fair number (much more than I would have expected considering how few fruits I got and, hence, how poor I assume pollination went).

There is now no question that this is in fact a cucamelon rather than a true cucumber. When opened the whole ROOM smelled of melon.

I'm of two minds about re-doing this one next year. On one hand, it did grow here, and its now the only one I have I wouldn't have to buy fresh seed for. On the other, based on the inside of the fruit it's nearly ALL seed cavity; they're basically no flesh at all. So, as a vegetable, it's likely to be really watery.

The second and final one is coming in fairly soon, frost or no frost (the plant it is on is almost dead by now, and once it is wholly dead, there will be no more nutrients flowing into the fruit and, therefore, no more advantage to leaving it on there and risking it getting destroyed by an unexpected frost.)

 

[heirloomgal]

Now that the peppers are dry, you can separate most of the seed by placing the peppers in a large covered jar or can, and shaking vigorously. A large jar works best, so you can see how much seed has broken loose. Then pour the broken peppers & seed through a screen with holes just larger than the seed (a collander or strainer basket often works for me). This will catch most of the stems & debris. Then pour the seeds through a sieve or strainer with holes just smaller than the seeds (to remove dust & under-developed seeds). You might want to be outside, or under an exhaust fan, to do this.

If you intend to make pepper powder, having a few seeds left on the pepper pieces will increase the potency. Hopefully most of the stems will break off during the shaking.

It's just so great when I learn something like this that actually decreases my workload! Heaven knows my seed appetite only grows, so somethings gotta give on the other side!

 

[flowerbug]

It's just so great when I learn something like this that actually decreases my workload! Heaven knows my seed appetite only grows, so somethings gotta give on the other side!

when you start stacking refridgerated containers in the back yard and asking friends for donations to fund the electricity then you know you have a problem...until then, carry on soldier!

 

[Zeedman]

It's just so great when I learn something like this that actually decreases my workload! Heaven knows my seed appetite only grows, so somethings gotta give on the other side!

Hmmm... why do I feel that I am just further enabling an addiction...

 

[heirloomgal]

P

Hmmm... why do I feel that I am just further enabling an addiction...

Probably because you are.