What Seeds are You Saving?

[YourRabbitGirl]

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My mother keeps her seeds in tightly sealed glass containers. You may store various kinds of seeds together in a large container, each in individual paper packets. We save the seeds this way.

 

[digitS']

The only thing I will miss from throwing those seeds away is a tomato my aunt sent me. Potato leaf, fruit as big as a brandywine with a rich yellow-orange color and very good flavor. The writing was too faded for me to make out the variety name, but it was Gold something or other...

In the @seedcorn thread on heirlooms vs hybrids, etc. I posted a link to "America's Best Tomato Varieties."

I wonder if your seeds are Aunt Gertie’s Gold. (I haven't grown them but maybe I should give 'em a go.)

Steve

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

Yes that is where the phrase “spectacular disaster “ comes from lol. I should know I have had a few over the years.

Suumer is almost here, the Same as many seeds as you can. Its easier to plant when it's not raining to much.

 

[digitS']

I thought that I may as well post this here as elsewhere ...

I'm having more problem with seeds that I have saved from commercial outfits than from my own seed-saving. I am gonna have to write on the packets the date they were purchased. Some of them don't have that!

The King of the North pepper seed packets both have printed dates. One is 5 years old and the other is 6 - I don't know which I used for my 2 sowings a couple of weeks ago. Looks like I will have a big zero for 2020. It's sorta okay because I'm trying 2 other bell peppers this year - North Star and Colossal. King was just a consistent performer, not a wonderful sweet pepper. If either of these others pan out, I'm tossing the King seed.

Tomatoes, I was questioning the viability of the Kellogg's Breakfast seed and wondering about it. Finally today, there are some sprouting plants. I don't think that they are too far behind their neighbors that they will be subject to shading. Not from my seed-saving, and the packet says nothing about dates.

Sun Sugar has been slow to emerge also. And, that seed is from this year!

Seed off my kitchen cutting board, pried off paper towels, and sprinkled on the soil mix has been popping up just fine. It's nearly 100% but, nothing is over 5 years old.

Steve

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

My mother keeps her seeds in tightly sealed glass containers. You may store various kinds of seeds together in a large container, each in individual paper packets. We save the seeds this way.

One of the reasons farmers tend not to save seeds from year to year is that they need special seed cleaning equipment to prepare them for planting, and extra storage space to store seeds from harvesting before it is time to plant again. Not all farmers have these equipment or storage room

 

[digitS']

Several King of the North finally emerged.

They are from a second planting of seed and oh so late!

I will guess that will be all of them and that the germination percentage must be in the single
digitS'

 

[seedcorn]

That does not surprise me that boughten seed doesn’t last as long. Printed germs are as of before they are sold with printed date. It is a “hot” germ usually. What isn’t printed is “cold” germ or even more valuable “vigor”. Seed’s “hot” germ can be good for years and IF stored correctly can germ for decades for most crops. An exception are parsnips, has to be fresh seed every year-why I will not buy from “local Mom/Pop” nursery as they have it in bulk with no posted germs.

 

[digitS']

I am willing to trust the information printed on the packets. Often, that info amounts to little or nothing and if I become suspicious over several packets - it's not as though there are only a few of these outfits with their offerings to choose from.

My seed sowing schedule is sometimes off. Weather is usually the cause but over-enthusiasm plays into it.

That doesn't mean that I want slowed sprouting to interfere as yet another variable. When I learn from someone that they have grown plants successfully from 10 year old seed, I wonder how delayed the emergence. Something like peppers take so long anyway with my scheme of doing things! And, there are lots of species variety in the scheme. With lots of different seed and age of that seed, it's not like I want to set things up in 3 different ways, or 5, or a dozen ... And, I'm just a little intolerant of losing any garden crop to anything ... but that's just me

Steve .

 

[seedcorn]

All printed info is accurate to the best of their abilities. No one prints the vigor or cold germ-it would scare most. In seed business, packaging will say 90%, yet when you count stand, may have 100%-not counting any doubles. Yet, cold germ maybe, 50-60%. Most companies will post 5-10% less than hot germ. IF they feel vigor is low, even though several samples may say 95%, they may mark it down to 75-80% as they realize all seed will not get planted in ideal conditions. Quality companies will always error on trying to protect the consumer.

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

My mother keeps her seeds in tightly sealed glass containers. You may store various kinds of seeds together in a large container, each in individual paper packets. We save the seeds this way.

Tomatoes, beans and peas are all healthy seed saving options. We have self-pollinating trees, and seeds that require little to no special care before they are deposited. Sowings from biennial crops such as carrots or beets are more difficult to save, as the plants require two growing seasons to set seed