How to Save Your Garden Seeds2441618
Most severe gardeners save seeds. It is easy, it is practical, and it will save you some money. Here are a couple of saving tips:
Packaged Packaged seeds should be saved in their original packages. Simply fold the top or use a small bit of tape to safe the seeds in the packet. If the outer packet integrated an inner foil packet, store any leftovers in the foil packet.
Some seeds are significantly much more sensitive to moisture in the air... so, if the seed company took the time to wrap them in foil packets, you should, too.
The best place to store your packets is in a big jar or coffee can in the refrigerator. Maintain them cool and dry, and most will final many seasons. Keep in mind that seeds are food, and improper storage will invite all sorts of pests to your basement or pantry.
House Harvested You can harvest and save from open-pollinated cultivars but, you can't save the seeds from hybrids. (Well, you can save from hybrids, but they won't create the exact same hybrid plant from which they came... you will usually get one of the parent varieties used to make the hybrid.)
Those harvested from open-pollinated varieties of flowers and vegetables can be harvested when the fruits or flowers are mature, or even beyond maturity. They should be fairly dry and totally free from as much plant "litter" as possible. You can rinse tomato and pepper seeds in a colander and dry them for a day or two on paper towels or cookie sheets. Those from beans and most flowers do not need a lot special therapy prior to packaging them.
Package in paper envelopes, becoming cautious to label the envelopes to determine the contents as well as the year of harvest.
Flowers that readily self-seed as annuals, such as plume celosia, are perfect candidates for saving. Simply shake the dried flower heads in a large envelope or can and you'll gather hundreds, if not thousands, that can be used in your gardens or shared with friends.
As with commercially packaged seeds, house packaged ought to be stored in a cool, dry place that is free from insects or rodents. A coffee can in the refrigerator is ideal.
Checking Germination You cannot figure out if a seed will germinate by searching at it. There are two ways for house gardeners to verify the germination. (Germination means that they will sprout and grow the germination percentage is merely the percentage that are viable.)
1. Merely place one or two seeds in every cell of a six pack starter cell pack, and see how many germinate. Or, two. Location ten to 20 seeds in between two or much more moist paper towels, and see how many germinate. The paper towel method is used by virtually all laboratories but, care should be taken to keep the towels moist and warm. You can use a big plastic bag or cellophane to assist keep the towels moist.
Check germination a number of weeks prior to the time that you will require to begin so that you can replace any cultivars that have extremely low or zero germination.
