How to Save Your Garden Seeds2773341
Most severe gardeners save seeds. It is simple, it is practical, and it will save you some cash. Right here are a few saving suggestions:
Packaged Packaged seeds ought to be saved in their original packages. Merely fold the top or use a small bit of tape to secure the seeds in the packet. If the outer packet included an inner foil packet, shop any leftovers in the foil packet.
Some seeds are significantly more sensitive to moisture in the air... so, if the seed business took the time to wrap them in foil packets, you ought to, as well.
The best place to shop your packets is in a big jar or coffee can in the refrigerator. Maintain them cool and dry, and most will last numerous 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 will not create the same hybrid plant from which they came... you will generally get 1 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 feasible. 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 unique therapy prior to packaging them.
Package in paper envelopes, being careful to label the envelopes to identify the contents as nicely as the year of harvest.
Flowers that readily self-seed as annuals, such as plume celosia, are ideal candidates for saving. Merely shake the dried flower heads in a large envelope or can and you will gather hundreds, if not thousands, that can be used in your gardens or shared with friends.
As with commercially packaged seeds, home packaged should be stored in a cool, dry location that is free from insects or rodents. A coffee can in the refrigerator is perfect.
Checking Germination You can't determine if a seed will germinate by looking at it. There are two ways for house gardeners to verify the germination. (Germination indicates that they will sprout and develop the germination percentage is simply the percentage that are viable.)
1. Merely place one or two seeds in each cell of a six pack starter cell pack, and see how numerous germinate. Or, two. Location 10 to 20 seeds in between two or more moist paper towels, and see how numerous germinate. The paper towel technique is utilized by virtually all laboratories but, care must be taken to maintain the towels moist and warm. You can use a large plastic bag or cellophane to assist maintain the towels moist.
Verify germination several weeks prior to the time that you'll require to start so that you can replace any cultivars that have extremely low or zero germination.
