How to Save Your Garden Seeds4167255
Most serious gardeners save seeds. It is simple, it's practical, and it will save you some cash. Here are a few saving suggestions:
Packaged Packaged seeds should be saved in their original packages. Simply fold the leading or use a little bit of tape to safe the seeds in the packet. If the outer packet integrated 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 should, as well.
The very best place to shop your packets is in a big jar or coffee can in the refrigerator. Keep them cool and dry, and most will last many seasons. Remember that seeds are food, and improper storage will invite all kinds of pests to your basement or pantry.
Home Harvested You can harvest and save from open-pollinated cultivars but, you cannot save the seeds from hybrids. (Well, you can save from hybrids, but they will not produce the same hybrid plant from which they came... you will usually get 1 of the parent varieties used to make the hybrid.)
These harvested from open-pollinated varieties of flowers and vegetables can be harvested when the fruits or flowers are mature, or even beyond maturity. They ought to be fairly dry and 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 don't need much unique treatment before packaging them.
Package in paper envelopes, becoming careful 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 big 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, house packaged ought to be stored in a cool, dry place that is totally free from insects or rodents. A coffee can in the refrigerator is perfect.
Checking Germination You cannot figure out if a seed will germinate by searching at it. There are two methods for house gardeners to verify the germination. (Germination indicates that they'll sprout and develop the germination percentage is simply the percentage that are viable.)
1. Simply location one or two seeds in each cell of a six pack starter cell pack, and see how numerous germinate. Or, 2. Place 10 to 20 seeds in between two or much more moist paper towels, and see how numerous 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 large plastic bag or cellophane to help maintain the towels moist.
Check germination several weeks prior to the time that you'll need to start so that you can replace any cultivars that have very low or zero germination.
