How to Save Your Garden Seeds7929346
Most severe gardeners save seeds. It's simple, it's sensible, and it will save you some cash. Here are a few saving suggestions:
Packaged Packaged seeds ought to be saved in their original packages. Merely fold the leading or use a little bit of tape to secure 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 more sensitive to moisture in the air... so, if the seed company took the time to wrap them in foil packets, you ought to, too.
The very best place to store your packets is in a large jar or coffee can in the refrigerator. Maintain them cool and dry, and most will last numerous seasons. Keep in mind that seeds are meals, and improper storage will invite all kinds of pests to your basement or pantry.
House 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 won't produce the same hybrid plant from which they came... you'll generally get one of the parent varieties utilized 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 relatively dry and totally free from as a lot 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. These from beans and most flowers don't need much unique therapy prior to packaging them.
Package in paper envelopes, becoming cautious 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. Simply shake the dried flower heads in a big envelope or can and you will collect 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 can't figure out if a seed will germinate by looking at it. There are two methods for house gardeners to check the germination. (Germination indicates that they'll sprout and grow the germination percentage is simply the percentage that are viable.)
1. Simply place one or two seeds in every cell of a six pack starter cell pack, and see how many germinate. Or, two. Place 10 to 20 seeds in between two or more moist paper towels, and see how many germinate. The paper towel technique 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 help maintain the towels moist.
Verify germination several weeks prior to the time that you'll require to begin so that you can replace any cultivars that have very low or zero germination.
