How to Save Your Garden Seeds9888330
Most severe gardeners save seeds. It's simple, it is practical, and it will save you some cash. Right here are a couple of saving tips:
Packaged Packaged seeds should 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, 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 location to store your packets is in a big jar or coffee can in the refrigerator. Keep them cool and dry, and most will final many 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 create the exact same hybrid plant from which they came... you'll usually get one of the parent varieties utilized 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 relatively 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. These from beans and most flowers don't require much unique therapy 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 utilized in your gardens or shared with friends.
As with commercially packaged seeds, house 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 searching at it. There are two methods for home gardeners to check the germination. (Germination indicates that they'll sprout and develop the germination percentage is simply the percentage that are viable.)
1. Merely place 1 or two seeds in each cell of a six pack starter cell pack, and see how many germinate. Or, 2. Place 10 to 20 seeds between two or more moist paper towels, and see how numerous germinate. The paper towel method is used by practically all laboratories but, care must be taken to keep the towels moist and warm. You can use a big plastic bag or cellophane to help keep the towels moist.
Check germination several weeks prior to the time that you'll require to start so that you can replace any cultivars that have very low or zero germination.
