I was just leaving a comment for Suz....and I thought, heck I typed it all out, I might as well make a quick blog post out of it, lol!
So here ya go: a little information on how to work towards saving seed from your garden veggies. It's just a copy and paste....if anyone has questions, hey, just leave them in the comment area. I'll get back to you....
There are some root crops, rutabagas, turnips, beets, mangels, sugar beets and probably others that in order to get seed you do this:
seeds in ground, let them grow for the summer.
in fall, lift them out, do NOT cut off or break off any roots. Cut the TOP growth to about 2 inches. Put the whole root in a cold room, or someplace cool that will NOT freeze. Do NOT wash them or remove the dirt.
The following spring, plant them again....just plop them in ground. Come fall, they will flower and then go to seed, Usually the seedheads are on the top of the plant, you will see them.
Does that makes sense?
Beans and peas....just let them dry out on the vine, get all yellowy and dry. then bring in the pods and shell them. Leave the beans or peas out on a counter or such, and let them dry out some more.
Plant these the following year.
And now, a bit more quick info while I am thinking on it....Potatoes
Save your NICEST AND BEST potatoes for seed. The ones with a good number of eyes (those little indentations) are what you want. If you save your itty bitty odd shaped ones....well, that's what you're gonna get more of.
Use the good ones....I separate my potatoes into boxes when I am picking them up from the field.
- Seed
- Nice looking keepers
- Itty bittys (that I am gonna get real sick of cleaning and peeling) - these will hopefully go to pigs (if we don't run out and have to use them)
- Ones that I stabbed with the shovel or fork while harvesting - These have to get used first. Never store them with your good potatoes, they will all spoil faster.
You will have to replenish your seed potatoes every maybe 4 years. UNLESS you happen to be lucky enuf to live at least 800 feet above sea level. Then you can just continue to use your own. Yes, seriously. Has something to do with cooler temperatures...google it to find more info.
Don't lime your potato patch, they can't stand that and will get scab on them, just to get back at ya!
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5 comments:
7000sq feet?Thats huge! Huge I tell ya! Mine is 140sq feet. If all goes well this year with the garden then next year I will dbl it. Thanks for passing on the info
about chickens and all the other stuff.
Great quick tutorial.
This is my first year using seeds I saved from last year. Tomato seeds only since I couldn't resist eating all the carrots and beets :)
I am a81 year old great grandmother, who has had large gardens all mt adult life. I want to thank you for the seed ifo.
nadine
"UNLESS you happen to be lucky enuf to live at least 800 feet above sea level. Then you can just continue to use your own. Yes, seriously. Has something to do with cooler temperatures...google it to find more info."
Does 2000 to 3000 above sea level count??? ;)
Krissy I gulped when the Gman said that, I hadn't realized it was That big...I'm not expanding it anymore!
Christy, we should have saved tomato seed, but we didn't :( good thing I have some seed leftover, and I ordered more for this year too.
Nadine, welcome to the blog! Please come check us out again and see what we've been up to!
Linda, I didn't realize you were at that high of elevation! We are at 2800 feet, so we're fine too with using our own potatoes for seed, thank goodness!
Annie
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