Seed Saving Circle?

[DrakeMaiden]

Hey everyone, I'm wondering if we should formalize a seed saving group here on the SS forum for heirloom and open-pollinated seeds?

It is always good practice to save more seeds than you will plant in any given year, as crop failures happen, but wouldn't it be great if we had back-up? So if the east coast has tomato blight and members don't get tomatoes to save seeds for next year, we here on the west coast can supply some of our excess tomato seeds to members on the east coast? Or if someone is struggling and cannot afford seeds, we can all send a few that we have saved, knowing that should the tables be turned we might receive the same?

We can also share tips on growing the plants and saving the seed.

This idea has evolved out of a recent thread about one of our members not being able to afford to buy heirloom seeds for her garden.

I know there are larger organizations that facilitate seed saving, but I just thought it might be fun to do this on a small scale with other members here.

 

[Wifezilla]

That's a good idea. I have planted my heirloom stuff but should have saved seeds in fall.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

If a bunch of us save seeds this fall then maybe we could have a seed swap in late fall or early winter, and then we can base our next year's seed orders on what we couldn't get at the seed swap.

 

[farmerlor]

If a bunch of us save seeds this fall then maybe we could have a seed swap in late fall or early winter, and then we can base our next year's seed orders on what we couldn't get at the seed swap.

I can help. Most of my garden is heirloom tomatoes so I would have several varieties of tomato but there should be some other veggies as well even though I had to cut back this year.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Great! Thanks farmerlor. I mostly have heirloom tomatoes too, but I would guess we probably have different varieties. Most of the rest of the veggies I grow are open-pollinated, but not heirloom.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have a lot of heirloom tomatoes this year. I am so looking forward to trying some black cherry tomatoes

 

[Ldychef2k]

As of this moment, I have only planted hybrids. Because of the generosity of our members, it looks like there will be heirlooms to share by the end of summer.

I am not really sure of the concept of open pollinating. Help?

Also, I would love to know how to save seeds so I can participate!

Thanks...now back to earning a living !

 

[big brown horse]

I have chocolate cherry tomato seeds planted and I should have plenty of seeds from them to share by the end of summer.

Thanks to a good friend, I now know how to save tomato seeds. I still need help learning how to save other seeds.

I bought mostly heirloom seeds this year with the rest labeled "organic"...does that mean open polinated too?

Yea to DrakeMaiden for starting this thread!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Open pollinated means that they are pollinated the way nature intended. A human did not go and pollinate from one specific say pea plant to another to create the seed. The plant is pollinated by bees, moths, wind or whatever floats that plants boat.
Hybrids are not considered open pollinated.

As small scale farmers and gardeners, it is generally easier to deal with open pollinated plants.

This would also mean though that you can end up with unintentional hybrids.

For instance we had all kinds of different heirloom tomatoes growing. We had black cherokee growing next to an italian plum tomato. The following year we ended up with a cross of the black cherokee and the italian plum = a purple plum tomato. The seeds we save from this tomato will not neccessarily produce another purple plum tomato.

I would love to participate in this seed saving and exchange. I finally got all my seeds (I think, there are probably still some strays in various locations) in one room and hope to get my inventory done in the next few days.
We have LOTS of seeds.

I have saved my own seeds all my life. For the most part it is very easy to save your seeds. I will gladly post more on the subject. But rightn now I need to go and get back to work.
It is 80 here, I just came in to put shorts on

I am doing my best to send the excess heat your way

 

[big brown horse]

FarmerDenise, you should be a teacher! You explain things so well!