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Saving Seeds From Your Garden
7/12/2008
Linda Langelo
Horticulture Program
Coordinator
Colorado State University Extension
Golden Plains
Area |
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By: Lisa Brewer, Golden Plains Area Master Gardener
Most of
the flowers and vegetables that we have today are due to early gardeners who
saved the seed from their best plants and sowed them the next year. In this way
the species were improved. Although in recent years the duty of maintaining and
improving the seed of garden plants has fallen to commercial seed companies, it
is still possible for the home gardener to save their own seed. Four important
factors need to be considered in order to be successful at saving seed. It is
necessary to know if the plant is a hybrid, the method of pollination, the time
of seed bearing, and the method of seed collection.
A hybrid plant is
the result of a deliberate cross between two inbred lines. The seed from
hybrids will produce many different plant types and is not worth a
gardener’s time and effort. Look for "F-1 Hybrid" on the seed package to
be certain whether or not the plant is a hybrid.
Home gardeners will be
concerned with three main methods of pollination – air-borne, insect and
self-pollination. For air-borne pollinated crops there must not be any other
crop variety within one mile that is shedding pollen at the same time or some
of the harvested seed will be a cross. For insect pollinated crops there needs
to be one-quarter mile distance between varieties for the same reason.
Self-pollinating crops are the best bet for home gardeners to save seed from,
since the pollen is transferred directly to the stigma inside the flower. Even
with these crops there is a chance of cross-pollination to adjacent varieties.
It is best to separate crop varieties by a few rows of another
crop.
There are several ways to harvest the seeds from the home garden.
Extract seed from the fruit after it ripens but before it rots. The seed will
need to be separated from the pulp and dried at room temperature. Pod crops
like peas and beans need to be left on the vine until the pod dries. Seed
heads, like many flowers or herbs, need to be harvested after they dry but
before they are dispersed by wind and weather. Root crops are handled a bit
differently because most of them are biennial species. The first season is
vegetative growth. In the fall, the roots are dug and stored between 32 and 45
degrees F over the winter. These roots are replanted the following spring in
order to produce seed stalks.
After the seeds are harvested out of the
garden, gently hand-rub them to remove and chaff. Store the seeds in a paper
envelope rather than a sealed plastic bag to prevent moisture damage or mold.
Be sure to store the seeds in a rodent-free location.
Since the
germination rate goes down with the length of storage time, storage conditions
and original seed quality, it is best to replant the next year after saving
seed. The home gardener can select the best plants and save the seeds from them
for another year. For more information and a brief list of vegetables that are
good for saving seeds, please see the Colorado State University Extension Fact
Sheet No. 7.602 or visit your local Extension Office. |
Page Created and Maintained by: Perry D. Brewer, Area
Extension Agent (Technology Education/Youth)
7/17/2008 |
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