|
|
|
|
 |
|
Bean
Grow
- Bush Bean
- 55 Days
- Full Sun Sprouts in 7-14 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/2" to 1"
- Ideal Temperature: 70-80 Degrees F
- Plant Spacing: 4"
- Frost Hardy: No
Save
- Beans do not easily cross-pollinate and can be grown close to one another, making them the ideal seed-saving project for beginners.
- Save seeds from the best-looking, best-tasting, and most vigorous beans.
- Store in a cool, dry place for the winter. (A glass jar in the refrigerator works well.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beet
Grow
- 55 Days
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 14-21 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/2"
- Ideal Temperature: 50-85 F
- Plant Spacing: 4-6"
- Frost Hardy: Yes
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Broccoli
Grow
- 75 Days
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 7-10 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/4" to 1/2"
- Ideal Temperature: 60-80 F
- Plant Spacing: 12"
- Frost Hardy: Yes
Save
- Broccoli is considered to be a more challenging crop for seed saving. It is a biennial and will not flower until its second year of growth.
- It is easy to keep broccoli alive over winter in climates where the winter is mild. Northerners will need to get creative; established broccoli is not tolerant of temperatures below 20 F.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Cantaloupe
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 7-14 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
- Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
- Plant Spacing: 18"
- Frost Hardy: No
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Cilantro
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 4-6 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/4"
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 F
- Plant Spacing: 9-12"
- Frost Hardy: No
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Corn
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 7-10 days
- Ideal Temperature: 75-80 Degrees F
- Seed Depth: 1-2”
- Plant Spacing: 12”
- Frost Hardy: No
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Cucumber
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 7-14 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/2"
- Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
- Plant Spacing: 18-36"
- Frost Hardy: No
Save
- Cucumbers are annuals, so they will set fruit and produce seed in the first season.
- Cucumbers rely upon insects to pollinate their flowers; for this reason, it is best to isolate each variety by 1⁄2 to 1 mile from other varieties to avoid cross-pollination.
- For those gardeners in more densely populated areas, with neighboring cucumbers threatening to cross-pollinate, caging can help to ensure pure seed, although it will require hand pollination.
- Because the plants have male and female flowers, pollination occurs easily without degrading the vigor of the seed stock. (Many other plants need to pollinate flowers from a separate plant). Just a few plants will produce lots of healthy seeds.
- Properly saved seeds should store for up to 10 years.
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Daisy
Grow
- 8-10 hours Sun
- Sprouts in 10-25 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 70-75 F
- Seed Depth: Surface Sow
- Plant Spacing: 10-14"
- Frost Hardy: Yes
Save
- Resist the urge to dig and divide the hearty clumps that this perennial forms! The plants have a sensitive tap root and you risk killing the plant!
- Saving seeds is simple. Allow flowers to fade and collect the dried seeds.
- Store in a cool, dark, dry location until replanting time in spring.
- You can cold-stratify your saved seeds to increase germination (although this is not necessary).
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Marigold
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 5-10 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/4"
- Ideal Temperature: 75-80 F
- Plant Spacing: 8-12"
- Frost Hardy: No
Save
- Allow the flowerhead containing the seeds to completely mature and dry on the plant.
- Then clip off the flowerhead and place in a container.
- Working over the top of another clean, opened container, rub the flowerheads to separate the seeds.
- Store over winter in a cool, dark, dry place.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Peas
Grow
- 6-12 hrs of Sun
- Sprouts in 10-30 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 45-80 F
- Seed Depth: 1"
- Plant Spacing: 4"
- Frost Hardy: Yes
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Squash
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 5-10 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 Degrees F
- Seed Depth: 1/2-1 inch
- Plant Spacing: 18-36"
- Frost Hardy: No
Save
- There are four different species of squash: Cucurbita maxima, C. pepo, C. moschata, and C. mixta. They will not cross-pollinate with each other, so it is possible to grow one of each species for seed saving without worrying about cross-pollination.
- If you are planning to grow several varieties of more than one species, you can bag the blossoms and hand pollinate to avoid crossing.
- Whether it is a summer or winter squash, you must let the fruit completely mature before extracting the seeds.
- You will want to cure the squash for at least two weeks as well.
- Scoop the seeds, place them in a bucket, and add just enough water to cover. Let sit at room temperature for two days before rinsing off the pulp.
- Lay seeds out to dry on newspaper or paper plates.
- Seeds will remain viable for up to four years
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Sunflower
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 7-14 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/2"
- Ideal Temperature: 65-75 F
- Plant Spacing: 18-24"
- Frost Hardy: No
Save
- When petals die back and heads begin to dry and turn brown, place a paper bag over the heads to protect seeds from birds.
- After a few days, the heads will dry to a dark brown. Bring the heads indoors and hang them upside down in a dry area in direct sunlight for up to a week, shaking seeds free each day.
- Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Watermelon
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 5-10 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 Degrees F
- Seed Depth: 1/2-1 inch
- Plant Spacing: 3'
- Frost Hardy: No
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Wildflowers
Grow
- Full sun
- Seed Depth: Do not bury seeds
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Zinnia
Grow
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 4-6 Days
- Seed Depth: 1/4"
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 F
- Plant Spacing: 9-12"
- Frost Hardy: No
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
