Seeds - RVA Booklet

Seeds A BOOKLET FOR GARDENERS WHO WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Why Save Seeds

- Create new varieties adapted to your growing conditions, your tastes!

- Save money by saving your own seeds and/or trading with other seedsavers.

- Preserve the genetic diversity of our heirloom food plants.

- Empower your own personal breeding goals instead of the commercial goals of agribusiness seed breeders.

- Help retain plants' pest resistance.

- Feel satisfied, empowered and connected.

Create New Varieties Adapted to Your Conditions

Help Preserve Heirloom Seeds' Genetic Diversity

Simply save seeds from all the plants which do well in your own garden each year, and your seed collection will begin to adapt to your local conditions and gardening habits.

Using a few basic rules and some common sense, you can help this process along—and save plants specially adapted to your own gardening conditions and culinary tastes.

During the 1900's we experienced a startling drop in the number of heirloom varieties— because gardeners stopped saving and trading their own seeds. When we rely on commercial seed companies, any seeds that sell slowly simply get dropped from production and disappear.

Save Money Seed prices have risen steadily in recent years, at the same time as the number of seeds in a packet has fallen.

You can save your own seeds for free, usually, and you can save as many seeds as you like. You can easily save enough seeds to have plenty for sharing with friends and other gardeners.

Seed Saving is Satisfying and Easy Watching your seeds grow and mature from flower to seed lets you connect deeply with Nature's cycles and seasons.

Knowing how to produce the seeds that you will use to plant your garden each year creates feelings of self-reliance and empowerment.

This loss of varieties translates into lower genetic variability in our food plants. Lower variability means lower adaptability to stresses such as disease or climate change.

Each time a seed variety is lost, we lose another chance to feed ourselves in a world of changing climate and shrinking resources.

GMO's and Loss of Food Plants' Adapability As scientists iinsert' genes for pest resistance into food plants from wild relatives, an unexpected error occurs. Wild plants resist insect pests through several natural defense mechanisms acting in cooperation. When these defensive genes are inserted into other plants one-at-a-time, the effect of several genetic defenses working together is lost.

Pests are often able to overcome the defenses of the individual genes in under a decade— after which those genes become useless for further protection

Healthy Plants Make Healthy Seeds The health of your seeds begins with the plants that produce them. Seed producing plants should be robust and disease-free. Strong, healthy plants produce healthy seeds and seedlings that are larger, more-viable and morevigorous than seedlings produced by weak, diseased, drought-stressed or chronically-hungry plants. Small or misshapen seeds are shorter-lived under storage conditions than larger, better-formed seeds.

Small seeds contain less stored food to help them emerge from the soil and produce healthy seedlings. Although small seeds may show as high an initial germination rate as larger seeds under ideal conditions, they may lack the strength to emerge from the soil—particularly under less-than-ideal field conditions.

Seeds Vocabulary Annual

Hybrid variety

a plant that completes its full life cycle—including germination, reproduction, and death—in one growing season.

Plant or variety created by crossing two stable, genetically distinct parental populations of a plant or variety; also called an F1 hybrid

Bolt

Open-pollinated variety

to elongate rapidly (as a stem) prior to flowering

a variety that, produces offspring that display the characteristic traits of the variety

F1 = Hybrid the first-generation offspring produced from a cross between two different populations or varieties; an abbreviation of “first filial generation”

Germination Process by which a seed absorbs water and swells, causing the radicle to break through the seed coat; the emergence of a young plant from a seed

Heirloom variety an open-pollinated plant that has been grown and shared from generation to generation within a family or community

Perennial

a plant that can live for more than two years, usually producing flowers and seeds for many years

Pollen typically dust-like structures, that carry male reproductive cells in flowering plants

Pollinator

an animal, often an insect, that moves pollen from flower to flower

Seed a mature plant ovule composed of an embryo, an endosperm, and a seed coat

Hybrid, Open Polinated or Heirloom?

Hybrids, which are created by crossing plants of two different varieties, generally do not produce offspring with the same traits as the parent plant. Seeds saved from open-pollinated varieties, on the other hand, will produce plants identical to the parent. Heirloom seeds are openpollinated varieties with a history of being handed down from generation to generation.

Market Maturity Vs. Seed Maturity Some fruits are market mature, or ready for eating, long before the seed is mature.

Examples of this include cucumbers, eggplants, peas, beans, and cabbage. Take into consideration spacing and timing when planning your garden for seed saving.

Harvesting and Cleaning Seeds Seed harvesting and cleaning techniques fall into two main categories according to whether the fruits and seeds are dry or wet when mature

Viable Seeds

Dry Seeds

'Dry' seeds include beans, okra, peppers, basil, lettuce, pak choi and members of the Onion and Carrot In many cases, such as with lettuce Families. Cleaning dry seeds usually and tomatoes, seed can be successfully involves simply drying and crumbling obtained from a single plant. However, the pods or husks, then screening the seed savers who are interested in seeds to separate them from the chaff maintaining varieties for more than one generation, or those who are concerned about maintaining a genetically diverse population should 'Wet' seeds produce seeds from larger populations.

'Wet' seeds are found in such plants as tomatoes, eggplants and many squashes. Cleaning wet seeds requires washing to clean the seeds and to separate them from the surrounding pulp

The di erent plant families

ALLIACEAE: Onion family ASTERACEA: Sunflower family BRASSICA: Cabbage / Mustard family CHENOPODIACEAE Goosefoot family CUCURBITACEAE: Gourd family LAMIACEAE: Mint Family LEGUMINOSEAE: Pea / Bean family MALVACEAE: Hibiscus/ Mallow family SOLANACEA: Potatoe family UMBELLIFERAE: Carrot family

Saving Dry Seeds Harvest dry seeds from their plants when their pods or husks have dried. Some seeds can be picked before they are fully dried on the plants if rains threaten. Other plants, however, (i.e., Okra, Pak Choi), will not finish ripening once they have been removed from the plant.

Leaving seeds on the parent plant to full maturity and dryness is always preferable.

Once pods or husks have been harvested, store them in a dry place and wait until they are thoroughly dry. When the pods or husks are dry enough they will easily crumble between your hands. Crumble the pods or husks until all the seeds are released. Then place seeds and chaff in a bowl or box and swirl or shake gently. Most of the larger chaff pieces will rise to the top and can simply be removed by hand.

Pak Choy Family: Brassica Pak Choy is self-pollinating, one plant is enough to get seeds.

Keep one pak choy in your garden to save seeds from, it will bolt and flower after it reached market maturity. save seeds from a big/healthy plant.

Gather dried seed pods as they ripen and dry, or wait until most pods have dried and hang the plant upside down over a paper bag.

Okra Family: Malvaceae / Hibiscus Insect-pollinated okra needs at least 2 plants to produce seeds.

Allow pods to dry on the plants until they begin cracking, then split open to remove seeds and finish drying. Okra produces a high percentage of 'hard seeds', you can soak seeds for optimal germination Okra seeds can be stored for up to 4 years.

Basil Family: Ocimum basilicum Basil relies on insects for pollination. Different basil varieties will cross each other.

Harvest seed heads as they dry and allow to finish drying in a warm, dry spot. Seeds are easily removed by crumbling the dried flower heads and then blowing away the chaff.

Tip: Cut the new shoots and young leaves for cooking it will prevent from flowering and bitter flavor.Basil seeds will last up to 5 years if properly stored.

Beans Family: Leguminosae Members of the Bean Family are self-pollinating and crossing is uncommon.

In most cases, saving bean seeds is as simple as waiting for the pods to dry on the vine, collecting the seeds, and completely drying them before storing in jars.

A danger with members of the Bean Family is late summer rains, which can moisten seeds drying in their pods while still on the vine. Too much moisture during seed maturation lowers the viability and storage life of the finished seeds, and can even cause them to sprout or mildew while still on the vine.

Bean and cowpea seeds, properly dried and stored, will keep for 4 years.

Carrot family Family: Umbelliferae Insect-dependent carrots, parsley, cilantro - will crosspollinate leave the carrot until it flowers, after market maturity.

Allow carrot seed umbels to ripen and dry on the plant before harvesting and cleaning. After fully drying, the seeds crumble readily from their umbels. Carrot seeds will last 3 years if properly stored.

Pepper Family: Solanacea Self- or insect-pollinated. There is no crossing between varieties of different species. You can safely grow one hot or sweet pepper (C. annuum) and one Tabasco pepper (C. frutescens) without danger of their crossing.

Allow peppers to ripen on the plants (usually becomes dark red), you can let the fruit dry or harvest the seeds directly, but dry them well before storing. Wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water after harvesting hot pepper seeds, since the residues will burn eyes and lips for some time after contact!

Pepper seeds will keep for 2 or 3 years if properly stored.

Lettuce Family: Asteracea Lettuce is self-pollinating, one plant is enough to get seeds.

Keep one Lettuce in your garden to save seeds from, it will bolt and flower after it reached market maturity.

A flowering plant will have flowers and seeds in all stages of maturity. Gather dried seed heads as they ripen and dry, or wait until most seed heads have dried and hang the plant upside down in a paper bag.

Lettuce seeds can remain viable for 3 years..

Cabbage / Mustard Family

Family: Brassica Brassicas are mostly biennial—they grow and mature in the first season, then over-winter before setting seed in spring of their second year. It is very difficult, if not impossible to save seeds in tropical climate!

Mostly self-infertile, bee-pollinated. Members of the same species in the Cabbage Family will cross-pollinate. For instance collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi and kale will cross each other.

Brassica seeds will not continue to ripen after harvesting, so allow them to mature and dry completely before removing them from the parent plants.

In many Brassicas the seed pods shatter and release their seeds just days after they have matured and dried, especially in hot, dry weather.

Corn Family: Graminea Corn is not self-pollinating—pollen must be carried by the wind from tassels of one plant to silks of another for pollination to occur. It is important for good pollination to plant corn in blocks instead of in a single long row.

Allow corn ears to mature and dry on the stalks, but harvest as soon as the ears are dry to keep them from getting rained on. Watch also for ants attacking kernels. Let corn kernels continue to dry thoroughly on the cobs in a protected spot.

Be sure to harvest seeds from at least 100 plants to keep your seed population strong from year to year.

Sweet corn seeds remain viable for up to 3 years

Marigold Family: Asteracea Marigold is self-pollinating, one plant is enough to get seeds.

After the flower blooms, it will form seeds and dry. Gather dried flower heads as they ripen and dry, Marigold seeds remain viable for up to 3 years

Radish

Family: Brassica Raddishes should be left about a month or two to bolt and seed.

Radish seed saving requires nothing more than leaving the pods on the plants until they are brown and mostly dried.

Once the pods are browning, you can pull the entire plant up and hang it in a brown bag. Hang the bag with the plant seed dangling down into it and allow the seeds to mature naturally. Once they are completely mature, the pods pop open and the seeds drop into the bag.

Radish seeds can last 4 or 5 years if properly stored.

Saving Wet Seeds Cleaning wet seeds Allow the fruits to fully mature on their plants before harvesting, in many cases the fruits will be well past the eating stage.

To clean wet seeds, scoop the seeds from the fruit, pulp and all into a large bowl and add water. Healthy seeds will sink, while dead seeds and most of the pulp will float. Use your fingers to gently separate all the seeds from the pulp.

Then, carefully pour the extra water with the floating pulp and dead seeds from the bowl; slowly enough so that the heavier, good seeds remain safely on the bottom. Repeat this rinsing and pouring process several times.

To dry your seeds after cleaning, drain them of excess moisture in a strainer. Pat the bottom of the strainer with a cloth towel to pull extra water from the seeds after they have drained.

Then spread the seeds on a plate to dry (they will stick to paper). Place the plate in a cool, dry shady spot for several days.

After the seeds are dry, they can be carefully removed from the plate and final-dried before being stored in jars

Fermenting wet seeds Fermenting some wet seeds removes germination-inhibiting substances from seed coats, makes them more permeable to water, and also helps reduce or control seed-borne diseases (for healthier seedlings).

Purposely fermenting wet seeds mimics the natural process of fermentation that occurs when ripe fruits are eaten by animals or drop to the ground and rot. Fermentation is needed for tomato seeds (in order to remove a germination-inhibiting gel), and can also benefit Squash Family and eggplant seeds.

To prepare seeds for fermenting, simply squeeze or scoop the seeds—together with the pulp that surrounds them—into a jar with a little water (about half as much water as seeds and pulp). There is no need to include more pulp than naturally comes with the seeds. Store this seed/pulp mixture in a warm place (25-30°C) for 1½ to 5 days (depending on the seed type) Fermentation will be evidenced by bubbling and/or by the formation of a white mold on the surface of the mixture. As soon as the bubbling or mold have been evident for a day or so, pour the mix into a bowl and clean according to the directions: Cleaning Wet Seeds.

Watch closely, as seeds left fermenting too long may germinate, ruining their chances for storage.

Tomatoes Family: Solanacea Allow tomatoes to ripen thoroughly on their vines to at least the eating stage before harvesting them to collect their seeds.

Upon harvesting, tomato seeds are best fermented in order to remove a germination-inhibiting gel which covers the seeds, and to kill diseases. Fermentation process should take 4 to 5 days.

Dry your tomato seeds on a plate—the wet seeds will stick to paper and be difficult to remove without damaging them.

Tomato seeds will store safely for 4 or more years after being properly dried and stored.

Cucumber Family: Cucurbitacea Cucumber varieties will cross each other.

Cucumbers should be left on the vine to ripen to well past the eating stage before being harvested for seed, and then aged another 20 days in the fruit before the seeds are removed and cleaned.

Cucumber seeds are long lasting and may remain viable for as long as 10 years under good conditions.

Cantaloupe

Family: Cucurbitacea Cantaloupes rely on insects for pollination, and will cross other members of Cucurbitacea Family). Different varieties of C. melo should be separated.

Pick cantaloupes for seed saving when the stem is completely dried, then store the harvested cantaloupe intact for another 3 weeks before removing and cleaning the seeds. Fermenting the seed/pulp mixture for 3 to 4 days before cleaning can help prevent passing disease and fungus from generation to generation, but is not required.

Cantaloupe seeds will keep for up to 5 years if properly stored.

Eggplant = Aubergine Family: Solanacea - Self-pollinating Eggplants should be left on the plants until well past the eating stage before harvesting for seed. The eggplants will have gone past their normal, ripe color and become translucent and dry (usually a dull, unattractive whitish, yellowish, or brownish color).

Keep eggplants off the ground during ripening, since they may begin to rot when they rest on the ground. Clean seeds according to the wet-cleaning process and ferment for 1 to 2 days for better results.

Long-lasting eggplant seeds will remain viable for 5 years

Pumpkin and Squash Family: cucurbitacea Store fully-ripe pumpkins and Squashs for 3 weeks after harvesting before removing and cleaning the seeds.

Pumpkin seeds, like those of other members of the Squash Family, benefit from fermenting after being removed from the fruit. Ferment 1 to 2 days, longer fermentation will start the germination process.

Pumpkin and Squash seeds will keep for 5 or more years

Watermelon

Family: Cucubitacea Watermelons will cross other watermelons Watermelons produce wet seeds and should be allowed to ripen to past the eating stage before harvesting, since seeds do not continue ripening significantly after melons are harvested. Pick after the tendril nearest the melon has completely withered and dried, then store an additional 3 weeks before removing and cleaning the seeds according to directions in Cleaning Wet Seeds.

Watermelon seeds will remain viable for 5 or more years..

Sweet Potatoes

Other plants

Cut a branch of about 50cm, plant as a U shape with both ends sticking out of the earth. each knot will bear a potatoe

Crawling Mint Cassava

Cut a thick branch (2cm diameter) of about 15cm place horizontally in the ground, about 5 cm deep Pull a branch of about 25cm with visible roots plant the roots about 5cm deep

Aloe Vera Next to an existing large plant, you will see young shoots Carefully take a shoot and replant it.

Schrub Mint Leaf of Life You can grow a new plant from a leaf. Roots and leaves will form on the cut leaf after 3 weeks Cut a thick branch (1cm diameter) of about 15cm place horizontally in the ground, about 5 cm deep

Vetiver Grass and Lemon Grass

Chives Uproot an existing bunch Separate 2 to 3 branches and replant them. Cut the leaves short for a faster result.

Uproot an existing bunch Separate 2 to 3 branches and replant them. Cut the leaves short for a faster result.

How to grow Plants from your Seeds?

STORING MY SEEDS

MAKING SEEDLINGS

- Store seeds in conditions opposite to what makes them sprout

- Use a Seed table or Seed trays

- dry, cool, dark place, in closed glass or tin container

- Fill with about 4inches or 10 cm compost or soil mixed with manure

- Refrigerating or freezing seeds is good as long as the seeds are dry and sealed in airtight containers

- make sure the soil is moist - using a small stick we can draw a line of furrows (1” apart) in the soil on your seedling table

- Save the seed from the first fruit, thus selecting the early bearing gene for that variety. We can select those genetic characteristics that are best suited to our needs. that will be the strongest and give the best new plant

- drop seeds approximately 1 cm apart along the line or 1 seed per hole - cover with a very thin layer of soil (2 x the height of the seed) - spray water EVERY DAY so that it stays moist

TRANSPLANTING MY SEEDLINGS - In the evening, before dark (cool environment to get used to new location) - When the seedling has at least 4 “true leaves” - Dig a hole in the bed - Dig up your seedling - Mole up your seedling to the first leaves.

Make seedlings or Seed directly?

Some plants need to be prepared for life in the garden by making strong seedlings, while others prefer to be directly seeded in the beds. This is a guide to help you decide what to do with which seeds.

Seed directly in the beds: - All Beans and Peas - Raddish - Carrots - Corn - Okra - Squash - Watermelon - Melons - Pumpkin - Zuchini - Spinach

Make Seedlings: - Broccoli - Cabbage - Cauliflower - Kale - Collards - Pak Choy - Lettuce - Marygold - Herbs : Parsley, Cellery, Oregano, Basil, Thyme -

Make Cuttings: - Sweet Potatoes, Cassava, Mint, Chaya, Sugar Cane

It's your turn! keep track of your seed bank

It's your turn! keep track of your seed bank

Notes

Notes

Notes

References Many precious pieces of information were gathered in: Richmond Vale Academy's organic garden, seed greenhouse and seed nursery http://www.howtosaveseeds.com http://www.benhempto.org/seedtoharvest/gardenplanning https://www.seedsavers.org

Seeds “Seeds are the bearer of life and culture, yet most of today's commercial seeds are hybrid, sterile seeds that are bred for appearance, long shelf-life, and rapid growth. It is critical to preserve the diversity of traditional food plants by growing and saving open-pollinated seeds that produce hardy, nutritious plants not dependent on chemical fertilizers or pesticides.� . -Dawnland Native Seed Project -

Booklet by Camille B.