| You are welcome to use this article on
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| | crossing will only occur within a
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| your website or in your newsletter as
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| | species. Cucumbers won't cross with
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| long as you reprint it as is, including
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| | squash, and cosmos won't cross with
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| the contact information at the end.
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| | pansies.
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| Website URLs must be active links. You
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| | To avoid cross pollination, keep two
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| are welcome to use this article with an
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| | varieties of the same species separated
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| affiliate link,
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| | by as much space as possible. Some
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| For many gardeners, the garden actually
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| | species, such as corn, are
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| begins in January when the first seed
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| | wind-pollinated and the pollen can travel
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| catalog arrives in the mailbox. While the
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| | great distances. These plants must be
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| cold wind howls outside, we retire to a
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| | pollinated by hand and kept isolated from
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| cozy chair and leaf through the catalog,
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| | other varieties of their species. This
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| carefully notating which varieties of
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| | can be done with corn, for example, by
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| lettuce and tomatoes to try and wishing
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| | tying a small paper bag over selected
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| we had the space to plant each and every
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| | ears before the silk emerges, then once
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| flower so artfully displayed on its
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| | the silk has appeared it is hand
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| pages.
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| | pollinated with pollen from the same
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| But have you ever wondered where your
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| | plant or its healthy neighbors.
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| great-grandparents acquired the seeds for
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| | Seeds should be collected on a dry, sunny
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| their gardens, before there were seed
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| | day. Frost doesn't hurt most seed as long
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| catalogs and fancy garden centers?
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| | as the seed remains dry. Vegetables such
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| They saved seeds for the next year from
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| | as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes should
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| their own gardens!
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| | be allowed to become slightly overripe
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| Saving seeds from your own flowers or
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| | before their seeds are collected. Flower
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| vegetables is a wonderful way to fully
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| | seeds and vegetable seed such as lettuce
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| experience the cycle of plant growth.
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| | should be collected after the seedheads
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| It's also much less expensive than buying
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| | have become dry, but don't wait too long,
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| seeds each spring, and seeds saved from
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| | as many will shatter, meaning they'll be
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| your plants will be well suited to the
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| | dropped from the seedpod or seedhead if
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| peculiarities of your own garden's
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| | they remain on the plant too long.
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| growing conditions. Not only that, it's
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| | Cucumber, squash and tomato seeds need an
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| also quite a simple process.
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| | additional step before they are ready for
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| Save seeds only from vigorous, healthy
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| | storage. First the seeds must be
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| plants. Some plant diseases may be
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| | separated from the pulp, then dried.
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| harbored in the seed where it will then
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| | Scoop the seeds from these vegetables,
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| be passed on to the next generation of
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| | pulp and all. Place the whole mess in a
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| plants. So don't save seeds from a plant
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| | container of water and give it a good
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| that is obviously diseased or has
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| | stir, then let it settle a bit. The pulp
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| struggled all season. Collect seeds from
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| | will rise to the top while the seeds will
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| the plants that have the characteristics
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| | sink to the bottom. Carefully pour off
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| you desire, such as height, hardiness,
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| | the pulp, and repeat the process until
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| early or late ripening, flavor or vigor.
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| | most of the pulp has been poured off.
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| It is not recommended to save seeds from
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| | Then strain out the seeds and set them on
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| hybrid plants. Hybrids are the result of
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| | newspapers to dry.
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| crossing two genetically different parent
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| | Seeds should go into storage as dry as
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| plants, both of which have been severely
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| | possible. Give all seed a post-harvest
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| inbred to concentrate the desirable
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| | drying period of at least a week, just to
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| characteristics. The first generation,
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| | be sure they're dry. Spread them out on a
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| referred to as an F1 hybrid, is superior
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| | paper plate or newspapers in a warm area
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| to the parents. But succeeding
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| | out of the sun while they dry.
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| generations of plants grown from seed
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| | It's very important to keep the seed dry
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| saved from an F1 plant tend to randomly
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| | during storage. Store your dry seeds in
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| revert to the characteristics of the
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| | tightly sealed jars, metal film
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| original inbred ancestor plants.
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| | containers, or old vitamin bottles. To
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| Plants that are not hybrids are referred
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| | save space, smaller quantities of several
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| to as open pollinated. Many seed catalogs
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| | varieties of seeds can be stored in
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| will identify which of their seeds are
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| | separate envelopes inside a jar. A cool,
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| hybrids or open pollinated. If you intend
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| | but never freezing, garage, closed-off
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| to save your own seed, always start with
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| | spare room or cool basement can all be
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| open pollinated seeds. Some of these may
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| | good places for storing seeds. Or simply
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| also be identified as heirloom seeds.
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| | keep your sealed jars of seeds in the
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| These heirloom varieties have been passed
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| | refrigerator. Temperatures between 32 and
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| down for generations, often saved within
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| | 41 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.
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| one family for many years before becoming
| |
| | Be sure to label your jars and envelopes
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| available to the general public.
| |
| | so when spring comes around again you'll
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| Cross pollination is another concern for
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| | know which flower seeds and vegetable
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| the seed-saving gardener. Cross
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| | seeds you're planting, and include the
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| pollination often results in seeds which
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| | date the seeds were collected. Some seeds
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| have a different genetic makeup than that
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| | will remain viable for several years, but
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| of the parent plant. Pumpkins, squash and
| |
| | most will grow best if planted right away
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| small gourds may cross pollinate with
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| | the following spring.
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| each other, resulting in seeds that will
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| | Try saving some vegetable or flower seeds
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| grow to produce rather picturesque fruit.
| |
| | from your garden this year and grow them
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| Sweet corn will cross pollinate with
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| | next season. This endless cycle can allow
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| field corn or popcorn, and your 6-inch
| |
| | you to realize the endless joy of
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| marigolds will cross with your neighbor's
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| | gardening through all the seasons and all
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| 18-inch pompon marigolds. However,
| |
| | the stages of a plant's life.
|
