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