1. Seed Saving - TM Organics
There are two sorts of seed available, open pollinated and hybrid. Hybrid seed is created by
cross-pollinating two or more varieties to create a more vigorous plant. These plants are, more
often than not, sterile, which means that seed cannot be saved from them. Sometimes the seed
is viable, but very weak. Hybrid seed itself is weaker than open pollinated, illustrated by its
poorer germination rate. The purported advantages of hybrid seed include greater uniformity of
size and maturation, resistance to certain diseases, improved response to artificial fertilisers
and resistance to certain herbicides. While uniformity is a desirable attribute for the commercial
grower, the home gardener may prefer the longer harvest period of the more traditional open
pollinated varieties.
Open pollinated plants have better germination rates, often-superior flavour and often-superior
resistance to pests. A big attraction is that you can save their seeds without the prospect of
unpleasant surprises. Also, as the multi-national chemical companies have been buying up
seed merchants, there are fewer and fewer open pollinated varieties available. Unless you save
your own favourites, they may not be available in the future. A big advantage to saving seeds is
the opportunity it gives to develop strains that are particularly suited to your locality, or taste.
Into the bargain comes a significant cost saving.
Saving seeds from different types of plants requires a variety of approaches. Some are
self-fertile, both male and female organs residing in the one flower. Accidental cross-pollination
is infrequent with these sorts of plants. Some plants require the presence of several plants
cross-pollinating each other to set viable seed. If these plants are in the open, you must be sure
that the cross pollinating insects are not visiting other undesirable plants in the vicinity.
Commercial seedsmen often ensure distances of kilometres to prevent unwanted crosses, but
the home gardener can eliminate the odd undesirable plant from the breeding program. Another
alternative is caging the plants with insect-proof gauze and breeding a few insects, such as
houseflies, in the cage.
Fortunately, many garden plants are very easy to save seed from. Lettuces, tomatoes, peas,
beans, capsicums, and eggplants are all very reluctant to cross. These are all good plants for
the beginner to save seed from. The pumpkin family can be pollinated by hand.
It is important to know the genetic relationship of different vegetables to avoid unwanted
crosses.
The grass family, Gramineae, is represented by sweet corn in the garden. It will cross with
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2. Seed Saving - TM Organics
popcorn and filed corn.
The lily family, Liliaceae, is represented by asparagus, onions, garlic, chives and leeks. Leeks
will cross with pearl onions, but not the ordinary sort. Chives and asparagus will not cross with
the rest of the family. Garlic is propagated by bulb division and most varieties do not set true
seed.
The goosefoot family, Chenopodiaceae, includes beetroot, silver beet (chard) and spinach.
The cabbage family, Crucifera, includes many common garden vegetables and unfortunately
many weeds. Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohl rabi will all cross if
any are flowering at the same time. Chinese cabbage will not cross with the latter, but will cross
with turnips, radishes, swedes and mustard.
The pea family, Leguminosae, includes peas, French beans, broad beans, scarlet runner
beans, lima beans, soybeans and cow peas. None of these groups will cross with members of
the others. Note that climbing French beans are often called runner beans. Scarlet runners are
a short lived perennial, and despite their name, there is a white flowered variety, though it is
rare in Australia. Climbing French beans are mostly white flowered, though there is a variety
called Molly's, that has pinkish flowers.
The parsley family, Umbellifera, includes carrots, parsnips, parsley, celery, celeriac, and several
culinary herbs. Apart from celery and celeriac crossing, the only problem in this group is carrots
crossing with Queen Anne's Lace, a weed that some gardeners grow for the pretty flowers.
The nightshade family, Solanaceae, includes potato, tomato, eggplant, capsicum, chillies,
tobacco and several weeds. None of these will cross and crossing those that will cross takes
some effort. Even a distance of two metres reduces the chances of cross pollination to
negligible proportions.
The cucumber family, Cucurbitaceae, includes cucumbers, winter squash, summer squash,
pumpkins, zucchini, watermelons and melons. Despite some gardeners' claims, cucumbers will
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3. Seed Saving - TM Organics
not cross with melons or pumpkins. There is limited crossing between some members of winter
squash/pumpkin groups.
The daisy family, Compositae, includes lettuce, Jerusalem artichoke and salsify. Lettuces will
reluctantly cross with each other, but not the others.
The recommended isolation distance is the minimum. Some crossing can be expected at the
minimum distances. Those vegetables marked #, are easily kept pure following the directions
below. Those marked * are vegetables of which there are so few varieties grown that crossing is
not likely to be a problem.
Vegetable Life cycle Viability Pollinated Min. Isolation
Asparagus perennial 3 yrs insect 400 m Beetroot biennial 4 yrs wind 400 m
Broad bean annual 3 yrs self 50 m
Broccoli annual 5 yrs insect 100 m
Brussels sprouts biennial 5 yrs insect 100 m
Cabbage biennial 5 yrs insect 100 m
Capsicum annual 4 yrs self 2 m
Carrots biennial 4 yrs insect 400 m
Cauliflower biennial 5 yrs insect 100 m
Celeriac biennial 5 yrs insect 400 m Celery biennial 5 yrs insect 400 m
Chinese cabbage annual 5 yrs insect 100 m
Chive perennial 2 yrs insect 400 m Cucumber annual 5 yrs insect 150 m Eggplant annual 5 yrs self 2 m
French bean annual 3 yrs self 50 m
Kale biennial 5 yrs insect 100 m
Kohl rabi biennial 5 yrs insect 100 m
Leek biennial 3 yrs insect 400 m
Lettuce annual 5 yrs self 5 m
Melon annual 5 yrs insect 150 m Okra annual 2 yrs self 2 m
Onion biennial 2 yrs insect 400 m
Parsley biennial 2 yrs insect 400 m
Parsnip biennial 1 yr insect 400 m
Pea annual 3 yrs self 5 m
Pumpkin annual 5 yrs insect 150 m
Radish annual 5 yrs insect 400 m
Salsify biennial 2 yrs self 2 m #
Soybean annual 3 yrs self 50 m
Spinach annual 5 yrs wind 400 m
Squash annual 5 yrs insect 150 m
Swede biennial 5 yrs insect 400 m
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4. Seed Saving - TM Organics
Sweet corn annual 2 yrs wind 100 m
Tomato annual 4 yrs self 2 m
Turnip annual 5 yrs insect 400 m
The cucumber family are easily pollinated by hand. The plants set two sorts of flowers. The
female is easily distinguished by a swelling at the base. This will become the fruit. The male
flower has no swelling. Learn to identify which flowers are going to open the following day. Tie
some up with cotton or rubber bands to prevent the insects beating you to it. The following day,
remove a male flower and strip its petals. Open a female flower and rub the male part against
the female. One male flower will pollinate several females. The cucumber family do not mind if
the flowers all are from the one plant. Place a paper bag over the female flower for three or four
days, so the insects do not intrude. Mark the specially pollinated fruit by placing a ribbon around
the stem. The seeds of the cucumber family and the nightshade family all benefit from being
fermented in some lukewarm water for several days. This frees the seeds from the pulp and
destroys several virus diseases into the bargain.
Dry them thoroughly afterward on absorbent paper. All seeds should be dead ripe at harvest.
Wait until the seeds start to fall off, or out of the pods. This is called shattering. Because it is
dead ripe, home saved seed often germinates much better than commercially grown seed. The
best storage containers are brown paper bags. Clearly label them with the name of the variety
and the year of collection. Store them in a cool, dark place. A ten-degree lower temperature will
double the storage life of many varieties.
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