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Growing Heirloom Vegetables and Saving Seeds
This document provides information on growing heirloom vegetables and saving seeds. It defines heirlooms as open-pollinated varieties that are over 50 years old and will produce true-to-type seeds. Hybrids are crosses between parents that will not produce true-to-type seeds. The document discusses open-pollinated versus hybrid breeding and provides tips for growing heirlooms successfully, including using good cultural practices, trying a range of varieties, and being alert for problems. It also provides detailed information on seed saving requirements and techniques for different plant families.
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Growing Heirloom Vegetables and Saving Seeds
- 1. 3/19/2014 1 GROWINGHEIRLOOM VEGETABLES AND SAVING SEEDS Rebecca McMahon Horticulture Agent Sedgwick County Extension WHAT ARE HEIRLOOMS? Open-pollinated 50+ years old Saved seeds come true to type
- 2. 3/19/2014 2 WHATARE HYBRIDS? Crosses between at least 2 parents Saved seeds will NOT come true to type NOT GMOs (genetically modified organisms) HYBRID VARIETIES Parent A Parent B F1 Not Genetically Stable Hybrid
- 3. 3/19/2014 3 OPEN-POLLINATEDVARIETIES Parent A Parent B F1 Hybrid F1 Hybrid F1 Hybrid Self-Pollination OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES
- 4. 3/19/2014 4 OPEN-POLLINATEDVARIETIES 6th Generation! WHY HEIRLOOMS? FLAVOR! Unique colors, shapes, etc. Tender skin or flesh Other quality characteristics
- 5. 3/19/2014 5 WHYHEIRLOOMS? Want to avoid hybrids Maintaining genetic diversity Ease of breeding/selecting characteristics CHALLENGES WITH HEIRLOOMS Disease susceptibility Growth habit Low(er) yield Lack of uniformity of size & shape
- 6. 3/19/2014 6 CHALLENGESWITH HEIRLOOMS Longer/shorter harvest window Shelf life Tolerance of rough handling “NEW” HEIRLOOMS New OP varieties, some “improved” traits Hybrid varieties with some “heirloom” traits
- 7. 3/19/2014 7 KEYSTO SUCCESS ALWAYS use good cultural practices! Try a range of varieties Be alert for problems GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES Rotation! Appropriate plant spacing Staking/tying/caging Drip irrigation
- 8. 3/19/2014 8 GOODCULTURAL PRACTICES Mulching Adding organic matter Maintaining soil fertility TRY A RANGE OF VARIETIES Varying productivity Different responses to weather conditions Different tolerances of other conditions Plant more than one plant!
- 9. 3/19/2014 9 BEALERT FOR PROBLEMS Scout for insects & disease regularly Watch for abnormal growth/coloration BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS Treat at first sign of a problem Remove plants with viruses or severe bacterial infections
- 10. 3/19/2014 10 THINGSTO KNOW ABOUT SPECIFIC HEIRLOOMS TOMATOES Flavor Texture Cracking
- 11. 3/19/2014 11 TOMATOES Yield Green shoulders Uniform ripening Catfacing TOMATOES Long Days to Maturity Diseases Plant Size
- 12. 3/19/2014 12 PEPPERS Growth habit Yield Diseases MELONS Flavor Cracking Seeds & Seed Cavity
- 13. 3/19/2014 13 MELONS Over-maturity Huge vines Diseases SQUASH/ZUCCHINI/PUMPKINS Large seed cavity Huge vines Diseases Insects!
- 14. 3/19/2014 14 CUCUMBERS Huge vines Bitterness Diseases LEAFY GREENS May bolt quickly Flavor Disease
- 15. 3/19/2014 15 BEETS& CARROTS Root uniformity, shape, & quality Germination/seedling vigor Woodiness in older/larger roots BEANS & PEAS Pole or climbing types Yield “Strings”
- 16. 3/19/2014 16 “STORAGE”VARIETIES Intended for root cellar storage “Long keeper” tomatoes Other roots, cabbage, squashes SAVING SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR
- 17. 3/19/2014 17 PLANNINGTO SAVE SEED Research each vegetable Pollination requirements Isolation requirements Selecting & saving the right seeds Timeline for seed production Seed harvest, cleaning, and storage UNDERSTANDING FLOWER STRUCTURE
- 18. 3/19/2014 18 SELF-POLLINATINGPLANTS Have both male & female flower parts in each flower Will self-pollinate with no assistance Relatively easy to save seeds! Have to save from multiple fruits/plants to maintain a little genetic diversity INSECT POLLINATING PLANTS Require insects for pollination May or may not have lots of inter-crossing with related species
- 19. 3/19/2014 19 WINDPOLLINATING PLANTS Require wind to move pollen for pollination Usually highly promiscuous OUTBREEDING & INBREEDING Crossing between more distantly related plants Crossing between closely related plants or self
- 20. 3/19/2014 20 SOLANACEAE Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes Self-pollinating Can have some insect crossing Isolation or caging to prevent crossing TOMATOES Naturally inbreeding Certain types more prone to crossing Currant tomatoes, potato-leaved varieties, double blossoms on beefsteaks Save seed from best fruit of best plants
- 21. 3/19/2014 21 TOMATOES Remove seeds from fully ripe fruit Wet fermentation process Store dry, clean seeds in an air-tight container in a cool, dry area (or freeze)
- 22. 3/19/2014 22 PEPPERS Naturally inbreeding Insect cross-pollination is common 500 ft. isolation distance Caging individual varieties or bagging flowers PEPPERS Select fully ripe, fully colored fruit Scrape seeds off core and rinse clean Dry until seeds will break when folded Store in a cool, dry, dark area
- 23. 3/19/2014 23 LEGUMES Self-pollinating, but can be crossed by insects Best to keep multiple generations of seed Cages or blossom bags for isolation “Rogue out” non-typical plants CUCURBITACEAE (VINES) Insect pollination Separate male & female flowers Lots of crossing can occur between varieties! Less common between species Hand-crossing works best Maintain genetic diversity with many plants
- 24. 3/19/2014 24 CUCURBITACEAE(VINES) Harvest fully mature fruit (not when you eat it!) Let sit for 20 days to fully mature seeds Remove seeds and wash or ferment Dry & store BRASSICAS & UMBELLIFERAE Insect pollinated LOTS of inter-crossing Mostly out-crossing species Need LOTS of isolation for pure seed Timing of seed saving – second year of growth!
- 25. 3/19/2014 25 ALLIUMS& COMPOSITAE Insect pollinated In-breeders or self-compatible “Rogue” out off-types Don’t choose plants that go to seed early! Caging or isolation for seed purity CHENOPODIACEAE & CORN Wind pollinated Out-crossers Need miles of isolation or bagging to maintain seed purity Timing can be a challenge (with Chenopods)
- 26. 3/19/2014 26 RESOURCES Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener by Joseph Tychonievich Seed Sowing & Saving by Carole B. Turner Breed Your Own Vegetables by Carol Deppe SEED SOURCES Seed Savers Exchange www.seedsavers.org Native Seeds/SEARCH www.nativeseeds.org Southern Exposure Seed Exchange www.southernexposure.com Seeds of Change www.seedsofchange.com
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