Posted: 2/27/2010 7:52:45 PM EDT
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I was wondering about this and planning on starting an experiment with it this year. And I thought some of you survivalists might already have an answer, or at least guidance. Can a garden ripe vegetable be used as seed the following year?
I was considering a long term survival situation where the garden would become a necessity. I know that potatoes can be used as seed, but what about some others? Corn for instance; if it's ready for harvest can a few ears be kept for next years planting? Do I need to do anything to ensure the kernels are in fact seed? Squash? Cabbage? Peppers? What say you? |
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Quoted:
Where do you think seed comes from? The ultimate purpose of every organism on this planet is to reproduce. Okay. No Shit! I didn't realize the similarity between a kernel of corn and it's seed. 
What I'm asking, can corn, squash, or what ever simply be kept in the cellar to use for next years planting? Should seeding veggies be picked early, late, or as usual for harvest? Should they be dried or treated a certian way? Will leafy veggies mature to seed if left in the ground? These are some more specific question if you care to contribute. |
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We have a forum here for just such a purpose. Outdoors » Food & Garden
The answers to your questions are: Corn can, squash can't. Seed crop is usually left to fully mature and frequently left to dry on the plant. Usually dried but it depends on the plant, some need further treatment. Yes. |
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Quoted:
We have a forum here for just such a purpose. Outdoors » Food & Garden The answers to your questions are: Corn can, squash can't. Seed crop is usually left to fully mature and frequently left to dry on the plant. Usually dried but it depends on the plant, some need further treatment. Yes. Thank you. I found the garden forum after I posted, but in my short search, did not find anything about producing ones own seed. I will look again. |
| Seed saving is fairly straight forward. You need to make sure you have seed that is going to be true the following year. This usually means you want to plant non hybrid or open pollinated seed. You also need to make sure your plants dont cross. This means you can only plant one kind of corn for example. Some plants like beans and peas are easy. You let the plants grow until the plant is dry and them harvest the dry beans or peas. Squash and pumpkins need to have the seed scraped out and dried to save. Carrots, cabbage and beets ar biennial. They produce seeds every other year and most be replanted in thespring to produce seed. There is a fantastic book called "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ainsworth on seed saving. It is worth every penny. In our area there are a number of seed companies that specialize in OP seed. Fedco Seed, Johnnys Selected Seed and High Mowing Seed are all companies I have used in the past. We started playing with seed saving in the last couple of years and I hope to be growing all our staples with my own saved seed in another 2 years. It is the only way to ensure long term survival and good quality seed will be a huge trade item if TSHTF. IM me if you have any questions. |