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Jerry A Harrell
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 Chapters
Amariinth Arugula Basil Beans Bean Family Beets Beet Family Why Save Seeds? ................ ................................ 4
Broccoli Broomcom Brussels Sprouts cabbage cabbage Family
cantaloupe carrots carrot Family cauliflower Celery Chinese How to Grow Healt hy Seeds .. ......................................................... 6
cabbage Chinese Mustard Chives Collards Cilantro Corn Cotton
Cowpeas Cucumber Dill Eggplant Fava Beans Fennel Garlic Garlic Saving Heirloom Seeds . ................... 12
Chives Gourds Kale Lamb's Quarters Lettuce Melon, Honeydew
and Musk Mustard Okra Onion Parsley Pea, Garden and Snow How to Save Pure Seeds . ....................... 18
Peppers Pumpkin Radish Sorghum Squash Family Swiss Chard
Tomatlllo Tomatoes Turnip Watermelon Breed Your Own Varieties .. ............................. 24
Seed Isolation Dist ances . .......................... 30
2 Easy Ways t o use This Guide: Seed-Specific I nstructions ...................................... 32
Use the navigation above to jump directly to specific how-to
instructions for the vegetable you're looking for. Harvesting Your Seeds ........................................................................ 59

Start at the beginning and learn how to breed your own new Storing Your Seeds ....... ............................ 64
vegetable varieties, reproduce existing heirloom seed
varieties and save vigorous, free seeds from your garden. Heirloom Seed Sources .. ................................ 68
Bibliography ............... . ........................ 70
Bonus Chapter:
Indoors Seedling Planting, Germination, and Care... 72
 Your own Breeding Goals vs. Agribiz' Breeding Goals
Why Save Seeds?
Home ga rdener s are inter ested in:
Create New Varieties Adapted t o Your Con<frtions plants that are easy to care for, and; taste great.
Simply save seeds from all the plants which do well in your own garden each
year, and your seed collection will begin to adapt to your local conditions and Commercial breeders focus on a vel)'diffe.r ent set of traits:
shipping quality (I.e., harder fruits and vegetables), and;
gardening habits.
the abihty to be stored for long periods (lowering nutrition and taste
Using a few basic rules and some common sense, you can help this process for the convenience of Commerce).
along-and even use it to create new varieties specially adapted to your own
gardening conditions and culinary tastes. GMO's a nd Loss of Food Plants' Adapabiity
As scientists isolate and then 'splice' genes for pest resistance Into food plants
Read more : Breeding New Varieties from w ild relatives, an unexpected error occurs.

Save Mone y Wild plants resist insect pests through several natural defense mechanisms
Seed prices have risen steadily in recent years, at the same time as the number acting in cooperation. When these def ensive genes are spliced Into plants
of seeds in a packet has fallen---<>ften there are as few as 25 seeds In a packet one-at-a-time, the synergistic effect of several genetic defenses working
of commercial seeds. together is lost.

You can save your own seeds for free, usually, and you can save as many seeds Pests are often able to overcome the defenses of the individual genes in under
as you like. You can easily save enough seeds to have plenty for sharing with a deuide-after which those genes bewme ~ f or f urther
friends and other gardeners In local or online seed exchanges.. Tnidlng with protection.
friends can greatly Increase the number of different varieties you can
enjoy-without spending a cent!

Help Preserve Heirloom Seeds' Genetic Diversity

During the 1900's we experienced a startling drop in the number of heirloom
varieties-because gardeners stopped saving and trading their own seeds. When
w e rely on commercial seed companies, any seeds that sell slowly simply get
dropped from production and disappear.

This loss of varieties translates into lower genet ic variability In our food plant s.
Lower variability means lower adaptability t o stresses such as disease or climate
change. Each time a seed variety is lost, w e lose another chance to feed
ourselves in a world of changing climate and shrinking resources.

Read more: Saving Heirloom Seeds

Seed Saving is Satisfying a nd Easy Healthy Plants Make Healthy Seeds
Lastly-even w hile it's easy and takes little t ime-saving your own seeds is deeply The health of your seeds begins w ith the plants that produce them. Seed
satisfying. Watching your seeds grow and mature from flower to seed lets you producing plants should be robust and disease-free. Strong, healthy plants
connect deeply w ith Nature's cycles and seasons. Knowing how to produce the produce healthy seeds and seedlings that are larger, more-viable and
see<ls t hat you w ill use to plant your garden each year creates feelings of more-vigorous than seedlings produced by weak, diseased, drought-stressed or
self- reliance and empowerment. chronically-hungry plants. Small or misshapen seeds are shorter-lived under
storage conditions than larger, better-formed seeds.
How to Grow Healthy Seeds
Small seeds contain less stored food to help them emerge from the soil and
Characte,r istics of Healthy Seeds produce healthy seedlings. Although small seeds may show as high an initial
To grow the healthiest, most vtgorous plants, you must start with healthy, germination rate as larger seeds under ldeill conditions, they may lad the
robust seeds. strength to emerge from the soil-particularly under less-than-ideal field
Important characteristics of healthy seeds lndude: conditions.
Viability-what percentage of a batch of seeds will germinate?
Vigor-how vtgorous are the seedhngs produce<l? Purposely str essing Plants to Force Adaptation
SiZe-are the seeds large and fully formed? Sometimes plants are deliberately stressed early in their lives for the purpose of
Maturity-did the seeds have what they neede<l to mature fully? accelerating 'natural' selection. However, these stresses should be removed as
All these characteristics affect each other-none stands alone. Each is a much as possible as flowering time approaches In order to allow healthy seeds to
different w ay of measuring a seed's ability to survive and grow under normal form and develop.
conditions.
Jn an extreme case you might even stress your plants to the point where even the
Viabiity and Vigor w ell adapted ones make small, starved seeds (I.e., for faster results). Jn this case
Viability refers to the germination rate, which Is the percentage of a batch of plan on treating the seeds more carefully during planting and germination, and
seeds that germinates under Ideal conditions. Vigor refers to the strength of replant them every year as both their vlablllty (ability to survive storage and
growth of seeds once they have sprouted. germinate) andtheir vigor (ability to survive a~er germination) w ill be
compromised.
Viability and vigor are not separable-seeds which will sprout under ideal
conditions must have enough vigor to emerge from the soil, or they cannot be See Breeding New Varieties in this guide for more on creat ing new varieties
considered viable under field condit ions. better adapt ed t o your own gardening style, condit ions or goals. Or- for a really
thorough treatment of the subject-get Carol Deppe's book Breed Your Ow n
Size and Maturity Vegetable Varieties: T he Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed
Size and maturity are also Important, and Inseparable from viability and vigor. Saving.
The relative size and maturity of seeds relates directly to their survivability
w hen planted- for highest viability and vigor, seeds must be large and fully
mature. Large, mature seeds have more stored food to nourish the seeds
once they have sprouted, and produce strong, vigorous seedlings w hich have
a better chance of surviving and thriving under field conditions.

It is best to allow seeds to ripen to full maturity before they are

harvested-mature seeds have higher germination and survival rates than
seeds harvested at an immature stage. This Is because of natural metabolic
and cellular changes the seeds undergo as they mature, in preparation for
dormancy.
Remove Diseased Plants
Parent plants' health is not only Important to the health of the seeds they
produce, but can affect succeeding generations as well. Diseased plants pass
disease pathogens to new plants through their seeds (see Treating Seeds for
Viability and Disease Control).

Do not allow diseased plants to produce seeds; remove them from the growing
area (and dispose of them by hot-composting or burning) so they don't pass their
diseases on to their seeds or Infect healthy plants.

Early Seed Formation

The period of time when your plants are first beginning to flower is especially
important to final seed viability. Plants should be strong, healthy and minimally
stressed during early seed formation and development Give seed-producing
plants plenty of water, light and fertilizer early In their lives, so that they are
strong and healthy when Howertng commences.

Watering During Seed Formation

Sufficient moisture at flowering time Is particularly important to successful pollen
development and flower set. Too little water during flower initiation and early
seed development lowers seed yields, and can even hurt the health and vigor of
your finished seeds and seedlings.

Conversely, though, dry conditions are preferable during the latter stages of seed
maturation, when seeds have formed and are drying in preparation for dormancy
(see Seed Maturation, below).

Seed Mat uration

During seed maturation, warm (BOO to 9SOF), dry condit ions are most favorable
t o the final vigor, viability and storage life of your finished seeds (see note on
seed initiation, above).

Wetting mature seeds slows their natural process of preparing for dormancy,
extending the t ime during w hich their stored food reserves must be used for
respiration. This low ers the seeds' final dry weight and shortens their storage life.

Repeated w etting and drying of mature seeds on the plant delays dormancy
excessively, and can also damage seeds due to alternate swelling and shrinking
of seed tissues. If they are left on the plant during rainy periods, seeds may even
mold or mildew in their pods or husks. For these reasons, it is best to harvest
your seeds and bring them inside for final drying as soon as they are fully mature
and dry-especially if rains threaten (see Harvesting and Oeaning Seeds).
ove r-w..t e ring Biennial Plants
Biennial plants-such as collards, kale and chard for example-grow to maturity flow er in your garden, then all you may need for safe over-wintering Is a little
during one year, and then produce seeds early in their second year of growth. Jn exlra mulch. Most biennial plants will over-winter reasonably well in at least the
areas where w inters are mild, collecting seeds from biennial plants Is not a souttiern half of the U.S. If you live in ttie northern half of the U.S. or at high
problem. Jn colder northern dimes, however, biennial plants may need some altitude, use your own experience (or experiment!) to determine the level of
winter protection In order to survive harsh winters and produce seeds. protection your biennial plants will need to over-winter successfully.

A variety of means can be used to assist biennial plants in maklng it ttirough harsh
winters. Jn intermediate areas, biennials can be grown in cold frames (unheated,
plastic- or glass-covered endosures) that offer protection against the harshest
w eather. Greenhouses can also be used, though greenhouse space is usually
limited and most biennials need exposure t o a period of freezing weather in w inter
t o properly mature. A thick mulch applied after plants freeze back w ill probably
suffice in all but t he most extreme w inter climat es.

Heeling In
Another w ay to over-winter biennial plants in extreme climates Is to dig them
when extremely cold weather begins, and 'heel them in' over w inter In damp sand
or peat. Many biennial plant!>-Since they are typically accustomed to becoming
dormant over w inter-will keep safely during the coldest months In this way.
Dig plants to be heeled In with an adequate root ball, and remOl/e all but the
smallest lei!llE!s and ttie finer branches to keep moisture loss to a minimum. Then
bury ttie plants In moist sand, peat moss, sawdust or ottier relatiVely inert
material, leaving just ttie aowns of ttie plants exposed (since the aowns are likely
to rot if left buried). A tent of plastic sheeting will help protect the aowns against
drying out during their storage.

Keep the container w ith the heeled- in plants somew here temperatures will hover
around freezing (a little freezing is acceptable for hardy plants). Keep the stored
plants from hard freezes or from becoming dry or warm (if they get too warm
they'll resprout prematurely).

When early spring comes and temperatures are likely to stay above 28• F or so,
remove the plants from their storage places and plant them in containers. Then
store the newly replanted plants in a protected spot to harden off (become
accustomed to outdoor conditions) for two or three weeks before planting in ttie
garden. If you prefer to plant ttie over-wintered plants directly In the garden
where they will grow, It Is a good idea to provide some protection from wind and
full sun for at least a rouple weeks. This gives ttie tender plants a chance to
establish new roots and leaves before being exposed to harsh outdoor conditions.

Trust Your Own Experience

All t he above having been said, use your own experience as a final guide. If you've
had biennial plants (such as carrots or cabbages, broccoli, et c.) over-winter and
Saving Heirloom Seeds: Guidelines How to Preserve a Variety's Genetic Makeup
There are many ways you can accidentally change an heirloom variety-some
Different Techniques for Different Goals obvious, others more subtle. To successfully grow an heirloom variety for
What counts as 'good' seed saving practice is very different depending on preservation, it helps to grow, harvest, process and store your seeds with care
whether you want to: and a good understanding of their health needs.
create varietles adapted to your own gardening style and tastes; or preserve a
variety's genetlc makeup. Of course, you must also keep them from mixing or 'crossing' with other
varietles-which would ruin the batch of seeds for preservation purposes.
This chapter will tell you how to preserve an heirloom variety In Its original
genetic makeup. This is very different from growing seeds for adaptation to your Avoid Genetic Loss caused by Growing Practices
personal gardening climate, tastes and/ or habits. Here are some of the ways you can accidentally change a variety as a result of
the w ay it is grown:
Saving Seeds for Your Own Garden Plants intolerant of your particular grow ing conditions might die or produce few or
If you w ant to save seeds to plant in your ow n garden, changes can be desirable. no seeds-low eri ng their genes' representation in t he variety's gene pool (see ·
Many creative factors come into play as you choose w hich plants to allow to Avoid Unconscious Selection).
produce seeds, and w hich of those to harvest from w hen their seeds are mature. Plants can be cross-pollinated by other varieties, result ing in permanent mixing of
their genes ( see · Avoiding Cross-Pollination). Even simply growing too few plants
For more on how to save seeds that adapt to your own garden, see also can make a seed batch's gene pool too small, weakening that population of seeds
Breeding New Varieties. permanently (see · How To Avoid Inbreeding Depression in Corn, for example).

Saving Seeds for Heirtooin Preservation Most Plants Require Protection for Purity
When you grow seeds to preserve a variety, on the other hand, much greater Most vegetable (and flower) varietles must be kept protected, or 'isolated,' from
care is required since your goal is to ensure that di/the variety's genes are other similar varieties (i.e., same species) during flowering to avoid
transmitted from each generation to the next- any changes to an heirloom cross-pollinating the plants and mixing their genes. Seeds saved from plants that
variety are undesirable from a preservation standpoint. have been cross-pollinated by other varieties do not reproduce true-to-type.
Instead, cross-pollinated seeds produce plants with an unpredictable mix of traits
T he goal w hen you save heirloom seeds for preservation is to prevent any type from both varieties.
of loss or change due to outside infiuence (such as crossing by other variet ies, or
adapting to your local gardening conditions). You w ant t o preserve both the Crossing is not always undesirable if you enjoy experimenting (see Genetics and
entire range of genetic traits, as w ell as t he original balance of traits. Any Plant Breeding). Once crossed, however, the original set of genes Is permanently
selection for or against any of the variety's t raits would result In a change in the altered, and the original variety lost ( unless there are other seeds of the variety
variety's overall genetic composition. grow ing elsewhere). For preservtJtion purposes, [Link] between
cross..ble Vilrietles must be prevented by physically isolating the varieties from
In Preservation, Al Plants are Equal each other.
In practical terms, this means that for conservation purposes you want to:
nurture every plant Into maturity (except for diseased or dearly off-type plants); Plan Ahead to Avoid Cross- ~tion
and save equal amounts of seed from each plant. carefully plan your garden at planting time to avoid cross-pollinating heirloom
varieties. Before planning your garden's layout, study the isolatlon requirements
These two practices together help to minimize genetlc loss due to plants that and means of pollination of the plants you will grow for seed (see Details for
perform poorly In your garde~they might be another gardener's best Saving Seeds from Common Vegetables and Plant Isolation Distances).
performers!
Plan your garden to give plants the room t hey need to avoid crossing, to allow
room for caging, etc. Remember-even if you are not saving
seed from a particular variety, it may still pollinate other plants that you are Corn Needs 100+ Plants
grow ing for seed. A little time spent laying out your garden before planting can A plant know n to need a particularly large parent population for l ong-term breeding
save time and effort later- and can make the difference betw een producing pure health is corn. Corn needs at least 100 parent plants to produce healthy see
seeds or crossed ones. batches (200 are better). This means that at least 100 ears must be left on their
stalks to mature. If you're grow ing corn to eat fresh, you'll have to let an ear on
Not A l Plants W• Cross each plant dry on the stalk, or plant extra plants to save seeds from (see How t o
Happily, scme vegetable varieties are exclusively self-pollinating and can be grown Avoid Inbreeding Depression in Corn).
w ith virtually no danger of crossing. These plants include beans, cow peas and
tomatoes. Producing genetically pure seeds from these plants is as easy as Watch for Genetic Loss During Harvest a nd Processing
grow ing the plants and harvesting their seeds at the appropriate time (in the case Even after careful planning and adequate grow ing condit ions, loss of genetic
of tomatoes, see Why Ferment Some Seeds?). material can result if proper harvesting, cleaning and drying techniques are not
follow ed.
Plant different varieties of these plants far enough apart to avoid mixing them up
at harvest time, how ever (an especially good idea w ith vining plants). Losses can occur as a result of:
· allow ing seeds to be w etted by rains or irrigation w ater after they have
Prevent Inbreeding Depression begun to dry;
Collecting seeds from too f ew parents can damage a variety's genetic base, · selective seed collecting habits, i.e., collecting more seeds from plants
w eakening the variety seriously (called "inbreeding depression"). Since no that do well in your garden;
individual plant can contain all the genes belonging t o a variety (except in the case · injury during harvest or processing due to such causes as rough
of clones), some minimum number of plants is needed in order to maintain the treatment or overheating during drying, etc.
diversity and vigor of the variety. In general, the larger the number of plants
grow n t ogether, the healthier the population w ill be in the long term. Avoid 'Unconscious Selection'
As discussed earlier, the goal of seed preservation (as opposed to seed breeding)
How Many Plants Do You Need? is t o conserve a variety's entire range and balance of genetic characteri stics. I n
The exact number of plants you have to grow to keep a variety healthy depends practice, this is easier said than done. If you're not careful, it is relatively easy to
on the plant. One important question is: How variable are the individual plants reduce or alter a variety's genetic makeup w ithout even noticing that you're doing
w ithin the variety? Highly variable varieties need larger populations to preserve so until after permanent changes have already occurred.
their genetic base than are needed by more uniform varieties.
Allow ing unintended or unnoticed influences to change the genetic composition of a
Self-Polinating V arieties Need the Fewest Plants variety-a common danger in seed preservation efforts-is called 'unconscious
Another factor governing healthy population size is how pollination is accomplished selection.' There are a number of w ays this can happen. Accidentally crossing your
by the variety. For self pollinated plants such as tomatoes or beans, just a few variety w ith another variety is common and fairly obvious. Less obvious are
plants w ill suffice since these plants do not have to be cross-pollinated to produce changes due to unconsciously favoring some plants over others because of
seeds. Even self-pollinating plants, how ever, rely on a small amount of crossing perscnal gardening practices or local climatic conditions.
(typically 2% t o 5% per year) to reinvigorate seed populations, and can lose vigor
if too small a number of plants are grow n for too many seascns in a row. Unconscious selection can be caused by failure to nurture less-adapted plants int o
producing seeds, or by selective seed collecti on at harvest time ( such as taking a
Varieties That Are Both Self- a nd Cross-Polinating larger number of seeds from plants that perform better in your garden).
Plants that are both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated, such as peppers and
lettuces, alsc do not rely completely on cross-pollination- these varieties can Even if unintended, selection for locally-adapted traits w ill automatically occur if you
maintain their vigor w ith a relatively small number of parent plants (maybe 5 or save more seed from plants w hich do better for you (a good idea if you are trying
10). Larger plantings grow n every second or third year help to reintroduce genetic to change the variety to adapt it to your grow ing conditions, but not a good idea
variability and keep the population healthy. Again though, the best practice is w hen you're trying to preserve a variety).
simply t o allow as many plants to produce seed each year as is practical for your
circumstances.
If you save proportionally more seed from more successful plants, poorer
performers w ill start to become under- represented in the seed batches you
produce. The variety begins to adapt to Its circumstances, losing characteristics not
suited to your particular conditions (though these characteristics are part of the
variety's genome and may make It better suit ed to growing under other conditions) .

Even though choosing t raits adapted to your local conditions is part of producing
new, locally adapted strains (see Selecting New Strains from Existing Varieties), it
is not acceptable for preservation purposes. The reason Is that plants that don't do
well when grown under your conditions might do fine 1f grown by another
gardener. They might even be her best performers! It would be a mistake if some
of a variety's genes were lost forever simply because of some pewliarity in your
own dimate or gardening habits. Allow selection to take place only when it is your
specific goal to produce locally adapted seeds-but not when you are growing a
variety for genetic conservation purposes.

For these reasons, when growing seeds for preservation always save equal
amounts of seed from each undiseased plant. Saving seeds from eiJc/J pli1nt helps
ensure that all the traits within the wrlety are preserved; saving equiJ/ amounts of
seed from each plant helps ensure that the original balance and range of traits is
preserved.

Use over - Represented Seeds Productively

Rather than w asting extra seeds produced by plants that do w ell for you, they can
be saved and treated separately as a locally adapted strain. Keep two seed
batches-one with equal amounts of seed from each plant and another made up
mostly of seeds from your best adapted-plants. This is a good idea, since it results
in both preserving the original variety (all plants) llndin producing a new strain
adapted to your own grow ing condit ions (most-productive plants). After beginning
this process, the two strains would need to be treated as separate varieties and
isolated from each other.

Loss of Genetic Mate rial in Storage

Even after seeds have been properly grown, collected and processed, their genetic
mat erial can still change or be lost In storage. Changes can occur due to the death
of some of the seeds if they are stored for too long a time, or if they are stored
under unfavorable storage conditions (see Storing Your Seeds for Long Life).

Even seeds that survive storage and sprout after planting can suffer loss of genetic
material because of mutations that ocwr during long storage. Genetic mutations
increase in frequency as storage time Increases. Roots, especially, are susceptible
to loss of vigor in storage due to cellular mutations. Property dried and kept in
frozen storage, your seeds should remain vigorous in storage for the lengths of
time given in Details for Saving Seeds from Common Vegetables.
 Saving Seeds True-to-Type to gardening neighbors. Corn, a w ind-pollinated plant, can require a mile or more
How t o Avoid Cross- Po..,,tion for safe distance Isolation and members of t he Beet Family may need as many as
Plants which can be cross-pollinated by similar varieties are still easy to save if S miles!
only one variety of the same species is grown at a time (e.g.. one eggplant or
one pepper) . If using this method, however, make sure your neighbors aren't Many Factors Affect Distance Isolation
growing different varieties of the same plant, and that wild varieties of your The exact distance you'll need to safely isolate a particular crop depends on a
plants do not grow In the local area. Queen Anne's Lace Is the same species as number of factors. Central among these are the type of plant and how it Is
the common carrot. for Instance, and will aoss-pollinate your carrots-airrots pollinated (i.e., wind, Insects, self-or a combination of these). Also Important are
you grow from tile resulting seeds will not grow true to the variety you started the particulars of your growing situation ind uding exposure, dlmate, prevailing
w ith. w ind patterns and surrounding terrain and vegetation features.

'Isolate' Seed Plants for Genetic Purity Smal Plantings Mo re Sensitive to Crossing
If you w ant to grow more than one crossable variety of a species at a t ime and Relative size of plantings has an impact, too. Small plantings are more vulnerable
save genetically pure seed from any of t hem, you can prevent crossing by t o foreign pollen (w hether carried by w ind or insects) than large planti ngs, since in
'isolating' your heirloom varieties from each other. Isolation means to prevent a large planting foreign pollen Is spread among many more plants. Further, plants
pollen from different varieties being able to reach each other and on t he edge of a group are more vulnerable to crossing than plants In the middle.
cross-pollinating (i.e., mixing) the varieties. For t his reason, whenever a variety is important, collect seed from plants nearest
the center of a planting for greatest purity.
lhere are sever al ways to isolate heirloom varieties:
· plant the varieties far enough apart so that their pollen can't reach These and many other factors help account for differences between the
each other; distance-isolatiOn figures given by Suzanne Ashworth in Seed to Seed and those
· grow each variety in separate, saeened cages; given by the USDA or other authorities (see the Plant Isolation Distances ). While
· cover Individual flowers with bags; the USDA figures are based on large plantings, Ms. Ashworth's figures are
· time plantings so tllat different varieties are not flowering at the same better-adapted to the scale of the home gardener.
time, and so cannot pollinate each other.
Each of these methods Is discussed in more detail below. Trust Your Own Experience
Actual distances w hich w ill work for you may have to be determined
Seed to Seed experimentally. Until you know that smaller distances are safe for your condit ions
An excellent resource for learning more about techniques for protecting seed and plant varieties, use the larger distances. Caution is especially important w ith
crops is Suzanne Ashworth's excellent book Seed to Seed , available from rare or heirloom plants. If you experiment w ith smaller isolation distances, use
American Seed Alliance, an excellent resource for all seed savers. common varieties instead of rare ones in case of accidental cross-pollination.
Remember that once two varieties have crossed, their genes are Inextricably
Distance Isolation mixed.
The simplest way to Isolate varieties is to plant them far enough away from each
other so that cross-pollination is not possible (see Plant Isolation Distances ). The Wnd Po..,,tion and Distance Isolation
amount of space needed for safe distance isolation varies for different Distances needed for isolation of wind-pollinat ed plants varies with your
plants-and there Is always the risk that someone nearby may grow a conditions. Wind patterns and strength, existence of windbreaks, etc., all have an
aoss-pollinating variety, so get to know your gardening neighbors! effect. Wind-polhnated plants grown in wooded, low-wind areas will need much
less distance than tile same plants grown in vast, open, windy areas, for Instance.
Some plants can be protected from aossing by just a small distance, such as Pollen from corn, which Is relatively heavy, falls to the ground within 11 few paces
lettuces (25 feet between varieties) and eggplants ( 50 feet). Others, such as in a quiet protected spot, but can travel half a mile or more in open, windy areas.
peppers, stretch the possibility of distance-isolation in the average garden by Windbreaks are more effective for plants w ith heavy pollen like corn, than for
requiring 500 feet for safe Isolation betw een varieties. Bee-pollinated plants such plants w ith light pollen like beet s or lamb's quarters.
as the cabbage family (collards, broccoli, etc.), squashes and okra require from
1/ 2; to 1 mile for complete safety-often difficult to accomplish or verify, due
 For these reasons even plants which do not normally cross-pollinate may benefit
Insect Po5natlon and Dista nce Isolation from protection from nearby varieties of the same species in deserts or other
Isolation distances needed by insect-pollinat ed plants varies according to what sparsely-vegetated regions, or if their purity is particularly important.
animal or insect Is the pollinator, and on how plentiful local nectar and pollen
sources are. Jn areas where nectar and pollen sources are plentiful, bees and Tme Isolation
other pollinators do not have to travel as far in their foraging as In When distance isolation Is a
sparsely-vegetated areas. problem, caging is too costly
or troublesome, and you're
lf bees are the polhnators, distances needed also depend on whldl hives collect only growing a couple
from w here within your local area. Bee hives are territorial and do not overlap varieties in a season, you can
foraging areas-plants In one hive's territory won't be bee-pollinated by plants in a use 'time isolation' to prevent
neighboring hive's territory. For this reason, distances needed to Isolate crossing. Time isolation works
bee-pollinated plants In areas w ith plent iful, diverse veget ation may be a w ith any two varieties t hat
quarter-mile or less, w hereas distances for the same plants In sparsely-vegetated shed pollen over a limited t ime
areas might be a mile or more. and have sufficiently different
rates of maturation (as usual,
Self Polinatlon and Distance Isolation don't forget your gardening neighbors, who may be growing varieties that w ill
Self-pollinated garden plants' flowers include both male and female parts and are cross with yours).
receptive to their own pollen. This allows them to fertilize themselves. Among
self-pollinating plants, some are exclusively self-pollinated, whereas others can be To use time isolation, plant two similar varieties at staggered times. If property
fertilized either by themselves or by other plants of the same species. limes, by the lime the loter of the two varieties is flowering, the eorher variety will
already have finished flowering and will no longer be producing or reoeplive to
Self- .,.,..ators That Heed Protection pollen. Plant the eart1er, faster-maturing crop a couple or three weeks before the
Self-pollinating plants whose flowers are open during the time pollinatlon takes later, slower-maturing one. If they are plants which flower over a short time, the
place (such as okra or peppers) can either fertilize themselves or be pollinated by two flowering periods may not overlap at al l.
other plants (and so they do need some protection from crossing). Since they w ill
self-pollinat e, however, they can be caged w ithout worrying about letting insects Even if the flowering periods of two crossable varieties overlap a little, time
into their cages to pollinate them. isolation may still be an option. T he secret in t his case is to manually prevent
flow ers from blooming on both variet ies at once. Simply remove late flowers from
If these types of plants are grow n out of the w ind where bumblebees can't reach the earlier-flowering variety (after seeds have been produced) so that the later
them (i.e., in a greenhouse or coldframe, et c.), it w ill help to gently j iggle t he crop can pollinate and set seed w ithout being crossed. Remove flower buds w ell
plants a t ime or two per day to mimic the w ind and bees. This helps to move the before they open, since some varieties open early in the morning. This method
pollen around within their flowers. can w ork well w ith plants which produce seed over a long season, such as okra.

Self-Polinators That Heed Ho Pro tection From Crossing caging

Self-pollinating plants which fertilize themselves before their flowers open (such as lf safe isolation distances are not available and time isolation is not suited to the
tomatoes and beans) are exclusively self-pollinating. These do not need to be plant (as for basil with its long flowering period and numerous, small flowers),
isolated under normal circumstances, since by the time their flowers open they will 'caging' or 'bagging' techniques can also be used to insure against crossing. In
have already pollinated themselves. These plants also benefit from being shaken if caging, plants are protected by cages covered with mesh or fabric. The weave of
they are grown where wind and/or bumblebees cannot shake their flowers the covering must be small enough to prevent passage of insects or pollen
naturally. (depending on whether the plant is insect or wind- pollinated, respectively). Bags
over individual flowers or flower heads can be used for self or wind-pollinating
Even plants whose flowers are closed during pollinat ion, however, might plants. Jn this case the bags simply act as tiny 'cages'.
cross-pollinate under oertaln circumstances. Self- pollinating flowers can be forced
open by hungry Insects In areas w ith f ew nectar or pollen sources, for Instance.
Insect ~tion and caging Bagging and Ha nd Po5na tion
cages covered with regular w indow screen are fine for keeping Insects safely If none of the above Isolation techniques are practical for you, or you want to
away from insect- pollinated plants. Use large frames which hold the mesh away maintain a high degree of control over which plants pollinate each other, you can
from the plants Inside them, so that insects cannot reach flowers that might individually hand pollinate flowers or flower heads and endose them in doth or
otherwise press against the inside of dose-fitting cages. Build the cages large paper bags. This technique works well with large-flowered plants such as squash
enough for the plants at maturity, and place them over the plants as soon as they or daytilies.
start to flower (remove any flowers which open before the cages are put into
place). For more detail on any and all of these techniques, see Suzanne Ashworth's book
Seed to Seed.
Caging procedures vary according to whether your plants can self· pollinate (such
as peppers), or whether they are insect-dependent and so actually require
insects for pollination (such as squash or basil). If t hey are dependent on insects
for pollination, 'alternate day caging' w ill have t o be used.

Alternate-Day caging
Insect-dependent plants-which actually reqwre insects for pollination-must
have t heir cages removed periodically so t hat insects can reach their flowers and
pollinate them.

Plant two or three varieties and cover them with separate lightweight cages.
Once every other day (for two varieties) or every three days (for three varieties),
remove the cage from one variety (don't remove cages from any two varieties on
the same day, and replace the removed cage in the evening).

This exposes a different variety to pollinating insects each day, and gives each
variety a chance to be pollinated every two or three days. Remember, however,
that even removing just one cage at a time can still allow crossing If your
neighbors are growing plants t hat w ill cross yours.

Insect-pollinated plants which are also seffpollinating can be left In their cages
f ull time and w ill produce seed.

Wind Po5nation and caging

When using cages to protect w ind-pollinated plants from crossing, cover the
cages with a fine-weave fabric (such as spun polyester) that keeps pollen out but
allows air and sunlight to pass. Grow as many plants as possible Inside each cage
for a large genetic base. Shake plants or cages daily to help distribute pollen
inside the cages.

If the plants you're protecting are small and dosely-planted, spun polyester or
like material can simply be wrapped around the group and tied at the base to
form a frameless 'cage'. Be sure to thoroughly seal the bottom of the bag with
cotton, leaves or mulch, etc.
 Breed Your own Varieties Adv antages a nd Disadvantages of Selection
Create Your OWn Varieties! The selection process has complementary advantages and disadvantages. Careful
As a home gardener, you can easily develop new varieties adapted to your tastes consideration should be given to balancing these influences so as not to cause
and local d i mate, or to low-care gardening techniques. Often, all that's needed is damage to a variety's genetic health and diversity.
a sharp eye and an Idea of what to look for. Productive, low-care food plants are
especially important In these days of changing values, dedinlng resources and Selection By Itself low ers Genetic Diversity
chemical-dependent hybrid food plants. Selection used by Itself [Link] results in the loss of genetic material. Without
taking steps to counteract this loss, a selected variety's gene pool will be smaller
How t o Select a New Strain from an Existing Variety and less diverse than the gene pool of the original variety (a gene pool is the sum
According to Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, the easiest way to create new total of all the genetic tra~s contained in the entire populatiorr-no one plant will
plant varieties Is by simple 'selection.' Selection means allowing only plants thilt contain all the genes available to the variety as a whole).
show desirilbfe traits to produce seeds. If any plants don't show the traits you are
looking for, you prevent them from pollinating the plants you have selected. It's This genetic narrowing may include genes that are useful elsewhere, or under
possible to see changes in your variety t he very next season! different growing condit ions, or even under your ow n condit ions but In a different
year. The group of plants w ithin your new ly selected variety w ill not have the
Good candidates for selection might show better-than-average productivity under genetic ability to respond successfully to iJS wide " ,-,,nge of situations as the
your gardening conditions, or high drought tolerance, or particularly good taste variety that w as started w ith-<!ven though the new variety may be better adapted
for instance. After a few seasons of saving seeds from only plants with the to your situation during a particular grow ing season.
desired traits, a new strain can be a eated that is markedly different from the
original variety. The reason the new variety's gene pool will be smaller is that the new variety was
formed by subtTading traits from the original variety {by keeping particular plants
Be careful not to go overboard when deciding which plants will be kept from from reproducing). The practice of planting a few of the original variety's seeds
reproducing, however-a healthy degree of genetic variability Is essential to the With your new selection ts one way to help counteract this trend toward genetic
vigor of any breeding population. If you become too selective and reduce the total toss.
number of parent plants to too-low a number, your variety will soon weaken from
loss of genetic variability. Ways To Keep Your Selection Geneticaly Dive rse
The above point (i.e., selection narrow s the original genetic base) ts Important to
A good idea for maintaining some genetic diversity w hen selecting new varieties keep in mind w hen choosing a starting variety from w hich to make selections.
is to plant some seeds of the original variety in w ith your newly· selected seeds Don't start w ith a variety already overly-refined by earlier selections. Previous
each season-especially after a season or two of aggressively developing the selection means that characteristics w ill already have been lost that mi ght be
new traits. This w ill slow the process of creating your new variety over the short usef ul under your conditions.
term, but w ill ensure that your seeds maintain their vigor over the long term
because of having a sufficiently broad range of genetic characteristics. Start Wrth a Diverse Variety
If you can find an older, more variable variety to start w ith, you'll have a broader
An interesting example of ensuring continued vigor in a new variety by range of potentially-useful characteristics to select from. Greater initial variation
occasionally reintroducing some of its original ancestral genetic variab1hty is the gives you a better chance of finding the adaptations you are looking for, while still
traditional Mexican practice of allowing an occasional teosinte plant (corn's Wild ending up With as genetically diverse a population as possible.
ancestor) to grow among the com plants in their fields. The campeSinos know
that the wild teosinte will add genetic variability, adaptability and vigor to their Mix Some of Your Favorite Varieties For a Wider Genetic Base
domesticated seed stocks. Another way to keep your new selection from becoming too genetically-narrow is
to grow two or more varieties together for a couple years, and then start selecting
your new strain from the resulting mix.
Advantages of Selection The more plants w ith the desired traits that you allow to breed and produce seed
The main 1Jdwmt119e of selection is that plants from your newly selected variety for succeeding generations, however, the w ider (and hence more stable) will be
will more consistently eld1ibit the traits you prize ... good taste, prettier foliage or the genetic base of your new variety.
Howers, better adaptation to your growing conditions or dimate, etc. By
selecting the indM dual plants in a variety that perform well for you and FSK!Slg Selection Material
discarding those less adapted, you can create a more useful variety from a less The best plant varieties to start with show a high degree of variation between
useful one. individual plants. Some seed companies (see Plant Breeding Resources) sell
'breeding' varieties which are ideal for the purpose of selecting new strains
Selection vs. Pr eservation because of their genetic variability.
It is important to remember that selection must be secondary to preservation of
the original genetic material. If you are grow ing a variety for preservation An example of a highly-variable variety w ould be an old 'Indian corn' that has
specifically, do not select out plants that perform poorly for you. If you do, you multi-colored kernels ranging through reds, blues, yellows, white and black. Older
may discard genetic material valuable to someone else under different traditional and heirloom plants often contain more variation than newer varieties
condit ions. and w ild plants show even greater variation between indiv iduals. Natur e is fluid '
and ever-changing, so unique traits can be found in any plant population, wait ing
When a variety Is preserved intact, selections can alw ays be made later. Once to be preserved as new varieties.
selections have been made, however, the genetic material discarded is lost
permanently unless somebody, somewhere is preserving the original variety. 'Land races' are another good source for the genetic variability that lends itself to
Though completely avoiding loss of some genetic material as a result of local selection. Land races, which come from a plant's geographical place of origin, are
growing conditions Is virtually impossible, for preservation purposes an attempt an intermediate step between wild and domesticated plants. They have never
is at least made to save all the original traits. been inbred into distinct. uniform varieties, and often still interbreed wrth nearby
wild ancestors. This Infusion of wild genes invigorates the domesticated plants
D' you want, you can practice both selection and preservation simply by treating and widens their genetic base.
the two batches of seed (preserved and selected) as separate varieties (see
Avoiding Unconscious Selection and Avoiding Cross-Pollination). Forcing Selection for Low-car e Plants
One possible type of selection is aimed at adapting a variety to require less care
How to Make Breeding Selections under your own specific local growing conditions. This process can be accelerated
To select for local adaptation or other t raits, grow your starting variety as usual. by purposely stressing a planting until some percentage of the most-susceptible
It's best to start w ith a large planting, to increase your chances of finding plants die or fail to produce seeds. The remaining plants are then better-adapted
enough individual plants with the traits you are looking for. The plants may even to t he stressing condit ions. Repeat ing this process for several generations can
be planted a little too closely and pruned to allow planting more plants in a produce a variety significantly better adapted to your climate, soil and gardening
smaller-than-usual area. The primary short-term goal is to Identify and save habits than the starting variety.
seeds from as many plants as possible w ith the hoped-for characteristics. An example of purposeful stressing would be to force for drought- resistance by
letting the most drought- intolerant young plants die of water stress before the
Actual selection can begin to take place as soon as the plants show desired or survivors are allowed to grow to maturity and produce seeds. Similar selections
unwanted traits. Allow individual plants to Hower and produce seed only if they can be made for low fertility, season-extension (i.e., frost-tolerance), etc.
share the trait or traits you're looking for. Or, several groups with distinct traits
can be selected and bred into several new varieties. When selecting for more Be sure when stressing plants for selection purposes, however, to allow the
than one distinct group of traits, of course, best results will come from keeping plants time to recover from the stresses and regain some vigor before flowering
the newly-selected groups isolated in subsequent plantings, to allow them to starts, in order to Insure good, healthy seed crops.
stabilize into new varieties without cross-pollinating each other.
Keep in mind that seeds produced by plants which have been stressed
Be sure to remove unwanted plants before they have had a chance to shed (purposefully or otherwise) are not likely to live as long in storage as seeds
pollen, or they w ill contribute unw anted genes to your preferred group of plants. produced by more robust plants. When stressing plants to produce adapted
seeds, replant the stressed seeds more often than you would plant normal, Creating and stabilzing 'F2' Hybrids
healthy seeds of that variety. On a mor.e [Link] level, 'Fl' (conventional 'hybrid') plants can be produced by
hand-pollinating a female of one variety with a male of another variety (or even
Hybridizing and stabiization two plants from different, but dosely related, species). The female Is then
While cross-pollination Is to be strictly avoided when growing a variety for allowed to produce seeds while being kept from crossing with any other plants.
preservation, crossing Is not an absolute 'taboo.' Just as tniditional Mexican This controlled method produces very specific, reproducible hybrid crosses (this
farmers have leamed to naturally hybridize their com plants with teosinte to 1s how commercial hybrids are produced). Varying levels of care and difficulty are
increase vigor, home gardeners can hybridize their own favorite plants to increase involved, each beyond the scope of this handbook.
the vigor and diversity of their seed stocks. By allowing varieties to 'hybridize' or
cross-pollinate, new populations with more diverse gene pools are produced. The Fl hybrids are usually produced from two distinctly different, open-pollinated
hybridized, highly-variable varieties that result can then be regrown for several parent varieties. While the resulting first-generation hybrid offspring (the 'Fl'
generations in order to select from and stabilize them into new open-pollinated generat ion) are outwardly uniform, each Fl plant actually contains great genet ic
diversity.
varieties that breed true-to·type.

Again, however, don't practice hybridization w it h rare heirloom varieties in need When t hese Fl offspring mature and produce seeds, very diverse 'packages' of
of [Link]! Use only varieties w ith plentiful sources, or first create a good genes are mixed to create the second ( F2) generation. Unlike the
quantity of seed grown specifically for preservat ion purposes and then experiment apparently-uniform Fl generation, the F2 generation w ill show a w ide range of
w ith JUst a small quantity of those seeds. different physical characteristics.

How to Create Open-Po5nated Plants from Hybrids F2 hybrid seeds are not 'stabilized' Into varieties, however, Md so do not reliably
New open-pollinated plants can be created by crossing, or 'hybridizing,' two or reproduce true-to-type offspring. Stabilization is achieved by replanting for
more varieties and then simply regrowing the resulting cross normally, until it is several generations and selecting (if desired) for desirable tniits as described
sli!bilized into a new open-pollinated variety. Hybrid plants am be created by a above. Remember to segregate plant groups chosen to form new varieties, to
vanety of means, from very simple to quite complex. allow them to breed only with each other. In this way the new, selected-for traits
stabilize and will be reproduced consistently by subsequent generations.
On a very simple level, one or more favorite varieties of plants which will
cross-pollinate (peppers, for example) can be grown together and allowed to You've created a new variety adapted to your own, local gardening conditions
and cooking tastes!
naturally cross. During the first generations a mixed group of characteristics will
be [Link]. The mixed plants can then either be allowed to continue mixing and
learn More
stab1hze naturally, or they can be separated into groups that share particular t raits
found in the init ial crossings. T o learn more about breeding new veget able or fiower varieties right In your
ow n garden, read carol Deppe's excellent book Breed Your Own Vegetable
Another simple way to work w ith hybrids for selection and stabilization is simply to Variet ies: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving.
plant your favorite commercial hybrid variety(ies) and allow them to produce
seeds. Then collect and replant the seeds over several generations, selecting for
desired traits or allowing the plants to blend naturally. Jn this way you can
sli!b1hze new, open-pollinated varieties with unique combinations of traits, and no
longer have to rely on the original hybrid variety.
 How a Plant is PO•na ted Ma tte rs
Seed Isolation Dist ances
The w ay a given plant is pollinated makes a difference as to distances needed,
using Dist ance t o Keep Seeds fro m Crossing
too. Wind pollinated plants will need more room on an open plain than they would
Perhaps the easiest way to keep similar varieties from crossing Is simply to plant
need in forested areas or In cities where trees and/or buildings help block winds.
similar varieties far enough apart that their pollen cannot reach each other (called
Bee pollinat ed plants may need more room in arid lands where bees must travel
"distance isolation"). Distance isolation requires no equipment or special skills, but
farther to forage for nectar than bees in more densely-vegetated areas. In actual
it does rely on your hll\ltng a good idea of who is growing what in your immediate
practioe, many factors can combine to change the distances needed for safe
area (not always possible).
true-to-type seed saving.
Which Distance Figures to Use?
Looking at the table below, you'll not ice that there are two different columns of Experimen t and Observe
figures given for safe dlstanoe isolation. The first column shows the distances The most practical thing for most home gardeners w ill be to use a blend of the
given by Suzanne Ashworth in her excellent book on seed saving, Seed to Seed. recommended distances, considering such factors as:
The second column gives the same figures as specified by the Unit ed Stat es • level of purity desired;
Department of Agriculture. • size of plant ings Involved;
• whether you've had problems in the past w ith similar crops;
Purity v s Ease and Practicaity • how pollination Is effected (i.e., by w ind, insects, etc.);
As you can see, Ashworth's distances are significantly larger than those given by ... and so on. After a few seasons' practice and experimentat ion you'll have a good
the USDA... there are at least two reasons for this difference. The first reason is f eel for t he different factors Involved and for how picky you feel you need to be in
that Ashworth Is concerned with keeping seed samples very pure, which involves order to get satisfactory results. Remember, the enormous variety of seed
preventing any possibility of crossing with different varieties. In fact, the USDA varieties that have been developed over the millennia relied to a great extent on
uses several 'grades' of quality of seeds' genetic purity, and does use much accidental (or purposeful) crossing of different varieties, with the resulting plants
greater distances for the higher grades. selected for the traits that make them most successful in a given area or for a
given purpose or taste. Exper1menting can be a large part of the fun!
In general, the distances given by the USDA will be sufficient to prevent most
crossing. The home gardener can easily weed out the occasional plant that does
not grow true to type, or even t ake adivantage of t he crossing to possibly discover
a new variety that they'll like even better than the original.

Size o f Planting A ffects Distances Needed

A second reason for the differences in recommended distances Is that the USDA
addresses mostly commercial seed grow ers growing extensive plantings of t he
same variety. In very large plantings, almost all undesired crossing happens
around the edges of the plantin~in f act the highest grades of certified
genetically- pure seed are taken from t he centers of large plantings (at specified
distances from edges), and the outsides used for lesser, commercial grades of
seed.

Ashworth's figures are aimed toward home gardeners, whose seed crops may be
composed of just a few plants left to seed after the main harvest of food has
been made.
Amaranth This trait of readily throwing seed suggests that arugula may be recently
Amaranthus spp. domesticated, since long-domesticated plants tend to hold their seeds for a
Amaranth is self-pollinating, but will also cross-pollinate (possibly even between longer time after maturing Seeds from plants that release their seeds early
different species). Further, wild amaranths are common in most areas failed to be collected and replanted when agrirulture started, thus genetically
worldwide. IndMdual heads can be bagged to allow growing several varieties in favoring those plants which hold onto their seeds for a longer time after
proximity or to ensure that wild plants don't cross the plants you're growing. maturing.
From Y2 mile (green amaranths) to two miles (grain amaranths) are needed for
reliable distance lsolatlon. Arugula seeds will last for 4 or more years if property stored. See also Cabbage
Family.
Grain amaranths may need support to keep the plants from falling over as they
mature because of their large, heavy seed heads. Collect the seed heads as they Basil
dry on the plants and store in closed paper bags to finish drying (many of the Ocimum basilicum
seeds will shed naturally). Don't let the seed heads get wet after they dry. Chaff Basil relies on insects for pollination, but can be reliably isolated by as little as
easily blows away after seed heads are crumbled-watch for thorns or prickles 150 feet since most of the pollinating insects are small and don't travel far.
in some plants! Different basil varieties will cross each other.

If germination Is slow, lightly stir the soil's surface ... amaranth seeds need some Harvest seed heads as they dry and allow to finish drying in a warm, dry spot.
sunlight after a period of darkness to germinate. This trait adapts them to Seeds are easily removed by crumbling the dried flower heads and then
disturbed or overtumed soil, hence one of their common names, ' plgweed," blowing away the chaff. You can practice over a plastic sheet at first until you
so-called because they would germinate in hordes in an area after pigs had get the hang of It.
passed and tumed the soil, exposing their seeds to the light so they could
germinate. Plants cut back after harvest will grow another set of leaves for harvest-and
even produce seeds again-if your season is long and hot. A branch or two of
Cut seed heads when they are becoming dry and hang them upside-down in each plant can eaSily be left to go to seed while collecting leaves for cooking
large paper bags or over tarps to collect the tiny seeds. The dried heads can with from the rest of the plant.
easily be crumbled In the hands and the chaff gently blown away if you're in a
hurry. Basil seeds will last up to S years if properly stored.

Amaranth seeds can last for many years if properly stored, and can sprout in the Beans
garden even after several years in the soil. Phaseolus spp.
Beans are self-pollinated, and different bean varieties do not commonly
Arugula cross-pollinate each other. Similarly colored varieties should be separated by
Eruca sativa enough distance to keep the vines from intertwining, to make them easy to
Arugula is self-sterile-insects must be able to reach the flowers of different distinguish at harvest. Allow pods to dry on the vines before picking and
plants for pollination to occur. Different varieties of arugula will cross each other shelling, then finish drying the beans in a dry spot.
and must be separated by Y2 mile for safe distance isolation. Arugula will not
cross other members of the cabbage Family. If you're eating your beans green, allow just one or two pods per plant to
remain and mature for seed.•. too many pods maturing on an lndMdual plant
To save seeds from arugula, leave plants in the ground to overwinter after will cause It to stop setting more beans and concentrate on maturing the ones It
harvesting leaves for eating during the growing season. As with any member of has.
the cabbage Family, allow seeds to ripen and dry on the plant In the spring-but
do not leave for long after they are dry or the pods will shatter and the seeds Pick beans for seed after the pods are ripe and have dried on the plants. Don't
disperse-arugula pods are thin-walled, and shatter quickly after drying. allow dried pods to get rained on as the beans may quickly mildew or sprout in
their pods. When very dry many pods will split on their own to drop their seeds;
the rest can be easily crumbled In the hands and t he finer chaff blow n aw ay after
removing the big pieces. Finish drying the beans in a dry spot indoors or under
cover.

Bean seeds, properly dried and stored, w ill keep for 4 years.

Bean Famiy
Leguminosae
Mem bers of the Bean Family are self· pollinating and aossing is uncommon, but
rare varieties can be separated by 100 feet to Insure purity.

In most cases, saving bean seeds Is as simple as waiting for the pods to dry on the
vine, collecting the seeds, and completely drying them before storing in j ars.

Separat e different bean plantings by enough distance to avoid having their vines
intertwine, however, or harvesting can become troublesome with similarly-colored
varieties.

A danger with members of the Bean Family Is late summer rains, which can
moisten seeds drying in their pods while still on the vine, T oo much moisture
during seed maturation lowers the viability and storage life of the finished seeds,
and can even cause them to sprout or mildew while still on the vine. Pick mature,
di)' pods every day or two and don't save seeds w hich have been w etted by rains.

Bean and cow pea seeds, properly dried and stored, will keep for 4 years.

The Bean Family includes the follow ing species:

· Cicer arietinum: garbanzo beans, chickpeas.
· Dolichos lablab: purple hyacinth bean, lablab.
· Glycine max: soybean.
· Lens culinaris: lentil.
· Phaseolus acutifolius: tepary beans.
· Phaseolus limensls: llma beans.
· Phaseolus lunatus: butter beans.
· Phaseolus vulgarls: common bush and pole beans.
· Pisum sativum: garden and edible-podded peas ( except cow peas,
chickpeas), field peas (P. sat ivum var. arvense).
· Vigna aconitifolia: mat beans, moth beans.
· Vigna angularis: adzukl beans.
· Vigna radiata: mung beans.
· Vigna unguiculata: cowpeas.
· Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis: yardlong beans.
· Vida faba: fava beans.
Beets Shake the plants together within their bags or cages regularly, to help the pollen
Beta vulgaris mix move around inside the cage/bag for good pollination.
Beets and Swiss chard will cross-pollinate, as they are from the same species.
Beets/chard must be separated by wind-proof caging, bagging or up to 2 to 5 miles The Beet Family includes the following species:
of distance to ensure purity as their wind-blown pollen is exceedingly small and • Beta vulgaris: beets, chard.
light. • Chenopodium album: lamb's quarters.
• Chenopodium ambrosioldes: epazote.
lt's easy to leave the base and center of chard plants to over-winter, flower and • Chenopodium giganteum: magenta-centered lamb's quarters.
produce seeds while still eating plenty of leaves. However, to save seed from beets • Chenopodium quinoa: qulnOll.
you'll have to plant 20 to 30 plants to leave In the ground to over-winter if you • Spinada oleracea: spinach.
want to get seeds. You can harvest tasty beet greens for the first part of the
season, and you can crowd the plants a bit. You don't have to pamper them with
lots of room, water and fertilizers to get plenty of seeds in the spring-just make Brocmi
sure they're big enough to get through the winter and re-sprout. Brassica oleracea
Insect-pollinated, biennial broccoli will cross, and must be Isolated from, all other
Allow beet seeds to fully mature and become dry on the plants before harvesting. members of B. oleracea by one mile for rehoble dostance isolation (see cabbage
After final drying the seeds am be easily rubbed off the stems. Beet seeds will last Family). Since broccoli plants are mostly self-Infertile, they should be planted in
for up to 5 years if properly stored. groups of at least 10 or more plants to maintain a decent genetic base and seed
viability.
Beet Family
Chenopodiaceae Harvest central heads and some secondary shoots for eating, then leave a healthy
Wind-pollinated members of the Beet Family have vet)' light pollen and need up to side shoot or two on each plant to over-winter and flower for seeds.
2 to 5 miles for safe distance Isolation. Chard and beets are in the same species
(Betula vulgaris) and must be Isolated from each other or they will cross. Different Harvest seed pods before the pods split open naturally, but after they have fully
Beet Family species will not cross· pollinate, so that one beet or chard, one quinoa matured and dried on the stalks-the seeds will not continue ripening after the
(Chenopodium quinoa), one red (Chenopodium giganteum) and one white (C. plants or stems are cut. Finish drying upside-down in paper bags or hanging in
alba) lamb's quarters, one orach (Atrlplex hortensls) and one spinach (Spinacia bundles over a tarp. When the plants are completely dry, any seeds that haven't
oleracea) can all be grown together without danger of crossing. naturally fallen out of their seed pods are easily removed by crumbling the pods.

You can bag or cage varieties of the same species for isolation, but techniques Broccoli seeds will last for S years If properly stored. See also Cabbage Family.
vary depending on whether the species will self-pollinate or not. Quinoa and lamb's
quarters are self-pollinating, so large paper bags can simply be fastened over
individual seed heads for protection from cross-pollination. Since quinoa and
lamb's quarters produce many small seed heads up and down their stems, mark
the protected seed heads so that you can tell them from unprotected ones at
harvest time.

Beets, chard, orach and spinach will not pollinate themselves. These plants need to
be caged or bagged in groups so that they can pollinate each other. At least 10 or
more plants should be induded In each cage or bag for adequate cross-pollination,
and to help insure that there are twice as many female as male plants.

Bags or cages need to be windproof to prevent intenningling of the very light

pollens.
Broomcorn cabbage Family
Sorghum bicolor Brassicaceae
Let broomcorn seeds ripen fully on t he plants before harvesting, then place them Mostly self-infertile, bee-pollinated members of the cabbage Family
in paper bags and hang somewhere to finish drying. Broomcorn ( a sorghum), can ( Brassicaceae) require up to a mile for distance Isolation. Members of the same
grow to over 12 feet tall and may need support In windy areas. Broomcorn species in the cabbage Family w ill cross-pollinate, which presents a problem in
seedhead stems are still used to this day for making... well, brooms. species with many members. For Instance collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi and kale (except Siberian kale) are all Brassica
Broomcorn seeds will last 4 years If stored properly. See also Sorghums. oleracea and will cross each other. Brassica rapa indudes all the turnips, Chinese
mustards and Chinese cabbages. Different spedes within the cabbage Family will
Brussels Sprouts not cross.
Brassica oleracea
Insect-pollinated, biennial Brussels sprouts must be kept isolated from all other Brassicas are mostly biennial-they grow and mature in the first season, then
members of B. oleracea by one mile for reliable distance isolation (see cabbage over-winter before setting seed In spring of their second year. In colder areas
Family for the complete list). where Brassicas don't make it through the winter { they're very hardy), they can be
over-wintered in pots in the greenhouse and then transplanted into the garden in
Brussels sprouts are mostly self·lnfertile, so seed should be taken from early spring to flower and produce seeds.
groupingss of at least 10 or more plants. A few sprout heads can be left on each
plant to over-winter and flower, so the same plants can produce both sprouts for Since most Brassica seeds remain viable for four or more years, four varieties of a
eating and seeds. single species can be grown at a time and seed stocks maintained if only one
variety is allowed to flower and set seed each year. Alternate-day caging is
Like other members of the Cabbage Family, seed pods must mature and dry on another option for isolating two or three crossable varieties at a time (the cages
the plant before harvesting. The pods open readily once they've dried, however, must be removed periodically to allow bees to pollinate the flowers... see
so don't tarry after seed pods are dry. Alternate-Day Caging).

Seeds of Brussels sprout s will keep for 4 years If properly stored. See also Brassica seeds will not continue to ripen after harvesting, so allow them to mature
Cabbage Family. and dry completely before removing them from the parent plants-but don't tarry,
either. In many Brassicas the seed pods shatter and release their seeds just days
after they have matured and dried, especially In hot, dry weather.
cabbage
Brassica oleracea The Cabbage Family includes the following species:
Insect-pollinated, biennial cabbage must be kept isolated from all other members · Brassica juncea : mustard greens.
of B. oleracea (see list under Cabbage Family) by one mile. Since cabbages are · Brassica nigra : black mustard.
mostly self-infertile, they should be planted in groups of at least 10 or more plants. · Brassica napus: rape, Siberian kale, rutabaga.
· Brassica oleracea : broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower,
Since you can't have your cabbage seeds and eat 'em, too, you'll have to plant a collards, kale.
separate small area w ith 15 or so cabbages to leave alone to over-winter and · Brassica rapa: turnip, Chinese cabbage, Chinese mustard.
produce seed { it's fun to watch the new cabbage shoots burst strangely out from · Eruca sativa: arugula, roquette, rocket salad.
the cabbage heads in the spring). Pick seed pods after they have fully matured · Raphanus sativus: radish, dalkon.
and dried on the plants, ideally just after the pods have become brittle and just
before they split and spill their seeds.

cabbage seeds can remain viable for 4 years if properly stored. See also cabbage
Family.
cantaloupe Although it is true you can replant carrot tops and get a seed crop from them in
Cucumis melo the spring with care (they don't root quickly), It takes only a small area to let a
cantaloupes rely on insects for pollination, and will cross other members of c. few carrots remain for seed every year or two.
melo ( see a list under Squash Family). Different varieties of C. melo should be
separated by V. mile for safe Isolation. Allow carrot seed umbels to ripen and dry on the plant before harvesting and
cleaning. After fully drying, the seeds crumble readily from their umbels. carrot
Pick cantaloupes for seed saving when the tendril nearest the melon is completely seeds will last 3 years if properly stored. See carrot Family.
dried, then store the harvested cantaloupe Intact for another 3 weeks before
removing and deaning the seeds. Fermenting the seed/pulp mixture for 3 to 4 carrot Fa rniy
days before deaning can help prevent passing disease and fungus from generation Umbelliferae
to generation, but is not required. See deaning Wet Seeds. Self-sterile Umbelliferae (also known as the carrot Family) are dependent on
insects' bringing pollen from other plants for fertilization. Umbelliferae require up
cantaloupe seeds will keep for up to S years If properly stored. See also Squash to 1 to 3 miles for reliable distance Isolation. Members of different varieties within
Family. the same species will cross, but members of different species will not cross.

Bagging or caging can be used to separate varieties of the same species, in which
case hand pollination is necessary. Use a soft-bristle brush to transfer pollen
between umbels on different plants during the time the tiny individual flowers are
blooming (up to 30 days per umbel).

Alternate-day caging can be used for growing two varieties of the same species
without hand pollinating, if you are certain that no crossable wild or domesticated
varieties of that species are growing within a mile or so-but whether any of your
neighbors are growing different varieties of the same species (e.g., carrots and
carrots, dill and dill, etc.) within a mile would be difficult to verify.

The Carrot Family includes the following species:

• Apium graveolens: celery and celerlac.
• Anethum graveolens: dill.
• Anthriscus cerefolium: chervil.
• Coriandrum sativum: coriander, cilantro.
• Daucus carota: carrot.
• Foeniculum vulgare: fennel.
• Petroselinum crispum: parsley.

carrots
Daucus carota
Insect-dependent carrots-1ndudlng wild and cultivated varieties of Queen Anne's
Lace-will cross-pollinate and must be separated by V> mole for safe isolation. Jn
areas where Queen Anne's Lace Is a common weed, ot woll be slightly more difficult
to save carrot seeds as caging would exclude the small insects the carrots need for
pollination. Jn this case hand-pollination will be needed... see carrot Family.
cauliflower Chinese Mustard
Brassica oleracea Brassica rapa
Insect-pollinated, biennial cauliflower will cross other members of B. oleracea (see Chinese mustard will cross other members of B. rapa-includ1ng Chinese
list in cabbage Family) and needs 1 mile for safe distance Isolation. cauliflower cabbage, turnips and broccoli raab-and should be separated from any of these
plants are mostly self-lnfertlle, and should be planted in groups of 10 or more by one mile for rehable distance isolation. Since Chinese mustards will not
plants for continuing viability. self-pollinate, they should be planted in groups of 10 or more plants.

Since cauliflower heads don't resprout after harvesting, try one of two ways to get Don't pick seed pods before they have dried naturally on the plants or the seeds
seeds. By rutting carefully, you can leave a branch or two of cauliflower head on will not fully mature. Pick pods as they dry as they will shatter and drop their
the plant to heal and flower in the spring. Probably more reliable would be planting seeds quickly.
a separate planting j ust for the seed- these plants would need half or less of the
usual amount of room, water and nutrients, as small heads from 10+ plants would Chinese mustard seeds will last 5 years if properly stored. See also Cabbage
still produce plenty of seeds. Family.

Pick seed pods promptly 11fternot before-they fully mature and dry on the Chives
plants. They won't ripen further after the plants are picked. Allium shoenoprasum
Commonly reproduced by division of bulbs in the garden, insect-pollinated chives
Cauliflower seeds will last up to 5 years if properly stored. See also Cabbage also produce viable seeds. Chives cross with other chives (except Garlic chives,
Family. which are A. tuberosum); separate varieties by one mile for safe distance
isolation.
Celi!ry
Apium graveolens Let a few dumps of chives flower in the spring and collect the seeds when flower
Biennial, insect-dependent celery will cross with other celery or celertac varieties heads are thoroughly dry. The seeds will easily crumble out of the dried flowers.
and needs one mile for safe dista nce isolation. Cut stems high or remove
individually from the outside of the plant for eating, then leave a healthy portion of Short-lived Allium seeds last j ust one or two years with good germination... they
stump in late fall to over-winter and produce seed in the spring. Allow seeds to dry are best replanted annually. See Onions.
completely on plants before harvesting.
Colards
Celery seeds are long lasting and can be kept for 5 or more years when properly Brasslca rapa
stored. See Carrot Family. Insect-pollinated, biennial collards will cross other members of 8. oler acea (see
list in Cabbage Family) and needs 1 mile for safe distance isolation. Since collards
Chinese cabbage are mostly self-infertile, they should be planted in groups of 10 or more plants,
Brassica rapa and some seed collected from each (healthy) plant.
Chinese cabbage will cross other members of B. rapa-including Chinese mustard,
turnips and broccoli raab-and should be separated from any of these by one mile Plants can be eaten from normally-just leave a few leaves in the fall to
for reliable distance Isolation. Since Chinese cabbages will not self-pollinate, they overwinter and make seeds in the spring. Let the seeds mature fully and pods dry
should be planted In groups of 10 or more plants. on the plants before harvesting-but don't wait too long or the pods will shatter
and you'll lose the seeds.
Leave the hearts In 10 - 20 plants in the fall to over-winter and go to seed. Let
seeds mature fully and pods dry on the plants before harvesting, as Qibbage Collard seeds can last up to 4 years if properly stored. See also Qibbage Family.
family seeds do not mature well off the plant. On the other hand, don't wait too
long as the pods shatter and release their seeds readily after drying.

Chinese cabbage seeds will last up to 5 years if properly stored.

 Once a batch of seed Is produced from too f ew parents, the genetic base of that
Cilantro group of seeds is permanently narrowed unless new genetic material can be
Coriandrum sativum introduced. Thus, an inbred seed batch's genetic base can be broadened by
Quick-to-bolt cilantro (or coriander) crosses with other cilantro varieties and can mixing the batch with a healthy batch of the same variety grown by a different
be safely isolated with V2 mile of separation between varieties. Allow seeds to grower.
dry completely on plants before harvesting.
Inbreeding is better avoided than 'fixed', however. Grow at least 200 com plants
Olantro seeds wdl last for several years when properly stored. See Umbelliferae. to avoid inbreeding depression. Remember to collect some seeds from each
plant, and make sure that at least 200 plants are induded in the planting, with at
Com least 100 allowed to produce seed. If too-few plants survive to produce a healthy
Zea mays seed batch, mix the batch with more seeds from another batch before replanting.
Wind-pollinated corn requires up to a mile for safe isolation in exposed areas.
Exact isolation distances w lll depend on neighboring growers and w ind patterns,
w indbreak protection, et c. (corn pollen is relatively heavy and falls to the ground
quickly under quiet conditions).

Instead of distance, "time Isolation" can also be used-plant a first,

faster-maturing corn crop early enough so that its ears have been pollinated, and
their silks dried, before a second, later-maturing crop's tassels have begun to
shed pollen (see Time Isolation in Preserving Existing Plant Varieties).

Com is not self·polhnating-pollen must be carried by the wind from tassels of

one plant to silks of another for pollination to ocwr. Seeds which do not get
pollinated will not form kernels. For this reason it is important for good pollination
to plant com In blocks Instead of in a single long row.

Allow corn ears to mature and dry on the stalks, but harvest as soon as the ears
are dry to keep them from getting rained on or the kernels may rot or sprout.
Watch also for ants attacking kernels. Let corn kernels continue t o dry thoroughly
on the cobs (with husks shucked) in a protected spot. After the kernels are
thoroughly dry, rub them off the ears with your hands.

Be sure to harvest seeds from at least 100 plants to keep your seed population
strong from year to year (see How To Avoid Inbreeding Depression In Corn,
below).

Sweet com seeds remain viable for up to 3 years when properly stored; starchier
dent, popcorn and Hint corns can remain viable for 5 or more years.

How To Avoid Inbreeding Depression in Com

A prime consideration when growing com for seed is the size of the 'parent'
planting. Com represents an extreme example of the necessity for growing a
large enough number of plants to avoid 'inbreeding depression'. Inbreeding
depression-weakening of a population by too narrow a genetic base-ls a direct
result of collecting seed from too few parents.
Cotton Dill seeds remain viable for 3 or more years if properly stored. Also see Carrot
Gossypium hlrsutum Family.
Insect-pollinated cotton plants need at least 800 feet for reliable distance isolation.
Eggplant
Alternate-day caging Is practical, since the plants are not over1y large. In most
urban locations it Is unhkely that neighbors will be growing cotton, but precautions Solanum melongena
should be taken if you are growing a rare or difficult-to-replace llllr1ety. Self-pollinating Eggplants can be safely isolated by 50 feet of separation.

Allow cotton seed pods ('bolls') to pop open completely, eicposing the cotton fibers Eggplants should be left on the plants until w ell past the eating stage before
within, before harvesting the seeds. The small bean-sized seeds are found within harvesting for seed. The eggplants will have gone past their normal, ri pe color and
the cotton and are fairly difficult to remove in any quantity-it's easy to see how become translucent and dry (usually a dull, unattractive whitish, yellowish, or
brownish color).
important the cotton gin is to the cotton industry after you'v e cleaned a few cotton
seed heads! It's a good idea to keep eggplants off t he ground during ripening, since they may
begin t o rot w hen they rest on the ground. Clean seeds according t o the
CoWf'.K"'S w et-cleaning process outlined In Cleaning Wet Seeds.
Vigna unguiculata
Cow peas are self-pollinated, and different varieties of cowpea do not commonly Long-lasting eggplant seeds w ill remain viable for 5 or more years If properly
stored.
cross-pollinate each other.

Fava Beans
Allow pods to dry on the plants before harvesting, and don't allow the dried pods
Vida faba
to get rained on. Try to llVOid using seed pods for seed saving after they have
been thoroughly wetted as the seed may be compromised (or even sprout in the Fava beans are self-pollinated, and different varieties do not commonly
pods!). aoss-polhnate each other. They CiJn be crossed by insects, however. and should be
caged or isolated by 100 feet if purity is important
Cowpea seeds, properly dried and stored, will keep for 3 or more years. See also
Bean Family. Wait for pods to fully dry on the plants before harvesting. Quickly harvest and dry
any pods that get wetted by rain, and discard any seeds that have gotten soaked.
Cucumber s
Cucumis sativus Fava seeds, properly dried and stored, will keep for 3 or more years. See also Bean
Family.
Cucumber varieties w ill cross each other (except Armenian cucumbers, w hich are
actually C. melo) and should be isolated by Y2 mile for reliable distance isolat ion
between varieties. Fenne l
Foeniculum vulgare
Cucumbers should be left on the vine t o ripen to well past t he eating stage before Fennel w ill cross w ith other Fennel varieties and should be separated by Y2 mile for
being harvested for seed, and then aged another 20 days In the cvke before the safe distance isolat ion. Allow umbels to dry completely on plants before harvesting
seeds are removed and deaned. seeds.

cucumber seeds are long lasting and may remain viable for as long as 10 years Properly stored, fennel seeds will keep for 3 or more years. See also carrot Family.
under good conditions. See Squash Family.

Oil
Anethum graveolens
Dill is insect pollinated and different varieties may cross unless separated by one
mile. Harvest Individual heads as they dry on the plants, since they ripen over a
period of time.
Garic to finish drying. Many of the tiny seeds w ill f all out naturally, and the remainder
Allium sativum can be crumbled from the heads and w innowed.
Garlic is not commonly reproduced from seed; save healthy bulbs and replant
indMdual doves separately. lf you want to save and replant seeds from garlic for Lamb's Quarter seeds are very long-lived. See also Beet Family.
breeding purposes, just harvest the seed after the Rower heads have dried on the
plants. See also Onions. Lettuce
Lactuca saliva
Garic Chives Lettuce is self-pollinating, but plants can cross under some circumstances. 25 feet
Allium tuberosum of separation is generally sufficient to prevent crossing, however.
Garlic Chives can be reproduced by division of clumps or by saving seeds. Allow
seeds to dry thoroughly on plants before collecting. Seeds are short-lived and While each flower opens only during the morning of one day, the flowering period
should be planted within 1 or 2 seasons. See also Onions. is long and there are almost always flow ers blooming on the plants. This means
that a flowering plant will have flowers and seeds in all stages of maturity.
Gourds
Lagenaria sicerarla Gather dried seed heads (they are easy t o recognize) every couple or three days
Gourds can cross other hard-shelled gourds ( except ornamental colored striped as they ripen and dry, or wait until most seed heads have dried and hang the plant
or w arty 'gourds', which are Cucurbita pepo) and should be separated by Y:z mile upside down over a tarp or in a paper bag (harvest dry seeds If rains threaten).
for reliable distance Isolation. Allow gourds to thoroughly dry on the vines before
harvesting for seeds. Lettuce seeds can remain viable for 3 years if properly stored.

Properly dried and stored, gourd seeds will last for several years. See Squash Melon, Honeydew and Musi<
Family. CUcumis melo
Melons will cross other members of C. melo and should be separated by Y:z mile
Kale for reliable distance Isolation. Melons produce wet seeds. Allow melons to ripen on
Brassica oleracea vines until skins are hard, then store for an additional 3 weeks before remOving
Most kales are Brassica oleracea, and will cross with other members of this and cleaning their seeds. See Cleaning Wet Seeds.
species such as cabbage, collards, broccoli and cauliflower. Siberian Kale,
how ever, is Brasslca napus and will cross w ith rutabagas and rape, but w ill not Melon seeds can be kept for up to 5 years if properly stored. See also Squash
cross w ith the members of B. oleracea. See also Cabbage Family. Family.

Let seed pods mature and dry on the plants before harvesting, or the seeds will
not be fully mature. Harvest quickly after drying, though, as the pods often shatter
and drop their seeds soon after they dry.

Kale seeds can last up to 4 years if properly stored.

Lamb's Quarters
Chenopodium spp.
There are two species of lamb's quarters, the green {C. alba) and the
magenta-centered ( C. giganteum). Varieties in the same species will cross, but
green and magenta lamb's quarters will not cross each other.

Allow seed heads to dry on the plants, and then hang upside-down In paper bags
Mustard Closely planted groups of plants can be caged or bagged and then hand- pollinated.
Brassica spp.
Varieties of mustard within the same species will aoss each other, but there is no To hand-pollinate, remove covers and use a fine, light paintbrush to mimic the
aossing between varieties of different species. This means you can safely grow action of visiting Insects, thoroughly mixing pollen between several flowers. Make
one vanety of mustard greens (8. juncea), one Black mustard (8. nigra) and one sure to hand-pollinate the flowers during a time (such as eariy morning or late
Chinese mustard (8. rapa) without danger of crossing-if your neighbors aren't evening) when insects are not present, and replace covers quickly and securely.
growing them.
Allow seeds to ripen and dry on the plants, then harvest quickly to avoid losing
Separate varieties from the same species by Yi mile for reliable distance seeds. Onion seeds are short·hved and should only be stored for one or two years
isolatiorr-t his includes wild members of t he species, however. Since mustards before planting.
have escaped cultivation and become rampant in most parts of the world, caging
w ould in many (If not most) cases be needed to ensure absolute purity for Parsley
important varieties. Petroselinum crispum
Insect-dependent and biennial, parsley can cross ot her parsley variet ies and should
Let seed pods dry fully on the plants before you pick them, but watch closely as the be separated by 1 mile for reliable distance isolation. Allow seeds to mature and
pods may shatter quickly. dry on the plant s before harvesting.

Mustard seeds will last for 4 or more years if properly stored. See cabbage Family. Parsley seeds can be kept for 2 or 3 years if properly stored. See carrot Family.

Okra Pea, Garden and Snow

Abelmoschus esculentus Pisum satiwm
Insect-pollinated okra needs at least \4 to 1 mile for safe distance Isolation. Time Self-pollinating peas do not readily cross-varieties separated by SO feet are
isolation is practical for growing two varieties in one season, since okra is a reasonably safe from crossing. For even greater certainty for preservation
long-season plant (It may be commonly grown in your area, however, so don't purposes, they can be bagged or caged.
forget the neighbors). Save seed from the eariy planting before the late one starts Allow pods to reach full size before harvesting the seeds-ideally, pick pods after
to flow er ... to safely save seed from t he lat er planting, you might at some point t hey have dried on the vines. Peas are susceptible to mold If wetted after drying,
have to pull the early planting, or prevent t heir flow ers from opening and crossing how ever. If peas have reached full size, they can be harvested before they are dry
the later planting. if rains threaten. After t he pods are completely dry, t hey crumble easily to release
the seeds.
Caging can also be used, but large cages w ould be needed as plants can be f airly
tall (plants planted later in the season w ould flow er before getting as tall as Pea seeds remain viable for 2 years if stored properly. See also Bean Family.
earlier-planted ones).

Allow pods to dry on t he plants until they begin a aclcing, then split open to remove
seeds and finish drying. Okra produces a high percentage of 'hard seed' (seeds
with seed coats which are not readily permeable to water) and can be slow to
germinate after thorough drying or long storage. For best germination, soak okra
seeds overnight before planting to give hard seeds time to Imbibe water.

Okra seeds can be stored for up to 4 years.

Onion
Allium cepa
Insect-pollinated Onion Family plants need up to 1 t o 3 miles for safe isolation.
 Sorghums
Peppers Sorghum bicolor
capsicum spp. Self-pollinated broomcorns, grain sorghums and cane sorghums are all In the same
Self- or insect-pollinated, pepper varieties of the same species will cross-pollinate. species (Sorghum blcolor), but they do not cross readily with each other. For
There is no crossing between varieties of different species, however. You can certainty with rare var1eHes, though, they can be bagged (individual flower heads),
safely grow one hot or sweet pepper (C. annuum) and one Tabasco pepper (C. caged (shorter types) or separated by 600 feet
frutescens) without danger of their aossing.
Allow the seeds to dry on the plants before harvesting and winnowing. Use of
Peppers within the same species can be safely isolated by 500 feet of separation, diatomaceous earth In stored seeds is advisable since sorghum seeds are attractive
or they can be caged since the plants are not overly large. Allow peppers to ripen to pests.
and dry fully on the plants before harvesting the pods. Wash your hands thoroughly
w ith soapy water after harvesting hot pepper seeds, since the residues w ill burn Sorghum seeds wlll last 4 years if stored properly.
eyes and lips for some t ime after contact!

Pepper seeds w ill keep for 2 or 3 years if properly stored.

Pumpkin
Cucurbita spp.
Pumpkins can belong to either C. maxima or C. pepo. Varieties within these
species will cross each other, but C. maxima will not cross C. pepo. Find your
pumpkins' species from the seed company where you purchase them, or look them
up in Suzanne Ashworth's excellent seed saving resource, Seed to Seed.

Pumpkins produce wet seeds (see deaning Wet Seeds). Store fully-ripe pumpkins
for 3 weeks after harvesting before removing and deaning the seeds.

Pumpkin seeds, like those of other members of the Squash Family, benefit from
fermenting alter being removed from the fruit- see Why Ferment Some Seeds?.

Pumpkin seeds w ill keep for 5 or more years if properly stored. See also Squash
Family.

Radish
Raphanus sativus
Radishes will cross other radishes including daikon, but not turnips (Brassica rapa)
or other members of the Cabbage Family. Separate radish and dalkon varieties
from each other by Y, mile for safe distance isolation.

Pid. pods after they dry completely on the plant Pid. every day or two, as the pods
will break open naturally to release their seeds soon after drying.

Radish seeds can last 4 or 5 years if properly stored. See also Cabbage Family.
 Squash seeds can be fermented for higher germination and better
Squash Family disease-resistance (see Why Ferment Some Seeds?-don't ferment seeds if they
Cucurbitaceae appear to have already naturally fermented while w aiting in the wet fruit, as
Bee-pollinated members of the Squash family ( Cucurbitaceae), require up to a evidenced by the smell and appearance of the seeds and pulp).
mile for distance isolation. Different species of Cucurbitaceae do not
cross-pollinate, so one variety from each species can be grown together without Alter fermentation, dean the seeds by pouring off pulp and dead seeds (seeds
danger of crossing. For Instance, one variety of crookneck or zucchini ( Cucurbita which will float are dead and should be discarded). use the same deaning
pepo), one butternut or acorn squash ( Cucurbita moschata), one watermelon
directions as for tomato seeds (see d eaning Wet Seeds). Whether you've
(Citrullus vulgaris), one cantaloupe or muskmelon (Cucumis melo), one luffa fermented the seeds or not. rub them underwater between your fingers gently but
( Luffa aegyptiaca), a hard gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria) and a cucumber (Cucumis thoroughly w hile cleaning them, to remove the naturally occurring gel from their
sativus) could all be grown together without crossing each other. coats. Dry the cleaned seeds on a shiny surface (t hey will stick to paper) until they
are brittle, but -as always!-do not use heat.
Find out from your seed company w hich species your varieties belong to, or
consult. Suzanne Ashworth's Seed to Seed for a comprehensive fisting of
The Squash Family Includes t he following species:
Cucurb1taceae varieties and t he species t o w hich each belongs (there are no
· Citrullus vulgarls: watermelons, citrons.
reliable, general rules for non-botanists to determine species). · Cucumis melo: muskmelons, cantaloupes, honeydews.
· Cucumis sativus: cucumbers.
Insect-pollinated and are self-infertile, if Cucurbits are isolated by caging, bees · Cucurbita maldma: banana, buttercup, hubbard and turban squashes,
must be allowed to reach and pollinate the different varieties on alternating days
some pumpkins.
(see caging). · Cucurbita mbcla: cushaw ( except golden) squashes.
· Cucurbita moschata: butternut, golden cushaw and cheese squashes.
Cucurbits can also easily be pollinated by hand (use pollen taken from the same · Cucurbita pepo: acorn, crookneck. scallop, spaghetti and zucchini
varie_ty). Alter hand-pollinating the flowers, replace the cages, or bag or tape squashes, small striped and warty ornamental gourds, some pumpkins.
mdMdual flowers shut to prevent further pollination. For more detail, see Seed to
· lagenaria siceraria: hard-shelled gourds.
Seed. · Luffa acutangula: angled luffas.
· Luffa aegyptiaca: smooth luffas.
Squashes should be fully mature before harvesting-for summer and other soft
· Sechium edule: chayotes.
squashes, this Is well past the eating stage. Harvest when skins are hard and
leathery. Melons should be f ully ripe before they are picked, as some w ill not
complete ripening of their seeds if they are picked too soon. Harvest melons only
after the vine tendril nearest the individual melon in question has dried and
withered, and w ait another 3 w eeks before opening the melon to harvest t he
seeds. Clean the seeds according to directions in Cleaning Wet Seeds.

Allow dry-seeded members of the Cucurbit family (i.e., gourds, luffa) to dry on
the vines until the shells are dried and the seeds inside rattle if shaken. Open the
gourd and dean the seeds by winnowing.

Alter harvesting wet-seeded Squash family fruits, store the unopened fruits for
another 20 days before removing the seeds. This is because some squash family
seeds gain in size and viability for 20 days after harvesting. After the 20 day
waiting period has passed, cut the fruits open and remove the seeds to prepare
them for storage.
sunflower Tomatilo
Helianthus spp. Physalis ixocarpa
Insect-pollinated sunflowers need from Y:z to 3 miles for isolation. Wild Tomatillos are self-pollinating and do not commonly aoss, but can either be caged
sunflowers-which will aoss most rultivated varieties-are very common, making or separated by 500 feet for certainty with purity.
reliable distance Isolation diffirult at best Uncommon species (such as Sliver-Leaf
Sunflower. H. argyophyllus) can probably be grown without danger of aossing, Allow the fruits to ripen thoroughly on the vines, then harvest the fruits to remove
but most varieUes will require bagging or caging for certain Isolation. Cllging is not and d ean the seeds as described in aeaning Wet Seeds.
practical for most sunflowers because of their stze.
Tomatillo seeds can be kept for up to 3 years if properly stored. See also
Since some varieties are self-infertile and have to be pollinated by pollen from Tomatoes.
other plants, caged or bagged sunfiowers should be hand pollinated. Once a day
while fiorets are blooming (one to two w eeks per head), unbag two heads at a Tomat oes
time and gently rub them together or use a soft-bristle paint brush to transfer Lycopersicon lycoperslcum
pollen from one head to another. Hand pollinate a different pair of heads each Almost all modern tomatoes can be safely grow n w ithout isolation and w ill not
t ime if possible. Rebag seed heads promptly after pollinating to keep insects from cross-'currant' tomatoes (such as Cherry Tomatoes), and 'potato· leafed'
interfering. tomatoes (such as Brandywine) are possible exceptions and may cross other
currant or potato· leaf variet ies. Grow as many standard tomatoes as desired, but
Allow sunflower heads to dry on the plants before harvesting whole heads and grow only one currant tomato or one potato-leaf tomato at a time to ensure purity
hanging them upsJde-down in a protected spot to complete drying. The seeds can (or cage them, or separate varieties by 500 feet). Currant and potato-leaf
then be removed from the heads by vigorous rubbing. Store and plant the seeds in tomatoes will not usually aoss with common tomato varieties.
their kernels for protection.
ll's best to not plant all a Vllluable variety's seeds in one season until you are sure
Sunflower seeds can be kept for 5 or more years if properly stored. it doesn't aoss with any other Vllrieties you grow.

swiss Chard Allow tomatoes to ripen thoroughly on their vines to at least the eating stage
Betula vulgarls before harvesting them to collect their seeds. Upon harvesting, tomato seeds are
Swiss chard and beets are wind-pollinated and in the same species. All varieties of best fermented in order to remove a germination- inhibit ing gel which covers the
beets and Swiss chard w ill cross each other. Different varieties must be caged, seeds, and to kill diseases. In nature, fermentation of fallen ripe fruits removes
bagged or separated by up to 5 miles for safe distance isolation. this gel, and this process Is Imitated when preparing tomato seeds. See
Fermenting Seeds and follow the directions.
Let seeds mature and dry on the stalk before harvesting, the c-0mplete drying
before gently rubbing the seeds off their stalks. Each 'seed' Is botanically a berry, If fermenting tomato seeds seems too much trouble, they w ill still germinate if the
and contains several actual seeds ( breaking them apart would damage many of slippery gel surrounding the seeds is carefully rubbed off w hile you're cleaning
the seeds). This Is why chard and beets often come up several plants to a spot them. Seeds treated this way w ill germinate, but they will not have had the
despite the most carefully-frugal sowing efforts. protection of the fermentation process killing disease organisms. If you noticed any
problems with your plants (leaves spotting or dying, inexplicable wilting, etc.), the
Oiard seeds will last for up to 5 years if properly stored. See also Beet Family. extra trouble of fermentation will be w ell worth the effort.

Dry your tomato seeds on a piece of glass or a shiny plate-the wet seeds will
stick to paper and be difficult to remove without damaging them.

Tomato seeds will store safely for 4 or more years after being properly dried and
stored.
Turnip Ha rvesting Your Seeds
Brassica rap• Seeds Benefit From careful Harvesting and Drying
Turnips are In the same species and w ill cross with-and must be Isolated After you've given your plants the help they needed to produce healthy seeds,
from----Chinese Mustards and Olinese Cabbages by 1 mile of separation or by you must harvest and store the seeds properly to keep them healthy unbl you are
alternate-day cagi ng. Turnips are mainly self-sterile, so grow at least 10 plants for ready to plant them.
adequate pollination and seed production.
How you treat your seeds during harvest and storage can have a large impact on
As with other Brasslcaceae, allow seeds to ripen thoroughly on the plants before their viability and vigor when planted. For best results your seeds should be
harvesting. harvested at the right t ime, properly cleaned and dried (some seeds need to be
'fermented' before cleaning and drying-see Why Ferment Some Seeds?), and
Turnip seeds can last 4 or 5 years if properly stored. See also Cabbage Family. then stored under conditions favorable to t heir long-term health.

Wat ermelon Harvest ing and Cleaning Seeds

Citrullus vulgarls Seed harvesting and cleaning techniques fall int o two main categories according
Watermelons w ill cross other w atermelons and varieties should be separated by to w hether the fruits and seeds are dry or w et w hen mature (actually, a third
V:z mile. Watermelons produce w et seeds and should be allowed to ripen to past category exists of seeds w hich w ill die if dried out after maturing ... see Preparing
the eating stage before harvesting, since seeds do not continue ripening Seeds for Storage).
significantly after melons are harvested. Pick after the tendril nearest the melon
has completely withered and dried, then store an additional 3 weeks before Dry Seeds
removing and deaning the seeds according to directions in Cleaning Wet Seeds. 'Dry' seeds indude beans, okra, peppers, basil and members of the Onion and
Carrot Families. d eaning dry seeds usually involves simply drying and crumbling
Watermelon seeds will remain viable for S or more years If properly stored. See the pods or husks, then screening or 'winnowing' the seeds to separate them
also Squash Family. from the chaff (see Cleaning Dry Seeds).

Wet Seeds
W et' seeds are found In such plants as tomatoes , eggplants and many squashes.
Cleaning w et seeds requires washing to clean the seeds and to separate them
from the surrounding pulp (see Cleaning Wet Seeds).

In addit ion, in some cases wet seeds (such as t omat oes) are best f ermented for
several days t o remove germination-inhibit ing substances from the seed coat s
( see Fermenting Seeds). Fermenting can also help such seeds as members of
the Squash family by killing molds, mildews and other disease organisms that
may be present on the seeds after grow ing.

Some families (such as the Curumber family) indude some plants that produce
w et seeds (e.g., squashes and melons) and others that produce dry seeds (e.g.,
luffa and hard gourds). See Seed Saving Instructions for common Vegetables for
details on whether a plant makes dry or w et seeds, and whether its seeds must
be fermented before deaning and drying.

Cleaning Dry Seeds

Harvest dry seeds from their plants when their pods or husks have dried. Some
seeds can be picked before they are fully dried on the plants If rains threat en.
Other plants, how ever, (i.e., Mustard family), w ill not finish ripening once they and pulp into a large, sloping bowl and add w ater. Healthy seeds w ill sink to the
have been removed from the plant. Leaving seeds on the parent plant t o full bottom of the bowl, w hile dead seeds and most of the pulp w ill fioat. Use your
maturity and dryness is alw ays preferable. fingers t o gently separate all the seeds from the pulp.

Once pods or husks have been harvested, store them in a dry place and w ait until Then, to remove the pulp and dead seeds, carefully pour the extra water w ith
they are thoroughly dry. When the pods or husks are dry enough they w ill easily the fioating pulp and dead seeds from the bowl. Pour quickly enough for dead
crumble betw een your hands. Crumble the pods or husks until all the seeds are seeds and pulp to pour off the top, and slowly enough so that t he heavier, good
released. Then place seeds and chaff in a bow l or box and sw irl or shake gently. seeds remain safely on the bottom. By repeating this rinsing and pouring process
Most of the larger chaff pieces w ill rise to the top and can simply be removed by several times, the seeds can be gotten very clean ( getting seeds as clean as
hand. possible helps to keep them from sticking to w hatever surface you dry them on).

Seeds and finer chaff are easy to separate by a variety of methods. One w ay is to Drying Wet Seeds Afte r Cleaning
use tw o screens of varying mesh, one a little smaller than the seeds and the other To initially dry your seeds after cleaning, drain them of excess moisture in a
a little larger. The first screen lets anything smaller than the seeds fall through, strainer. Pat the bottom of the strainer w ith a clot h towel to pull extra w ater
and the second Jets the seeds through and stops anything larger. from the seeds after they have drained. Then spread the seeds on a piece of
glass or a shiny ceramic plate to dry (they w ill stick to paper, even waxed
Another method of separating seeds and chaff is to roll seeds dow n a gently paper). Place the glass or ceramic plate in a cool, dry shady spot for several
sloping board, leaving chaff stranded near the top of the board. This simple days.
method w orks w ell w ith round seeds, but is basically useless for fiat seeds such as
squashes. After the seeds are dry, they can be carefully removed from the glass or plate
and final-dried before being stored in jars (see Properly Drying
A very ancient method of cleaning seeds is called 'w innow ing.' In a gentle w ind, Desiccation-T olerant Seeds).
drop the seed/ chaff mixture from a height of several feet into a bucket or onto a
sheet or tarp. With a little skill and some cooperation from the w ind (a fan in an Treating Seeds for Viability and Disease Control
enclosed space can be used for better control), seeds w ill fall into the bucket or Seeds can transmit diseases from parent plants t o succeeding generati ons,
onto the tarp w hile chaff blow s aw ay to one side. low ering their productivity and even completely preventing them from producing.
Simple treatments exist, how ever, for controlling many seed- borne diseases.
Another, very simple w ay to w innow small quantities of seeds is to sw irl or gently Two such t reatments available to home gardeners include f ermentation and hot
bounce the seeds and their chaff in a shallow bow l w hile carefully blow ing chaff water baths, both used on w et seeds.
aw ay w ith your breath. It's a good idea to do this over a clot h or new spaper t o
catch seeds blown out of the bow l w ith the chaff. These can then be hand- cleaned W hy Ferment Some Seeds?
or planted. Fermenting some w et seeds can dramatically improve their ability to sprout.
Fermentation removes germination- inhibiting substances from seed coats, makes
Cleaning Wet Seeds them more permeable t o w ater, and also helps reduce or control seed- borne
Wet seeds are easy to clean, though some need the additional step of diseases (for healthier seedlings).
fermentation. Seeds w hich require fermentation should be cleaned afte~not
before-fermenting (see Fermenting Seeds for directions on how to ferment Purposely fermenting wet seeds mimics the natural process of fermentation that
seeds). occurs w hen ripe fruits are eaten by animals or drop t o the ground and rot.
When w e intervene to keep seeds from fermenting naturally, it becomes
Allow the fruits to fully mature on their plants before harvesting. See Seed Saving necessary to ferment them artificially so they can complete their natural ripening
Instructions for Common Vegetables for details on how to judge w hen seeds have cycle.
fully matured for particular varieties-in many, the fruits w ill be w ell past the
eating stage. Fermentation is needed for tomato seeds ( in order to remove a
T o clean w et seeds, scoop the seeds from the fruit, pulp and all. Pour the seeds germination- inhibiting gel), and can al so benefit Squash Family and eggplant
seeds, though more care must be taken with these to avoid premature sprouting.
Ferment Squash Family seeds for only a day·and·a·half or so, eggplants a little
longer.

How to Fennent Seeds

To prepare seeds for fermenting, simply squeeze or scoop the seeds-together
with the pulp that surrounds them-Into a jar with a little water (about half as
much water as seeds and pulp). There Is no need to indude more pulp than
naturally comes with the seeds. Store this seed/pulp mixture in a wann place (75
to 950 F) for 1 V> to 5 days (depending on the seed type and whether conditions
are wanner or cooler).

Fermentation will be evidenced by bubbhng and/or by the formation of a white

mold on the surface of the mixture. As soon as the bubbling or mold have been
evident for a day or so, pour the mix Into a bowt and dean according to the
directions given earlier in the section Oeanlng Wet Seeds.

Watch dosely, as seeds left fermenting too long (especially above 800 For so)
may germinate, ruining their chances for storage. Once the seeds start to 'imbibe'
or swell due to taking on water, they will have begun their internal process of
germination... by the time their tiny roots have begun to emerge, it is far too late
to try and dry them for storage. Sprouted seeds can be planted immediately and
grown out (depending on season), but they will die if they are dried out for
storage once they have begun to germinate.

Experience will tell you how long you can ferment seeds under your conditions
before they begin to sprout. Eggplant and squash seeds germinate more readily
than tomatoes, so they should only be fermented for a couple days or so. Squash
seeds, particularly, are quick to germinate-sometimes even sprouting in
well-ripened squashes while they are still on the vine!

It's not requiredto ferment squash or eggplant seeds, though it increases their
germination rates and kills some seed-borne diseases. In general, when
temperatures are kept between 75 and 800 For SO, fermenting is safe and
beneficial and will be safely completed before seeds begin the process of
germination.

Hot Water Baths

Another way to control some seed- borne diseases Is to treat seeds for a short
time in a hot water bath at high enough temperatures to kill disease pathogens
(about 125° F). Treatment times and temperatures are specific to each species,
and both must be precisely controlled In order for the treatment to be effective
without killing the seeds. For more Information, see Suzanne Ashworth's Seed to
Seed.
 Storing Your Seeds for Long Life some holes), [Link] [Link]- intolerant seeds w ill continue to respire or
Preparing Your Seeds for Storage is Important breathe and will [Link] if sealed into air-tight containers. Store In the
How you prepare and store your seeds can be as important to their eventual refrigerator. Do not let the seeds freeze or dry out. Plant them as soon as
viability as how they were grown. Seeds must be carefully dried and then stored practical, or they w111 begin to mildew or rot because of their high moisture
under the proper conditions in order to give them the best chances of germinating content.
and producing healthy plants when they are planted. Luckily, all the needs of seeds
are easily provided once you are aware of their requirements. Preparing Desiccation-Tolerant Seeds for Storage
During ripening and drying, desiccation-tolerant seeds prepare for dormancy by
Some Seeds Are "Desiccation-Int olerant " greatly slowing or ceasing most physiological processes, and by converting food
For purposes of storage, there are basically two types of seed: reserves from sugars to more stable fats and starches. After they have prepared
'desiccation-tolerant' and 'desiccation-intolerant'. Most of the garden plants with for dormancy, and unlike desiccation-intolerant seeds, desiccation-tolerant seeds
w hich we are famillar produce desiccation-t olerant seeds, which means they can can be safely dried and stored for long periods of t ime without significant loss of
be safely dried for long·t erm storage. Exceptions include many aquat ic plants, viability (many years In some cases). Some desiccation-tolerant seeds even
large- seeded plants, and some trees (such as oaks and buckeyes), many of w hich require drying t o complete the ripening and dormancy process before they wi ll
produce desiccation· Intolerant seeds and w ill die if allowed to dry. germinate.

Preparing "Desiccation-Into lerant" Seeds for Storage How desiccation-tolerant seeds are dried and stored is very important to
Desiccation-intolerant seeds do not enter dormancy after maturing. Instead, maintaining their viability and vigor over the long term. Drying should be gradual
respiration and other physiological processes continue. Continued respiration after and thorough, and desiccants used when drying seeds in air above 30% relative
maturation [Link] [Link]-intolerant seeds to deteriorate rapidly once they humidity or so. Ouring storage, seeds must be kept at appropriate temperature
have matured, so they must be planted while still fresh. [Link]-intolerant and moisture levels for greatest longevity.
seeds partially or completely lose viability if they are allowed to dry-usually they
die. Seed Storage a nd Re-growing cydes
Even under ideal cond~ions, long-term storage lowers viability percentages (since
Since desiccation-Intolerant seeds must be stored moist, they can only be kept for some seeds die) and also lowers the vigor of seedlings produced by the stored
short penods of time before they begin to succumb to fungal or bacterial rots, or seeds. Further, as length of time in storage increases, the number and
run out of stored food reserves because of continued respiration. percentage of seedlings with damaging mutat ions or t issue degeneration also
increases. Roots In particular are adversely affected by long-term storage. The
Some seeds (such as cit rus) are 'borderline' desiccation-intolerant. These can be more frequently a batch of seeds is regrown (and therefore the shorter t he
dried and stored for some time, but lose viability quickly and germinat e slow ly once storage times), t he better w ill be the overall healt h of t he plant populat ions
they've been dried. Slow germination rat es and low ered viabillty make borderline produced.
desiccation· intolerant seeds susceptible to damping-off or other microbial damage
during germination. For this reason even seeds w hich are only borderline ProJ>erly Drying Oesiccation-Tolerant Seeds
desiccation-intolerant perform best if planted fresh. Desiccat ion-tolerant seeds should be slowly dried in a shady spot. Spread seeds
one or two thick In an airy, dry location-such as an air-conditioned environment
Short-Te nn Sto rage of Desiccation-Intolerant Seeds or other place where relative humidity stays between 20% and 40'Mr-for two or
Desiccation-intolerant seeds can be stored for a short period of time--sometimes more weeks. Large seeds must be dried longer than smaller seeds. When dry,
month!rif they are kept moist and cool (avoid freezing!). Moisture allows the com and beans w111 shatter when htt with a hammer, squash seeds w111 break
seeds to continue respiration, while cool temperatures inhlb~ fungal and bacterial instead of bending. Seeds which pass this test are dry enough for safe short-term
actMty so that they do not rot during storage. storage.

To prepare desiccation-intolerant seeds for storage, place them In a container Using Silica Gels For F'onal Drying
filled w ith moist peat moss, sand or paper tow els t o keep them from drying out. Seeds air-dried during humid weather require additional drying with desiccants
Make sure the container admits a small amount of air (leave the lid loose or poke such as silica gel before final storage (but don't use heat! ). Most seeds benefit
from drying with silica gel if they are to be stored for very long. The longest moisture fluctuations are particularly damaging to seeds. High moisture or
storage life for desiccation-tolerant seeds is achieved by drying them to between temperatures encourage mutation of seed tissues-especially In root tips, which
5% and 7% moisture content (by weight) and then storing them at several degrees remain more active than other seed tissues. Cellular mutations affecting
below freezing. As storage temperature rises above freezing or moisture content metabolism or root tissue structure are a common cause of seed failure upon
rises above 5 to 7%, longevity in storage goes down and the Incidence of mutation germination.
rises. Seeds dried to a low moisture content with silica gel and then stored in a
freezer can usually retain viability for many years. Dry your seeds property before placing them in cold storage. Keep your stored
seeds at a constant temperature if possible and remove them from storage as
To use silica gels for drying seeds, place equal weights of dry silica gel and seeds seldom and as few times as possible. When seeds are removed from cold
to be dried in a well-sealed jar for 7 to 8 days. Then transfer the dried seeds storage in order to retrieve samples, allow the entire container to come slowly to
quickly into airtight storage j ars and place in a freezer, refrigerator or other cool, room temperature before opening the seal. This will help prevent condensation of
dark place. atmospheric moisture onto the cold seeds which might otherwise occur.

Carefully follow t he Instructions w hich come w ith your silica gels for drying them Insects
after use (to avoid burning them and rendering them useless). Siiica gels suitable Another common problem w ith stored seeds is infestation by weevils or ot her
for drying seeds can be purchased from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, PO insects. In fact, it Is best to assume that some insects are present In any sample
Box 158, North Garden, VA 22959. of seeds. Seeds kept In frozen storage are safe from insect damage,
since-though insects may survive the freezing-they will be rendered inactive
Storing Desiccation· Tolerant Seeds while frozen by the low temperature. Even if your seeds will be stored frozen,
Since desiccation-tolerant seeds stop almost all metabolic actMty as they mature however, it doesn't hurt to take precautionary measures against Insects.
and dry, they can be stored for months or even years with only minor loss of
viability and vigor. Desiccation-tolerant seeds which show high germination Insect infestations may be guarded against by the addition of a little
percentages when fre~ property dried and stored in a freezer-can typically diatomaceous earth (O.E.-CIVllilable at organic gardening stores) to the stored
retain their viability for years. seeds in their jars. Add j ust enough D.E. to cover the surfaces of the seeds (add
a few pinches to the seeds In a bowl and gently stir to thoroughly cover each
Seeds with low Initial germination rates will begin to lose viability fairly quickly, seed). Adding D.E. to jars of stored seeds helps insure the long-term safety of
however, even under Ideal storage conditions. Seed lots with a low Init ial your seed stocks and Is an inexpensive, safe, non-toxic and wise precaution.
germination rate should be regrown as soon as possible. If a batch of seeds with
poor germination Is grown out and a healthy batch w ith good germination
produced from them, the healthy batch can then be dried, frozen and stored for
long periods successfully.

Avoiding Problems With Stored Seeds

Mold and Midew
A common problem with stored seeds is mold or mildew resulting from incomplete
drying before storage. Ory your seeds thoroughly before storing them (though
drying them to 0% moisture will of course cause their death). 'If seeds sweat on
insides of jars during storage, they are too wet and must be dried further in order
to store successfully. At this point the use of a desiccant Is a good Idea. Don't tarry,
because damp seeds will mildew quickly.

Temperature and Moisture Fluctuations

Fluctuation in temperature or moisture levels of stored seeds lowers the seeds'
longevity significantly, causing loss of viability and vigor or even seed death. Rapid
Plant Breeding and Heirloom Seed Sources

Seed Savers Exchange

The preeminent seed saving organization, whose members share over 1,000
heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits and grains. Probably the greatest single
heirloom seed-saving resource.

Heirloom Seed Swap

This new (Mar 2010), completely-free seed-trading w ebsite allows members to
post 'ads' for homegrown heirloom seeds they have available to trade or sell.
Registration requires only a username and email (the latter for confirmation
puropses only). A great place to share seeds and build up your collection.

Veget ables and Fruit s: A Guide to Heirloom Variet ies and Community-Based
Stew ardship, Resource Organizations
Compendious compilation of heirloom seed saving and preservation
organizations, companies, individuals, etc. As complete a listing of seed saving
groups as exists.

Fedco Seed CooperatiVe

Heirloom seeds and gardening supplies... "We offer a large selection of certified
organic rultivars and regional heirloom varieties.• A broad selection and good
prices make Fedco a favorite of many organic gardeners (my thanks to reader
Sarah Moore for reminding me of this one).

Bountiful Gardens
"Heirloom, Untreated Open-Pollinated Varieties for Sustainable Agriculture" from
John Jeavons' Biodynamlc gardening group. An excellent resource for
good- performing, heirloom garden seeds.

Territ orial Seed Company

( 800 ) 626-0866
Heirloom seeds and live plants... "Agricult ure and seeds provide the basis upcn
w hich our lives depend. We must protect this foundat ion as a safe and
genetically stable source for future generations.•

Victory Seed ComPllnY

• ... a small, family owned and operated organization that works to preserve plant
varieties by locating, growing, documenting and offering heirloom and rare
open-pcllinated seeds to home gardeners.•
 Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture, J. Russell Smith
Seed-Related Bibliography A classic of sustainable agriculture first written in 1929. Smith passionately talks
Seed to Seed, Suzanne Ashworth about damage from modern agriculture taking place even in the 1920's (writing
The seed saver's standard reference that gives information on saving all the two decades before J.L Rodale... probably an inspiration for Rodale as well as
common vegetable seeds. An important book to have if you're saving seeds of
Bill Mollison and many others). Smith describes viable, visionary alternatives for
heirloom varieties. a mixed agriculture based on high-yielding, low-care tree crops. An Interesting
perspective, much information not available elsewhere, and intriguing seed
Breed Your own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Gulde to l'tant
breeding project ideas.
Breeding & Seed Saving, Carol Deppe
A thorough, readable book detailing all aspects of seed selection and breeding
techniques for creating your own new varieties. An essentilll resource for home
breeders.

The New Seed Starter's Handbook, Nancy Bubel

A good reference on successfully starting and caring for seedlings of common
garden vegetables and flowers.

Enduring Seeds: Native American Agriculture and Wild Plant Conservation

Gary Nabhan
Written by the ethno-botllnlst founder of Native Seeds/SEARCH, Gary Nabhan, this
book is a fascinating tour through the topic of food plants centering on seeds and
their evolving relationships with the humans who grow them. Interesting,
readable ... simultaneously enlightening and heartening.

Garden Seed Inventory, Seed Savers Exchange

In GCJrden Seed Inventory. Seed Savers Exchange lists commercial sources for
almost 8,500 varieties of open-pollinated and heirloom vegetable seeds In Canada
and the United States. Originally compiled by Seed Savers Exchange's Kent
Whealy, the mventoty llsts the number ofsour ces remCJining for each variety, so
that preservationists can tell at a glance how much danger of extinction a
particular variety suffers from. An invaluable reference.

Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion of Seeds and other Late Natural History Writings,
Henry D. Thoreau
A collection of the natural history studies that Thoreau was working on at the time
of his death. Among his most thoughtful, this book is full of unique and Interesting
observations on seed dispersal and other seed-related processes. Thoreau's ideas
on natural history&mdash;tllken from his keen observational skills and unique way
of seeing&mdash;were elegant, profound and far ahead of hos dme.

Shattering: Food, Politics, and the Loss of Genetic Diversity, Fowler and Mooney
A fascinating account of the politics and mechanisms supporting genetic erosion of
our food plants. Discusses weaknesses of cold storage for genetic conservation
( i.e., 'seed banks') as opposed to 'living seed banks' such as Seed Savers
Exchange. University of Arizona Press.
Indoors Seedling Planting, Germination, and care
Mot her Nature has her ow n w ay of germinating seed. In the field, she provides Days to Germinate according to Temperature
w armth from the sun, moisture from the clouds( or your garden hose), and
nutrients in the soil. Mother Nature also has a w ay of disappointing us from time
t o time, by either not bringing one of the essential ingredients, or bringing too
much all at once.

Some seeds are best planted directly into the garden. While others really need t o
started indoors to help the seedling get off t o a good start. The length of grow ing
time in your area may be shorter than the time the plant needs t o bear fruit or to
flow er, making an indoor start a necessity.

Follow ing the steps below w ill ensure and maximize successful indoors planting
and germination.
· Why Start Indoors
· When To Start Indoors
· Planting and Germination
· Seedling Care and Nurturing
· Damping Off Disease
· Thinning Seedling&-
Why St art Indoors: Planting and Germina tion:
Many flowers and vegetables are started indoors. But, do you know the reasons The steps of seed germination when planting indoors are:
and benefits that will help you determine which plants to start indoors? · Viable seeds· Good seeds that are not hollow, and are not so old that
germination rates are poor. Some seed can remain viable for years if
Rrst, the growing season In many areas is shorter than the time the plant needs to stored properly. others normally last only a season in storage.
produce flowers or fruit. Indoor planting allows many gardeners to grow plants · Soil· A good, seed starting mixture that is light and sterilized.
and varieties that are not native to their area. · Water· The soil should be moist, but not soaked.
· Warmth· Here is where growers can add to their success. The Ideal
Extending the hal'\/est Is another major reason why gardeners will start their seed starting temperatures vary by type of seed. Most are between 70 to
seedling indoors. Many flowers and vegetables w ill produce weeks earlier if 85 degrees farenheit. Some seeds, like peas and early season vegetables,
planted indoors. Marigolds for example, w ill benefit by flowering earlier than if will germinate at a lower soil t emperatures, even as low as fifties. Others,
direct sowed and w ill continue to produce flow ers right up to the first frost. like pumpkins and peppers, need temperatures on the higher end to
Everyone wants that first tomat o of cucumber of the season. It t astes so delicious induce them to sprout. Seeds can be germinated outside of their ideal
and w e can hardly wait. And, there is friendly neighborhood pride and bragging range, but t he f urther away from the ideal range for the particular seed,
rights associated w ith being t he first t o produce fruit for the season. t he lower the germination rate.

Healthier seedlings make for stronger and better plants. Healthy children make lip: Test your seed for viability in advance, especially if you have saved seed from
strong adults. We have been saying this for years and years. The same applies in last year. Plant a few seeds well before the normal planting time. Count the
the plant world. Give a seedling a healthy start, and It will pay you dMdends all number you planted and the number that germinate. The resulting percentage is
season long. That healthy start comes in the from of a controlled, Indoor your expected germination rate.
environment
Here is our recommended step by step instructions to maximize germination:
Simply because it's fun. Like any hobby, gardeners really enjoy their sport. To PUrd'lase sterilized seed starting mixture. This is a light weight medium
some it's the d'lallenge of growing diffirult to start petunias or peppers, and putting that has all the nutrients your seed needs at birth. Experienced growers
out a seedling that Is better that you can find in any gardening store. To others, It will often aeate their own or amend store bought soil. This Is part of the
is a w ay of extending the hobby into those late w inter and early spring months fun of planting for experienced garden hobbiests. If you are a new
when most gardeners are chomping at t he bit to get some dirt under their grower, stick with the seed starting mix until you gain some experience .
fingernails. Select the right containers. So what's the big deal? If you select a
container that Is too small, your seedling can outgrow it 's home before
Whe n to s t art Indoors: you are ready to transplant. A root bound seedling does not translate
The general rule of t humb is t o start transplants indoors six to eight weeks into maximum growth. Large paper mache or peat pots promote more
before the last frost date for your area. Some plants such as peppers and open development of roots, but separat ing individual plants later, can
petunias require more. other plant s, like the cabbage family and head result in tearing of roots and increased t ransplant shock. Using the
lettuce, require less. Some people will do a series of plantings, especially individualized seed pots and trays helps to minimize transplant shock.
for lettuces and cabbages, to create succession plantings and to extend
the hal'\/est. Fill the containers with the seed starting mix and water thoroughly.
Make sure the soil Is wet, but not soaking.
Ten heads of lettuce In two weeks is just too much for most famlhes. But, a couple Plant the seeds. Another seemingly easy step. But new gardeners
heads a week Is just fine. have a habit of planting seeds too deep. We recommend planting
seeds a httie less than the recommended depth. You can carefully add
The seed packet will give some indication of indoor planting times and soil around the seedlings at a later point if needed.
experimentation will also help you to fine t une w hen to start.
 Provide bottom warmth to the seeds. Some people use a heating mat, Le t There be w a t e r, in just the right amount - - Provide water to your
while others put them on top of a w arm oven, by the fireplace, or in a seedling every couple of days. Do not soak the soil each night. Overly wet soil
sunny window, skipping the expense of a heating mat or other devices. encourages the development of damping off disease. Let the soil dry out a little on
the top, then water thoroughly. Watering from the bottom is preferred. If you have
creating a seed Incubator is also popular. create a wooden or plastic a seed tray, add water to the bottom of the tray . The soil will absorb It through the
enclosure large enough to hold the containers you are using. Put a bottom holes in your container...your container does have holes in the bottom,
light inside the enclosure. The heat from the light wdl raise the doesn't it!?!
temperature and create a greenhouse effect. II is important to
Feed me. feed me· - The seedling does not need a lot of extra nutrients In it's
measure the temperature to make sure it does not get too warm.
first few days of life. Your soil starting mix usually comes w ith a balanced formula
Temperature w ill vary depending upon room temperature, wattage of
of nutrients that the seedlings need. After several days, adding a little liquid
light bulb and size for the enclosure.
fertilizer to the wat er Is helpful, but you do not need to give it full strength.
Now the wait begins! The t ime required to germinate may be a few
If the roots begin to come out the bottom of the pot, it is t ime to plant your
days to a few weeks. Germination time varies w idely. It can usually be
seedling outdoors, weather permitting. If it is still too cool, keep the bottom of the
found on the seed packet. For seeds w ith a long germination period,
tray moist, or put some extra soil in the lmttom of t he tray. Or, transplant
w e recommend you plant in smaller groups over a couple of weeks.
seedlings to a larger pot. Most plants do not like to be root bound.
This way if the first group does not germinate, you won't be waiting
three weeks to find out and before starting a new planting.
Guard against l eggy Plants- - Seedlings are leggy when their main stem or
stalk grows tall and thin and can hardly support the leaf structure. 11 ls caused by
TIP: Coat the seeds with Captan to protect against mold and fungus growth. Or
insufficient sunlight and a sheltered environment Indoors, they do not experience
buy pre-treated seeds where available. Fungus problems are common with
the effect of wind, and do not need to develop structure to defend against It. Most
indoor planting.
seedlings do not even experience a slight breeze. When transplanted outdoors,
Seedling care and Nurturing: "leggy" plants can be damaged or broken by the wind.
As your seedling emerges from the soil, most growers breath a big sigh of relief.
dose your eyes and you can almost see t he plant grow and flourish Into it's full T1p: Take your hand,or a couple sheets of newspaper and fan the plants a few
beauty, producing an enviable profusion of flow ers or vegetables. As you open your t imes a day. You can even lightly brush t he tops of the plants, brushing back and
eyes, you w ill immediately begin a new set of worries, over- nurturing the new born forth in varying directions. You may not ice the plants seem to slow down for a
indoors for a short time while the outdoor w eather catches up with your dreams. period. What they are really doing is building a stronger stem or stalk.

Thin Seedlings as needed- - Plants in your garden do not like to be crowded.

Ditto with your seedlings, who need all t he sun and nutrients t hat they can [Link] l e t t here be no Damping Off Disease:
may want to leave a few extras for a while as mortality rate of seedlings can be Those of us w ho have grown seedling indoors for any number of years know w hat
high. "Damping Off' disease. This is a white mold that forms in the top of the soil.
Damping Off disease flourishes in cold, w et damp w eather along with little
Let there be light, and plenty of it- - As soon as the newborn seedling begins sunshine. II quickly spreads across the soil and wilts the seedling. Take It's habitat
to emerge, it seeks light. Your newborn needs as much and as direct a light source away, and the disease can not survive. Plants on the other hand, love just the
as possible. Placing it by a window with a southern exposure Is the first step. But opposite conditions. The more you make conditions ideal for your plants, the more
this alone may not prove to be enough for the seedling to grow healthy and strong. likely you will avoid Damping Off Disease and other mold and fungal problems.
Rrst, the sun is not up as long in the spring as it is in the summer. Second, there
are many rainy spring days with little or no direct sun. You should also acquire an If you do experience problems, do not give up hope. Here are some things
artificial Grow Light and place the seedlings under it on doudy days and at night. you can do to minimize or eliminate disease problems:
· First, get the plant in direct sunlight if at all possible.
· Stop watering until the surface is very dry.
· Water only from the bottom.
· Smipe as much of the mold off the soil as possible.
• Stir the top of the soil without disturbing the roots. It will also speed
drying.
· Add some soil, although this may or may not produce results.
· Increase room air circulation. You can gently blow air on your plant
trays with a small fan.
· Avoid sowing your seeds in the basement and leaving them there for a
couple of days. While the trays are conveniently out of the way, this is a
perfect breeding ground for Damping Off Disease.
Visit the American Seed Alliance