goatlady

Seed saving and viability times

The following is a seed viability list that has served me well for the last 15 years, with no

disappointments, for open pollinated (non hybrid)seeds produced in my garden. Just remember

as you are near the end of the viability time to check the germination rate by putting 10 seeds in a

damp paper towel, roll up, and check in 4-5 days or so and see how many have sprouted. These

times are applicable to purchased nonhybrid/open pollinated seeds and IF vac-packed and stored

in the freezer will greatly extend the viability times.

Seeds with 3 year viability include: Lima beans which produce seeds their first growing season.

Just let the bean pods dry on the bush, shell out, and store in a dry, dark place. Cabbage,

broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and carrots will only produce seed their second growing

season so you need to be able to overwinter then somehow. It is recommended to have at least 10

plants of the variety winter over in order to have good strong seed, but I do it with 3 or 4 plants

and have had no problems. I just bury the mature plants in straw/hay to overwinter, then uncover

in the spring, except for the carrots which will be discussed next. The cole plants will send up a

stalk and produce seed heads which you will harvest when they turn brown. Just cut the heads

off, shake the seeds out on paper, let air dry for a week, put in envelopes or jars and store in a

dry, dark place. Carrots can be wintered over in the ground provided the ground doesn't freeze

and mush the carrots or you can gently dig up the whole carrot, put in an old ice chest lying

sideways, covered completely with sand. Seal the ice chest with duct tape. In the spring replant

closely and stake. The seed stalks for carrots will reach 3-4 feet high with large lacy flowers at

the top. When the flowers turn brown, cut the seed heads, bring in, shake over paper, dry for a

few days, and store as for the others mentioned above. Sweet corn has a life span of 3 years also

but has seed that first growing season. Just leave the ears on the stalk until the first frost or so

then harvest the ears and store the seed on the cob until needed for planting. Lettuce has a 3 year

span also producing seed in the first year's growing season. It bolts! That is producing seed.

Watch the seed stalk carefully and when it starts to turn brownish, I usually put a knee high

nylon around it and I manage to catch most of the seeds. Store as all others.

Seeds with a 4 year viability, first year seed production include: Green beans and all drying type

beans and tomatoes. These can be viable longer but the germination ratio goes down

dramatically each year after 4 or 5. For beans it was recommended to have two 25 foot rows, but

that is more beans than I plant. I seem to be able to get by with about 10-12 plants. Just let the

beans dry on the plant until hard and dry, harvest the pod, shell the beans out, and store as above.

Tomatoes take more work to save the seed. Harvest the VERY best tomato you get, slice off the

top, scoop out the seeds and pulp, put that mess in a bowl covered with water and set aside. You

must let this ferment in order to get the seed to germinate next year. After it starts to look gross,

scummy, moldy scoop off the scum, rinse the remaining stuff and spread out on waxed paper to

dry. When dry you can separate the seeds from the pulp remains. I have planted Roma tomato

seeds that were 8 years old and had 80% germination which isn't too bad.

Seeds with 5-6 year viability, first year seed production include: Radish and field corn. Be ready

to stake the radishs as the flower stalks get 4-5 feet high with what looks like miniature bean

pods on them. Let dry on the stalk until you can hear the seeds rattle in the pod, harvest, shell

out, and store. Treat field corn the same as sweet corn - dry on the stalk, store on the cob.

Seeds with 6 year viability, first year seed production include: All squashes, pumpkins, chards,

beets, eggplant. For saving seed from the squash and pumpkins, scoop out the pulp containing

seeds, spread on waxed paper to dry, then separate the seeds out and store. Chards will produce

really tiny pods with tiny seeds. Treat the same as the radishes and store the same. Beets will

have a single flower stalk and produce those funny looking seeds. Check daily in order to catch

the most seed or cover with a small sack or knee high nylon to catch the seeds. Eggplants should

be treated like tomatoes but I'm not sure if you need to ferment or not. They are in the same

family as tomatoes. Anyone have this experience?

Seeds with an 8 year viability, first year production include celery, cucumbers, and melons. I

have no experience with celery. Let the cucumber turn yellowish on the vine, scoop out, dry the

pulp, separate the seed, store as above. Same for melon varieties.

Seed viability unknown, first year seed production: Asparagus. Asparagus comes in male and

female plants. The female plant will produce neat red berries which when dried on the plant will

produce really tiny seeds. It's best to start these inside and set out where they can grow for 20

years. They are perennials and will produce yearly.