Thomas LeRoy Montgomery County Extension Agent – Horticulture

 To preserve our heritage and biodiversity.  To control your food supply.  To preserve the varietal characteristics you want.  To develop and preserve strains adapted to your growing conditions.  Because it’s a fun and enjoyable addition to our gardening experience.

 The first generation of a cross between two different parent varieties (inbred lines).  Offspring produced are a new uniform seed variety with characteristics from both parents.  One unique characteristic of F1 hybrids is their uniformity.  Seed saved from F1 hybrid plants will not come true if replanted and may exhibit distinct differences in the second generation.  Hybrid varieties are not good choices for seed savers.

 Natural or human selection for specific traits which are then reselected every crop.  Seed is kept true to type through selection and isolation.  Flowers of open pollinated varieties are pollinated by bees or other insects.  Genetic traits of open pollinated varieties are relatively fixed within a range of variability.

AsparagusCarrotsCressOkraRadish BeetsCauliflowerEndiveOnionRhubarb BroccoliChardLeekParsleyRutabaga CabbageCorn New Zealand Spinach ParsnipsSpinach EggplantPeppersCelery Squash Cucumber Melons Pumpkin Gourds

 Beans, Peas, Lettuce & Tomatoes  A plant with a life cycle that is completed in two years or seasons, with the second season usually devoted to flowering and fruiting.

 Self pollinated plants are easier for the novice seed saver.  Cross pollinated plants must be protected from foreign pollen.  Isolate varieties to ensure quality seed production.  Hand pollination may be required for some varieties.

 Varieties must be isolated.  Choose your earliest and best developed ears.  Cover ears with paper sacks to keep insects out.  Allow cob to develop and dry out on stalks as long as possible.  Remove seeds from cobs when fully dry.

 Collect ripe fruit from plants exhibiting the most desirable traits.  Eliminate any plants showing abnormal characteristics or poor health.  Remove the pulp and seed from ripe fruit and ferments for two to five days in water. Seed will settle to the bottom and can be separated using a fine mesh strainer.

 Great care must be taken to prevent cross- pollination with other related varieties.  Allow fruit to become overripe but not rotten.  Cut fruit open and remove seed.  Rinse in a strainer and let dry.

 Isolate plants up to one mile.  Consider caging a group of plants, or bagging the flowers to maintain purity.  The pods are simply left on the plants until fully mature.  Pods are then dried and broken open to remove seeds.

 Isolation of beans and peas is not generally required in order to maintain purity.  Allow pods to remain on the plants as long as possible.  In humid climates, leave plants in the field as long as possible.  Then pull up plants and hang upside down in a dry place.

 Pollination is accomplished by insects. All of the species will cross with each other. If you wish to grow more than one variety in a species to seed in a season, you must either isolate at least one half mile or cage the varieties (and introduce bees or pollinating insects into the cages).

 Separate varieties flowering at the same time by at least 20 feet to ensure purity.  Wait until half the flowers on each plant has gone to seed. Cut entire top of plant and allow to dry upside down in an open paper bag.  Small amounts of seed can be shaken daily from individual flowering heads.

 Allow seed to dry naturally on the plant.  Remove seeds and allow it to air dry.  Fermentation.