Question about seed saving and swapping... ~ Save JFE
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
It's easy....all ya have to do is.....
Air circulation is key when drying seeds. When the seeds are ripe, but before they fall from the plant, pic them and spread them on a plate. Allow them to sit out for 2-3 weeks. Turn or stir them every few days to ensure even drying. After this period of time the seed can then be stored in samll paper envelopes (I make my own). Keep the envelopes in a dry, frost-free location over the winter. The seeds can then be started indoors, in moist potting soil, the following season.
When doing a seed exchange....the most important thing to remember is location. Some destinations are still much colder than others....so be careful of mailing in the winter....the poor little things will get cold.
Good luck
Barb
barbsblooms@shaw.ca
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It's nice to hear from you.....
Like I said I was looking for basic info for the other's that would like to get
on the circuit of the swapping thing.
Does it matter for perennials,
do some seeds need a
"cold temperature to be viable"?????
Like, Purple Coneflowers, columbines, Trollius, Yellow Flag, Sweet Peas (not the edibles)for the person on the receiving end to get a good seed?
Like something I've heard people are told to put stuff in the freezer or refrig for a bit of time??? Because they require a cold period for a certain period of time........
I'm pretty clear on the annuals, because of exactly that....(no cold)
It's the perennials that have got me stumped.
I have stated before I am not much of a seed saver, let alone a swapper because I've always let mother nature take care of her seeds and then in the spring when she's done her job, all I do is transplant the babies and give them away..........
I don't do things by mail, it's always been local for me and with live plants?
I'm not sure how they set up and exchange, have you been on a seed trading forum before.
Also, I have a template for a home made seed pkg. You said you make your own, HOW????????
I love the ones I've made, but.......... that's a whole other bit!!!!
Thanks for all your info~~~
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
Your very right....there are some perennials that do require a cold treatment before planting...like the columbine.
Others include:
Christmas Rose
Daylily
Gas Plant
Globeflower
Lavender
Ornamental Cabbage
Phlox
Primrose
Tahoka Daisy
Viola, Violet, Pansy
Wake Robin
This process helps recreate the natural seasons so that the seed knows it's time to germinate. For cold stratification, place the seeds in moist peat moss or vermiculite in the refrigerator. For warm stratification, place the container in a warm spot. After the first month or so, examine the seeds regularly for signs of germination. As soon as the small white primary root appears, plant the seed in soil.
Seeds that have a hard outer coat will germinate faster if they are soaked in water overnight.
These seeds include:
Asparagus
Lilyturf
Lupine
Mallow
Morning Glory
Okra
Perennial Pea
Parsley
Thrift
Seeds with especially hard outer shells often benefit from this abuse. Rub the outer shell of the seed with sandpaper or a file. It takes a little practice to make a cut that's deep enough to help, but not deep enough to damage the plant.
These seeds include:
Lupine
Mallow
Morning Glory
Sweet Pea
Blue Indigo, Wild Indigo
Seeds that need light to germinate.....
Balloon Flowers
Basket of Gold
Begonia
Bellflower
Bells of Ireland
Blanket Flower
Browallia
Coleus
Columbine
Creeping Zinnia
Dill
Flossflower
Flowering tobacco
Impatiens
Leopard's-Bane
Lettuce
Maltese-Cross
Feverfew
Mexican Sunflower
Reseda Ordata
Oriental Poppy
Ornamental Pepper
Ornamental Cabbage
Petunia
Primrose
Rock Cress
Salvia
Savory
Shasta Daisy
Snapdragon
Stock
Strawflower
Sweet Alyssum
Tickseed
Transvaal Daisy
Yarrow
And seeds that need darkness.....
Bachelor's Buttons
Borage
Butterfly Flower
Chinese Primrose
Coriander
Forget-me-not
Larkspur
Nemesia
Painted Tongue
Periwinkle
Phlox
Poppy
Pot Marigold
Sweet Pea
Treasure Flower
Verbena
It is always wise to include planting instructions with the seeds you are sending.
It sounds like we must have the same sort of thing for our envelopes....I too have a template to follow....glue the edges...I'm sure you could even go to an office supply place and pick up small envelopes.
I have been involved in a seed trade through the mail before. It only works as well as the honesty and reliablity of the other person....but you sure can get some pretty neat and unual things from all over the world.
It will be fun to try here again!
Barb
barbsblooms@shaw.ca
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See this is the info I'm looking for, for the other's for their seeds..............
Especially, if they're looking to do some seeds, whether it's for their own personal use, but for the most part, for the purpose of trading...
Hate to go to alot of work to get
a seed that doesn't germinate because of a lack of know~how on the other end.....
The only other thing I might be looking for, for information is how long particular
seeds are viable for, (shelf life)
just a ball park idea......
I hope all that are interested will watch this list as a guide for what to do,
And get going on that seed saving and trading.
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
Just to clarify a few things for ppl like me who get confused easily,
these processes don't start till your ready to plant? Or just before the season? For instance, I was told to plant my columbine (i'm zone 5a) now, or while ground was still workable. However I wasn't able to get them in. So they can still be planted in spring? directly in the ground that is? After chilling them?
Thanks, Linda
P.S. sorry if i seem confused, but the only seeds I've ever started were dill....they were a cintch.
Columbines drop their seeds in the fall time
when the plant dies...and over winter sometimes in two ways....
Depends on how fast the seed was dropped and if
there was time enough for the seed to sprout and
put down roots and a tiny bit of foliage....
Or, if the seed was dropped late in the fall, because as the plant died, it still stood tall, dried, until the dead plant fell over and distributed the seed on the ground that way....
Then, just the seed lays dormant over the winter and sets roots in the spring time...
Columbines love cooler weather and you'll find a plant that had grown the previous year peaking thru the snow in early fall time, when the snow starts to melt away, underneath you'll see the plant, and even in April, they'll be actively growing new leaves, once it's starts to really warm up at that time, do they send up their new flower heads...
So, as in my case, cause I'm a new person do doing anything with seeds, and I have always let mother nature doing my "re~seeding" .
I like to experiment as to see how to do things, and how each way maybe easier than the others or better luck!
So, if you have a certain amount of seeds, take some and sprinkle them right now where you want your plants to grow... in some pots, filled with dirt, sprinkle a couple on top of those *I have done that and it works perfect for me* and then maybe save some and sprinkle them in the spring and see which way and method you liked best....
Columbines are a very easy plant to grow..
They are a bit suseptable to leaf miners and cabbage loopers, but they come in so many fun colors you'll want them all...
They're one of my very most favorite plants/flowers...
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
They recommended applying a thin layer of flour/water paste on narrow strips of newspaper, placing the seeds in a neat row along the strip then allowing them to dry.
When dried, the strips can be rolled up and stored in a jar until spring at which point you place the strip on the ground and cover with soil.
It seems to me that seeds on strips of thin paper would be a convenient way to store/mail them, but I've never tried it. Has anyone else?
Merme
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"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
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Loads of good advice there.. Just one mystery,I am in zone 6 with nasty winters, many of those seeds get the refrigeration out there in our soil. We really do well in the Perennial area. However I cant send snow to all of you.
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)thanks
dodge
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''''Those who live in the Lord Never See Each Other For The Last Time!''''
What seeds are you tryin' to grow..
Each seed has some different growing requirements..
Some need light to sprout,
some need darkness,
some need cold,
some need to be soaked,
some need to be scratched or nicked..
Why don't you make a seperate thread,
on the kinds you're growing..
And I know you'll get a bunch of replies...
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
In particular, though, I have some immediate questions -- re trying to collect seeds of ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE and KALE.
I have just collected a dozen or so stringbean-like pods from my just-flowered plants. Are these what i should be storing for sowing next fall?
Do I store them in a cool spot (say in my garage) or in the refrigerator or freezer?
Should I let them dry out first by sitting in a tray for a few days/weeks?
Your advice would be welcommed.
FWIW .. I am in Washington, DC
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How does one go about properly saving seeds..
(I mean, I personally have a good basic concept of it but there may be people here interested in seed saving and swaping but are unsure exactly what to do..........
Anyone out there able to help us through the correct steps???
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/