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Post by brownrexx on Oct 1, 2020 13:50:51 GMT -5
I am a newbie to seed saving but I did save some Cherokee Purple seeds in 2019 and planted them this year. The turned out really well but my question is,
Would you use last year's seeds again next year or would you save fresh seeds every year?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 1, 2020 14:10:08 GMT -5
Depends on the vegetable.
For peas, green onions, and other crops with a short seed storage life, I try to save fresh seed every year. For lettuce, every other year.
For other vegetables I take into consideration each vegetable's average seed storage life and the age of my current seeds when deciding whether to save seed for that vegetable each year.
Though, since I do some seed trading, I often save seeds for trading even when I don't need them for myself. A lot of my seed saving for trades happens because I prefer not to trade older seed (even if I get the recipient's okay in advance). So often I will save fresh seed for trading even when I have a supply of older but still viable seeds available.
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Post by paulf on Oct 1, 2020 14:33:00 GMT -5
I only save tomato seeds from varieties difficult or impossible to find commercially. If the saved seeds grow true I will use them for four or five years if they are not used up by then. I like to buy from trusted seed sellers (and that list has been reduced in the past couple of years due to retirement and death). My inventory is getting smaller as I get older but still is in the hundreds and every year I do not refresh several varieties.
I miss Remy and Tatiana and the varieties we could get there and nowhere else. I am making sure to save some of those...I don't know why for sure but just to have them, I guess.
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Post by september on Oct 1, 2020 15:15:13 GMT -5
I save tomato and pepper seeds every year from plants that do well and taste good, even if I have previous years seed. Since I don't bag plants, if it turns out newer seed is crossed, I can go back and use seed from earlier batches that I know is true. I rarely throw away any old seed, just keep filing it by year in labeled envelopes or zip-locks in a master envelope for the variety, which has notes from all previous seasons. I save eggplant and bean seeds as well, but not as regularly. I also save some flower seeds for varieties that I want for the next year. I accidentally let some bok choy go to seed this year, and need to get it before it all disintegrates. Tomato seed is easily good for 5 and more years, so no need to save every year if you don't want to.
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Post by meandtk on Oct 1, 2020 17:22:22 GMT -5
Not much, nor as much as I truly feel that I should.
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Post by octave1 on Oct 1, 2020 17:55:38 GMT -5
For tomatoes ideally one should save seeds every year so the plant's genetic pool is constantly adjusting to the environment. A dude in France (or Spain) managed to grow a tomato that was cold hardy and drought tolerant by collecting seeds every year and planting them the next. It took him over 2 decades-- I can't recall exactly how many years, maybe 25 or 30-- but the results were astonishing.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Oct 2, 2020 10:52:19 GMT -5
I save something every year, though not the same things. I saved some Thai red long beans, and a few other bole beans, some of the okra early on, some of the gourds, and a couple of tomatoes, and just recently, some Syrian oregano, when somebody asked me about it. However, no peppers! There were no peppers I will plant again, that I am running short of.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 2, 2020 19:25:30 GMT -5
Do I have to be asked? I was saving seeds long before I heard of the Seed Savers Exchange. Began tomatoes almost 40 years ago. Bottle onions have been almost 20 years. Just today I selected a ripe sweet cayenne pepper to dry for seed. Several pole bean varieties drying to get seed for next year. No big lots, just enough to keep them in my gardens.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Oct 3, 2020 13:44:34 GMT -5
Do I have to be asked? I was saving seeds long before I heard of the Seed Savers Exchange. Began tomatoes almost 40 years ago. Bottle onions have been almost 20 years. Just today I selected a ripe sweet cayenne pepper to dry for seed. Several pole bean varieties drying to get seed for next year. No big lots, just enough to keep them in my gardens. Martin The truth is more important than the facts. This year I discovered a sample of Pole bean seeds, at the bottom of my box, that I suspect you sent me sometime in the past. Finally Got them into the ground this year. Really enjoyed them! Rattle Snake pole beans! Upon the recommendation of my hubby’s elderly aunt, I Have been planting Kentucky Wonder pole beans for almost 50 years, almost never straying from that kind. After having so much luck with the Rattle Snake, I’m wondering what other good beans I may have been missing! If by chance, you end up with a surplus of pole bean seeds for next spring, I would enjoy giving them a spot in my garden 😘 .... 😊. .
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Post by paquebot on Oct 3, 2020 22:25:50 GMT -5
Oddly enough, this is first year in many that I dud not grow Rattlesnake. That's a great snap bean when young and then quickly becomes a shellie.
I gave up on bush beans and now only plant pole. Kentucky Wonder is perhaps the standard for green snap beans. I planted Fortex for the green ones this year. All nice qualities except for production. Nevertheless, left enough pods to mature and have next year. For yellow it was Monte Gusto. Have never grown any bean that was so prolific. They also scheduled to repeat next year.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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ponyexpress
Junior Member
Posts: 86
Zone:: 6b
Favorite Vegetable:: alliums
Joined: June 2020
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Post by ponyexpress on Oct 4, 2020 2:10:02 GMT -5
I gave up on bush beans and now only plant pole. What is the reason for your giving up on bush beans? I do like pole beans because they’re easier to pick but I did grow a few varieties of bush beans. I do have issues with Mexican bean beetles. Any advice for this pest?
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Post by brownrexx on Oct 4, 2020 7:09:59 GMT -5
ponyexpress, My favorite is Maxibel Haricot Vert which is a bush bean which produces a skinny French Filet bean. I also have Mexican Bean Beetles in my area but they usually do not bother my first planting of beans. They usually arrive later in the season and get on my second planting if I make one. I do not usually need to do anything about them except squish the yellow fuzzy larvae if I see any.
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Oct 4, 2020 8:25:33 GMT -5
I still plant my Tendergreen bush beans just because they are ready for picking a week earlier than the poles.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 4, 2020 10:46:29 GMT -5
Main reason why bush beans were abandoned is production per area. Bush beans tend to be semi-determinate. Most produce a good crop and then start over again. Pole beans produce more per square foot and do so on a constant basis. There are some bush types which I would love to see in pole form such as Contender, Provider, and Top Crop.
As some here know, there was a time when I was growing as many or more bean varieties than tomatoes Got a lot of others started with some scarce ones. Currently have at least 100 stashed away. All good ones in their own way. Postage got too high to continue sharing them.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 4, 2020 13:20:17 GMT -5
...Pole beans produce more per square foot and do so on a constant basis... This is the main reason I grow pole beans in my small garden. It also helps that I don't have to get down low to pick the beans.
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tallpines
Pro Member
Posts: 298
Zone:: 4a
Favorite Vegetable:: This week, it’s Rhubarb
Joined: February 2019
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Post by tallpines on Oct 4, 2020 22:46:52 GMT -5
...Pole beans produce more per square foot and do so on a constant basis... This is the main reason I grow pole beans in my small garden. It also helps that I don't have to get down low to pick the beans. Not getting down low ..... This is the primary reason, I love the pole beans. My aging body does not “squat” very well for picking Bush beans ..... but ..... I always get impatient waiting for that first meal of fresh green beans .... and a dozen bush bean plants provide much satisfaction until the pole beans start to provide 👍. .
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