Gardening is about to get a lot more fun.
Owning open-pollinated, non-hybrid, non-genetically modified, heirloom seeds is the first step toward gaining food independence for you and your family. Planting those seeds would logically be the second step, but it’s actually third. Second would be doing a little homework to make sure that you are taking optimum advantage of your seeds and your garden.
Seeds are fascinating things. Ranging in size from mere dust-like particles to the size of a fist, seeds come in many shapes, sizes and colors. A seed’s growth is what brings a plant to life through the germination process. After soaking up water and swelling, a seed’s protective covering splits and the new plant within begins to grow by utilizing the seed’s store of food.
Following are a few tips for planting 10 different seeds and harvesting the resulting plants:
• The seeds of different types of Beans should be planted well away from each other whenever possible to avoid any chance of cross-pollination.
• When preparing Cucumber seeds for storage, cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seedy pulp. Put the pulp and the seeds in a bowl of water to ferment. The heavy seeds will sink to the bottom, making it easy to drain and rinse them.
• Melon seeds are ripe enough to collect and store when melons are ripe enough to eat.
• When Spinach leaves begin to turn yellow, the seeds are nearly mature. The leafiest plants should be chosen for seed saving.
• When berries turn red and ferny top leaves flop over in the fall, Asparagus seeds are ready to harvest.
• In colder climates, Broccoli growth should be started indoors in the spring because the outdoor growing season might not last long enough.
• Don’t harvest the strongest Pea plants for food. Instead, allow pods to hang on the plants until the seeds are ripe and then harvest them.
• Squash seed is usually collected around the same time of the first fall frost. Allow the good seeds to dry for two weeks.
• Cabbage produces a tall stalk with yellow flowers in the second year. Seeds will be ready to harvest when the seedpods turn from brown to yellow.
• The black seeds from Onion plants are harvested by cutting off seed heads and then drying for several weeks.
If you’ve been gardening for any length of time, you’ve probably learned a lot. If you could share with us just one thing you’ve learned about gardening, we’d all be very grateful. Thanks.
Put my 120 tomato seeds (40 Better Boys, 40 Early Girls and 40 Rutgers (Frank) in my 4 x 8 seed bed made of chicken manure (2 years old) and a potting soil. Used over head water system misters at night When tomatoes were about 10 inches tall transplanted to 3 rows, rows were 3 ft apart and plants were 3 ft apart in rows. Do not plant more than 2 row together side by side, will not be able to get between them. I put 2 rows of peas between tomato rows. Yes another row of plants went to my friend’s garden Used 5-10-15 around each plant 2 hands full and a TUMS pill uncoated for each plant about 8 in away. Stops Blossom End root. As plants grow weeding by had with hoe seems like never ending job applied small 32 in high tomato cage when plants started coming out top applied a 28 diameter 48 in field wire cage. Plants will get about 6 ft tall with tomatoes everywhere. One slice covers a piece of bread, love those mato sandwiches. My drip water system does a great job. I apply water as needed. Pruning is needed all thro growing of tomatoes. I take off all suckers and cut at least 1/2 of branches off and 1/2 of leaves off . Just be sure not cutting off producing branches.
— We have been saving many types of seeds for years in freezer but are saving in freezer anymore. Seeds need to be cleaned, dried and stored in dry dark and cool place. Hopefully in a container to stop water from entering and not break apart with age. This is a very big problem finding containers that are safe for seed. Many of plastic containers will not last long enough, so be careful what seed are stored in.
Ooohh you’ve got misters. Honey, I just got a new project idea…..
We always would use cow manure turned over into the soil along with nitrogen to help make sure our plants were healthy. For those fellow gardeners who love their tomatos, if you are frustrated by your tomato’s rotting on the vines put some calcium into your soil close to your roots this will stop your tomatos from rotting on the vine! egg shells are rich in calcium and break down quickly to be absorbed into the soil and roots of your tomato’s!
EGG SHELLS ARE GREAT! I use them around the base of many plants to discourage snails & slugs. Some more ways to use them: – Cook them in the oven for 10 minutes @ 200 degrees; next, grind them very fine – (I use a mortar & pestle.) Then add them to your compost bin, or put them in a gallon jug of water for 3 or 4 days. The calcium leaches into the water and makes a great tomato tonic. Or add them directly to the soil. We have an equestrian park nearby, and they will load all the horse manure you want for free. CAUTION – horse manure needs to be composted to @ least 140 degrees before using it in the garden… It contains LOTS of seeds that you can do without. I use a homemade compost barrel and it works GREAT! I LOVE all the super ideas from everyone. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
We use rain water runnoff for watering as much as possible.