I have been absent for a good many months here. I apologize. We are all living through "interesting times" and it has taken a toll on many of us, I am no different.
I lost my precious Scottish Terrier, Mr Tre, in May and was already doing poorly, suffering from the effects of the pandemic - masks, no hugs, no hanging out with friends. And, not to put too fine a point on it, there was no baseball when the season ought to have started. It was so very difficult with everything being distanced and masks and excessive hand washing. It took me a long time to get in with it all, even though I was one of the early mask adopters. And no hugs when Tre made it apparent he would not make it through the month was agonizing.
It felt as though I had been flung of a sudden to a different planet where everything was topsy turvey to where it had been before. My writing has suffered and my teaching has suffered. I'm on a brutal pace to learn Zoom in all its intricacies and obfuscations; gone are the days where I could size up a program and learn it on the fly; today's programs are much smarter than I am.
So I am returning at last to my blog, I feel like I can write again. And I'm sorry to have missed a great garden season with you. I hope you have been able to look in the archives to follow along on my schedule because it's a routine every year. As I go along, I add stuff and puff up points that seem more relevant today than they did in say 2009 or something like that.
I promise to make a concerted effort to keep you informed and entertained and not drop off the planet. The Dodgers play their 3rd game of a truncated season today and that helps a lot. I have a new dog on the way that I can goosh over and photograph to his annoyance.
I allowed ads on my blog to beef up my income a little and when I opened it today, I was met with a huge ad from the NRA and another equally nefarious organization.
And so life goes on. I will have some postings on The Learning Garden and SLOLA as well as current topics in gardening. If you have questions you would like answered, hit the reply button below and I hope to steward my blog more judiciously in the coming months and growing seasons.
david
25 July, 2020
August – Are We Hot Enough Yet?
No
longer is August the month of the hammock and the cold drink in the
shade – not since I realized that how much you preserve of your
harvest makes a huge difference in how well you can eat from your
garden over the long haul. When harvest season is in full swing,
like it is right now, dealing with the abundance is the major focus
of the home gardener.
There
are several ways to deal with fresh produce that will allow you to
eat from your garden long after the heat of August is gone. You can
dry the produce. This is the easiest way. Beans are simply left on
the plant until the pods are crispy and ready to drop their seeds on
the ground – yes! Those inner beans ARE the seeds! How easy can you
get? Gather them up and lay them in a dry, location out of direct
sunlight and splashes of water to dry for a couple of days. In
Southern California that should do nicely in short order. Putting
them away with too much moisture might result in moldy beans by the
time you want to cook with them; to ensure they are dry, whack one
with a hammer, if it is dry it will shatter. Once you have beans that
shatter and not splat, give them a quick two day stint in the freezer
to kill any larvae that might be lingering and then seal them up
tightly in a glass jar, keeping them cool and dry until time to cook
or plant! Double duty beans!
Other
fleshy things can be dried in a dehydrator. If you grow to store a
lot for the months ahead, consider a dehydrator – these
contraptions will take care of an over-abundance in very short order.
Not only does drying shrink the size of a lot of what you store, it
is a type of storage that depends no power to keep the food from
spoilage, making the food wonderful for emergencies and camping trips
as well as a regular addition to your daily fare. And while you can
use dehydrators on beans, I'd suggest not doing that. The bean seeds
will dry plenty fast enough in SoCal without tempting fate with
overheating in a dehydrator.
A
lot of the food we eat came from humans finding different ways to
store food in the days before dependable refrigeration. Cheeses,
ciders, beers and wines to name but a few of the ways humans have
preserved food through the centuries. And each culture has its own
methods and processes to accomplish this. Most of these preservation
techniques are held in high esteem in the cultures that created them
What
else can you do with all this produce?
Pickling
is easy and doesn't require a degree in food processing. Using what
is known as the “hot water bath” process, you can make pickles of
all sorts as well as jams and jellies from the sweeter produce.
Pickling relies on vinegar (acidity) to prevent organisms from
ruining your food while jams and jellies use sugar for the most part.
You don't need a pressure cooker and while most folks use a dedicated
canning pot, it is not essential. Last year, we had a very successful
pickling class making Spicy Pickled Carrots. It was fun for all and
all the students got to go home with a delicious jar of spicy carrots
which was more fun to make than real work!
I
would be remiss if I didn't mention all the fermentation going
on these days! This is a throwback to what I mentioned above –
mankind has had many ways to preserve the harvest before modern
appliances. It seems like you can ferment everything including the
kitchen sink. Exploring this phenomena is on my to do list and I'll
get back to you soon with a report!
Canning
– without adding sugar or vinegar, preserving the harvest becomes
much more involved process and including owning, or borrowing, a
pressure cooker and learning how to work it. It is not nearly the
same as pickling or making jam. If you want to keep food that is not
sweetened or pickled, you have to learn how to use one of these
pressure cookers. While uncommon today, in my youth many families
had pressure cookers and used them year in and year out. We 'put by'
quarts and quarts of green beans and corn to be able to enjoy
something to eat when the ground was frozen solid. Get a good book on
canning and pickling and discover this whole different world you've
missed and save a lot more of your garden!
The
final option is freezing. In many ways, freezing is the
easiest method, but it is also rather fragile in that one power
outage could loose you the whole lot. By the way, here's a tip I
learned to know if your freezer has been without power too long –
even if you were away when the power outage hit: take a small
container, small cup or bowl, that will hold about a half cup of
water. Freeze it. Now, lay a coin on top of the frozen water. If you
open your freezer and the coin is no longer on top, you know there
has been a power outage and the contents of the freezer are suspect.
Inspect everything thoroughly and even if you don't detect spoilage,
you might consider tossing the lot if the coin was at the bottom of
the ice. Since I've started using this, I've had no chance, thank
God, to test it!
Freezing
has it's upsides too! Got a couple hundred extra tomatoes? Easy
peasy! Slice 'em in half and core them about a dozen at a time. Set
into a low pan coated with olive oil. If you have some garlic, chop
that up and sprinkle over the tomatoes with some olive oil, salt and
pepper. You can add what you might have on hand, parsley, cilantro,
oregano, basil – whatever cranks your tractor. Roast in the oven
until tomatoes are looking a little blasted. Allow to cool. Put in
the blender and whiz 'em for a short time. Measure out the whizzings
into plastic bags of two cups of sauce each, more if you have a large
family. Toss in the fridge. Use different recipes each time you do
this – different ingredients/spices. Use these throughout the
winter to sauce pizzas, sauce for pasta and so on.
Beyond
these suggestions, let me make a radical proposition: If you have
more than you can use, share it with your neighbors and friends.
That's yet another way you can “extend the harvest.” With the
amount of food wasted worldwide estimated to be 40% of all food
grown, let's not add to that figure.
Planting
in August – for most the month, at least – is dicey. The weather
can be hot and vile – this year we have humidity so it feels a lot
like the mid-west. The plants suffer from the unrepentant sun, and
watering is almost useless. Large leaved plants will even wilt with
enough water in the soil because they cannot pump enough water in
from their roots. Wilting reduces the amount of leaf surface that
get sunshine diminishing the amount of water left. There are two
wilting points: The first is just the wilting point and the
plant recovers overnight by pumping in water from the ground. The
second is the Permanent Wilting Point. Guess what that means?
Try to not freak out at the first and try to never come close to the
second.
Which
brings to mind – if you have to use extra hand cream, or you are
drinking extra water, think about how your plants feel! Give them
some too. If you are bad about self-care but you are watering your
garden extra, maybe you should drink more fluids too – like water.
Non-alcoholic water.
Use an 18 inch stake
(available at almost any garden store) and a black plastic flat.
Place the flat on the south side of the plant and prop it up with
the stake – as in the photograph.
Starting seeds
in the garden or setting out transplants can work better if you try
this little trick – use an 18 inch stake (available at almost any
garden store) and a black plastic flat. Place the flat on the south
side of the plant and prop it up with the stake – as in the
photograph. This is a transport flat with fairly large holes, a
propagation flat with much smaller holes provides much more
protection, sometimes too much. Leave this setup until the heat wave
abates or until the plant has the stamina to make it without the
shade.
Remember
to consider how long your new plant is going to take to fruit. Will
it still be warm enough to set a crop? Right now in August, I would
plant only a very few varieties of tomatoes because most will begin
to flower in late November. Yes, I know there are warm days in
November, but how many? Can you count on enough warm days to get
tomatoes from pollination to ripe before the cool nights cause it to
rot on the plant? I think that's a poor bet. Instead, I think we
should try to get cool season crops in before they really like to be
set out. You could also grow a quick summer crops like beans.
Mind
you, I'm not saying you can't. I am saying it's a gamble. How much
space do you have for gambling? I mean more than just the normal
gamble of trying to grow food in a normal world.... (Note: I'm a
gambler and I gamble a lot more than I admit to. There are times when
something is just too good to pass up!)
August
is the time to contemplate the fall and winter garden; in addition
to the stuff above, I'll plant seeds of artichokes (a perennial).
Start
These In Containers
|
Start
These In The Ground
|
Move
to the Ground from Containers
|
Broccoli
|
||
Cabbage
|
||
Kale
|
||
Cauliflower
|
||
Fava
beans
|
||
Onions
|
||
Leeks
|
Refer
to the text for exact dates.
Figs On the Grill
This
is only a 'recipe' in the loosest sense of the word, but it's worth
your attention. Gardener's in the Mediterranean Climate should be
seeing figs getting ripe right now or soon. Pick figs that are soft
to the touch and slice in half. Put face down on a grill until warm,
flip over and warm on the back side as well – you are not trying to
'cook' them so don't overdue it. Just leave them long enough to heat
throughout.
Remove
from the grill, put a dollop of a good stout, plain yogurt (I like to
find yogurt labeled 'Greek') on top of each slice. Drizzle with
honey.
It
will taste so good, stand carefully to avoid falling over.
03 April, 2020
Our Gardens In April!
The
summer garden's plants are in their little starter pots right
now (vaguely reminiscent of training wheels on a bicycle)
really begging to be transplanted into the earth. Tomatoes,
peppers and cucumbers, the stalwarts of our summer garden are
almost ready to hit the big time. In some years, it's too cool
until after your taxes are done, but in many others, heed
their pleas and put them out sooner.
It
seems the crops most of us think the 'value crops' are the summer
crops of the Southern California garden. Back in March, I sowed a
couple of short rows of purple snap beans, so I have some lovely
little summer plants already up in the garden, about five inches
promising the goodies to come. Some folks swear they are 'purple
green beans, ' but that seems a little goofy to me. They aren't
green, they're purple – until you cook them; when they are cooked
to a delicious al
dente
'done,' then they become a deep luscious green. It's a perfect
veggie for someone learning how to not overcook vegetables.
They
are good, but in my book, they aren't the real deal of the bean
world. In April, we put out the main crop of snap beans. It's
pretty common to plant green beans, including, Blue Lake, Kentucky
Wonder, Romano and others, either as a pole bean or a bush bean.
Pole beans need something to climb on and tend to produce more beans
over the entire season. If you want to eat your beans freshly picked
at a number of meals over the season, pole beans are your bet. If
you plan on pickling, canning or freezing a bunch of beans for the
cooler months, bush beans with their tendency to put on all their
crop in the space of three or four good pickings will be the ones you
go for.
I
plant a lot of bush beans for drying – the plants stay in the
garden until they are withered brown stalks with the bean pods still
on them, until the beans begin to fall out from the dried pods. Then
I pick them.
I
like to plant yellow beans, also called 'wax' beans. I hated yellow
beans as a kid, mainly because they were different and I never saw
them for sale in the grocery store; I didn't want to eat anything
that wasn't 'normal.' As far as I can determine, this is the only
instance of conformity I've ever committed. Now that I am an adult,
I've come to love the yellow beans, especially when pickled.
The yellow ones are like 'sunshine in a jar' that I can put on
sandwiches and in salads all year long. Yum! I look for Pencil Pod
or Carson, both of which are straight, delicious and good croppers.
When it comes to pickling or canning, you only have to pack one jar
with beans to appreciate the importance of a quality like 'straight!'
In
all of this, I don't want to miss noting that I did an experiment a
few years back putting a row of Romano beans up against Kentucky
Wonder which had been my standard for a good many years. Romano won
hands down so hard I've not planted Kentucky Wonder or any of the
round green beans since! Some folks don't care for the taste of
Romanos, but I find them as delicious as any bean I've ever had. And
they are 'meatier' and, for my money, more productive over a longer
period of time.
For
something a little different, plant Dragon Langerie, a Dutch variety
that has purple stripes down the large flat yellow bean. They can be
quite large and still tasty. And showy! Or, Scarlet Runner beans.
What a showy vegetable! First they have a bright red (scarlet, get
it?) flower. The green beans can get what large, about ¾ inch
across, and up to 12 inches long! Even at that stage they have a
crunchy deliciousness that the size belies. After getting a little
tough after a while, you can pick them and shell out the soft bean
seeds – called 'shelly beans' in the south – and cook with a
little butter. If you wait a bit longer, the seeds get hard and you
have a dried soup bean – all this production in a plant you would
be proud to put on a trellis at your front door! I didn't even tell
you that the seeds are a brilliant purple splashed with black –
this is one of the stand out plants of the bean world. Can you guess
if I'll grow it again this year?
In
the first half of the month, start planting beans, green, yellow and
purple of all varieties, directly in the garden, I don't bother with
transplanting from beans in starter packs, it's a lot more work for a
very dubious gain. You can put out any bean from tax day on, but I
usually wait yet another month for the beans I want to dry, like the
famous Italian Cannelini, American Cranberry Bean or Black Turtle.
I want these to ripen when the garden is basking in the dry heat of
late summer/early fall. There are a lot of drying beans, but a
gardener of a small plot can be forgiven if they pass on many dried
beans – it can take a bit of space to get a decent crop. For the
best drying bean selections look into Native Seed/SEARCH in Arizona
or Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa.
Don't
forget Lima beans! These big meaty bean seeds are really a winner in
soups and stews. The climbing Lima bean variety “Christmas” is
perennial in our climate and produces loads of red and white (the
reason for calling it “Christmas” I believe) year in and year
out. These vigorous vines demand to be put on a really sturdy fence
– they will pull down anything less (as I can attest). If you can
only afford one or two plants, they'll still make it worth your
while. Keep them picked – it can be a bit of a chore to keep after
them.
About
the same time you are putting your green and yellow beans into the
garden, set out a couple cucumbers. I like Armenian and Japanese
cucumbers,each of which have the same mild flavor and awesome crunch,
even though they couldn't look any more different! The Armenian
cucumbers are a light green almost bordering on yellow, with smooth
skin covering a straight fat cucumber while the Japanese are a very
dark green, with massive prickles on a furrowed and absolutely
convoluted twisty narrow cucumber. Both are delicious. The Japanese
cucumber will bear over a longer period but there is much more eating
on each Armenian cuke, so it probably ends up with both being about
the same. Give them plenty of room! If your garden is small, make
these gangly fellows climb a fence, a trellis or something up versus
over the ground – and your other plants – which they will do with
impunity!
At
some point, everyone is tempted by the Lemon cucumber. This is an
heirloom that looks so cute in catalogs. I have grown it several
times and each time I've found myself asking, “Why?” It's not
all that good, it's a labor to peel (five Lemon cukes equal less food
than one Armenian or Japanese) and the vines can engulf a small home!
OK, that's a bit much, but I've seen it cover a ten by ten foot
garden bed without looking back. And it does produce well, but not
like some of the more traditional cukes. Too much labor per bite.
That should be a veggie growing matrix: Labor Per Bite; the LPB is
too high.
The
beans and cucumbers aren't all we are planting out right now. I
haven't even mentioned later in the month! After the taxes are in,
set out growing plants of peppers, eggplants, okra, melons, zucchini,
summer squashes and tomatillos. Sow seeds of corn directly where
they will grow. Pumpkins are a winter squash and all those hard
skinned squashes should go out in May or so. They are really heat
lovers. And demand space or something on which to climb!
You
say you want pumpkins for Halloween? Check the packet for the days
to harvest. On the coast, we need to add almost a month to that
which means you need to get them in sooner rather than later. You
can skip the 'add a month' part, if you are more inland; but a
pumpkin that is ripe before you need it, will keep. A pumpkin that
isn't ripe until Thanksgiving can't be transformed into a Jack o'
Lantern until the last minute because it will rot very quickly.
“Early” really is more better than late in this case. And your
dates to harvest could be slowed down if we get a heavy dose of June
Gloom on the coast making that extra month essential. Without June
gloom, you don't have to add that month.
Peppers
and eggplants are easily grown once it has warmed up. They usually
get about 3½' tall and need about 18” between plants. As with
most vegetables, you need to give them all the sun you can. You can
also try growing some lettuce in the shade of larger plants. Lettuce
dislikes heat, but I like tomatoes and lettuce (my annual BLT) at the
same time and it's easier trying to get lettuce in summer than
tomatoes in winter.
I
love peppers but I hate eggplant. Both however, are beautiful
additions to every garden, I grow eggplant as an ornamental and give
the produce to someone who cares to eat it. Peppers come in a wild
variety of colors – all start green and eventually change to
whatever color they want to be – every green pepper you've ever
eaten would have turned to some other color if we'd only practiced
more patience. I like Anaheim, Early Jalapeno and Corno di Torno
(Italian for 'Horn of the Bull') for warmer peppers and Cubanelle,
Sweet Banana and Marconi for a sweet pepper. Eggplants can be Asian
or Italian – I like the Italian Listada
de Gandia or
Rosa Bianca, primarily because they are very good looking in the
garden. I have no intention of eating them. There are deep purple
ones (almost black) and white ones as well as Turkish Orange and
green eggplants. Very pretty.
Okra
can be planted late in April/early May. Clemson's Spineless,
Burgundy, Annie Oakley, and Star of David all are prolific producers.
Put on a pot of gumbo in late summer! I'll eat 'em if I don't see
'em. There is a red variety called 'Burgandy' which is stunning! All
okras, being mallow family members, have wonderful flowers and are
stunning in the garden. I have been feeling better about okra as
edible lately.
Not
enough has been said yet about basil, but Genovese basil is the best
in my book. Not just good production, but wonderful aroma and the
taste is incomparable. Pinch the tips of each branch as flower buds
begin to form all summer to keep it producing – once there are two
pair of leaves on a stem, that stem will commence to flower. Pick
the flowers before they have set seed, use them in cooking or making
salads. Once the seeds begin to mature, the plant begins the process
of dying.
If you keep it well picked, the plant gets bushier and bushier and
you get a lot more basil from each plant. Throw the pickings in
soup, salads or directly in your mouth! It's a win/win type of
situation.
Sweet
corn is another delight of the summer garden. It is a little tricky
to grow in our small gardens though. Corn, like all the cereal
grains, is wind pollinated. However, unlike the other grains, corn
has male and female flowers. The tassels atop the plant are the
'boy' flowers and the silks on the ear are the 'girl' flowers. The
tassels produce loads of pollen that must reach the silks to
fertilize them and create the corn seeds. This is hard to do if you
don't have a lot of corn plants with pollen to blow onto the silks.
It is best to plant corn as a block of plants rather than long rows.
There needs to be a critical mass of male flowers to produce pollen
to fall on the silks. You can shake the flowering corn stalks to
cause the pollen to fall down and assist in corn sex if you're the
adventurous type. Play some seductive music. “Was it good for you
too?”
If
you've ever eaten an ear of corn and found a spot where there was a
space instead of a kernel, that shows that one silk was not
pollinated: every kernel has its very own silk. To get a fully
populated ear of corn, every individual silk must be fertilized.
Also
at this time, you will put out plants of zucchini and soon
afterwards, so-called 'Winter Squash.' Zucchini and the yellow
crookneck squashes with soft skin are called Summer Squash because
they are eaten in summer; while the hard rinds of squashes and
pumpkins can be saved to be eaten in the cold (read 'non-gardening')
months of winter. I usually set a plant or two of summer squash in
the garden and plant seeds of the winter varieties. Both can be put
out by seeds or by transplant, it's just the habit I've gotten into.
Zucchini and summer squashes can be large leaved plants that don't
ramble a lot, but get quite large. Winter squashes and pumpkins
ramble everywhere – the larger the fruit, the larger the leaves and
the greater potential with smashing other, not as large, veggies.
Winter squashes resemble cucumbers in this way, except that cucumbers
are more delicate than squash.
If
you have an unused trellis, consider one of the climbing summer
squashes like Zuchetta
Trombonicino Squash.
There are others with similar habits – but you'll have to grow
them from seed! Check the seed catalogs for a description that
matches this one. The fruit on these plants can get to be three or
more feet long and when they are hanging down from a trellis they
create a magical experience for children and the childlike as they
walk between the hanging fruit – and mighty good eating too! Keep
them picked and plan on having these gorgeous soft squashes to share
with friends and neighbors. My catalog says they 'may be grown on a
pretty strong trellis” and I would say that's just a bit
understated. In our small gardens, growing these plants on the
ground will take up too much of your gardening real estate and if you
try a wimpy trellis, you'll get the plants growing on the ground as
well, among the shattered parts of the wimpy trellis!
There
is little hope of April showers in our area, although they are not
unheard of. In many years, one or two will show up, although they
don't usually provide us with much rain. Get your garden beds
mulched as soon as you can. A lack of mulching will allow that water
to evaporate and you will need to water all that much more. Add
mulch to about three inches deep – don't cover your plants or
freshly sown seeds, but all over the spaces between plants. And as
plants get larger, add mulch around them. It will save you in
weeding later on, the roots of plants will feel better and the
critters in the soil are all much more happy!
It
might seem early, but begin to think about saving seeds from some of
the plants you put out now. Beans are easy in this regard, as are
tomatoes and lettuce. Especially if you start your planting off with
saving seed in mind. And it is NOT too early to think about seed
saving; lets take a moment to think what you would need to do to save
the seeds from some of the plants in your garden. Look elsewhere in this blog to find much more on seed saving!
Saving
seeds from year to year only needs a little extra attention in what
you already do and a little more record keeping so you can say 'this
came from that and not from that' with assurance. This little effort
will enrich your gardening in unexpected ways. The season I started
to plant my garden with the intention of saving seeds for the future,
both my garden and myself were changed in ways I did not anticipate.
I have heard other folks describe a similar phenomena once they
became parents – the future has new meaning and new importance and
weight. In addition, I became more intimate with the phenomena of
life that exists in the garden, feeding on the flowers and the seeds
that I allowed to flourish. I don't, as I've said, use any
pesticides in my garden and depend on a multitude of insects in the
garden as my 'pest control.'
Plant
beans apart from one another, at least a few feet with something
taller growing between them. Although science says there is little
chance of cross pollination between beans, their research is done in
insecticide-soaked research plots. In your organic garden, you can
get some crossing so planting your different varieties somewhat apart
with something tall between them will help keep the beans self
pollinated so they remain the same bean year after year. (The bean
remains the same.) Designate a couple of plants from the beginning
to be seed producers and mark them with some colored flags or colored
tape found in hardware stores (this 'tape' is a lighter version
non-sticky flagging tape, like a light version of 'Police Line – Do
Not Cross' seen at crime scenes), buy a couple of colors to use for
different purposes. Chose a plants of early, middle and late
production. Chose plants with qualities you like (production,
disease resistance or straight beans) if you want to carry those
qualities forward. Tie the tape securely around the plants you will
save for seed. Simply let the plant make beans and leave them on the
plant until the pod is drying out. Gather in the dried up plants and
allow to dry in as cool a place as you can find until they are really
dry.
To
insure there are no insects in the beans, put them in the freezer for
a few days once they are dry enough (hit one with a hammer – if it
shatters, it's dry enough!), pull them out, allow the condensation to
disappear and put them into jars with extra head room (air space
above the beans) and store them in a dark, cool place until needed to
eat or to replant.
Tomatoes,
eggplants and peppers are a little more demanding because they
produce over the whole summer, or at least that's what we hope for.
They are mostly self-fertile, so if you're saving seed for yourself
only, you might find it acceptable to have two plants of each
flowering at the same time. If you plan on sharing the seed with
others who might not have the same forgiveness gene as yourself,
you'll need more rigor. I had a handyman build me a couple of frames
that cover a typical eggplant or pepper. These frames are of 1 x 2
wood on to which I can staple some porous fabric, called 'spun
fabric' or 'row covers' – sometimes you'll see the brand names
Remay or Agri-Grow. This fabric allows air, water and sunlight to
pass but no insects – in fact it is used over rows of plants like
cabbage to protect the plants from the cabbage moth. It is rather
inexpensive and can be used for more than one year. Just make sure
the bottom of the fabric has solid continuous contact with the soil
The frames should be good for several years especially if you coat
them with linseed oil.
Start
with these easy to save seeds – on down the road, you can learn to
save seeds from the more demanding plants like squashes and
cucumbers. Both of those are more promiscuous than any animal ever
thought to be and are pollinated by bees. To get pure seed from them
requires to manage their sex life and that can be really demanding.
Or
corn, beets and chard which are wind pollinated. In fact, is is
because they are wind pollinated that many folks are upset with
genetically modified organisms grown indiscriminantly in America's
fields. The pollen from GMO plants can easily be blown into non-GMO
cropland contaminating those plants with the genetically modified
material. The wind blown pollen has created a scarcity of corn
varieties that are NOT contaminated with this unproven, and largely
unwelcome, tehcnology.
Once
you find yourself saving seed, you'll really feel a connection to
your forefathers and foremothers! They saved seed all the time
because it was their only source for seed other than neighbors –
and I'm sure that sharing their seeds was one of the annual
highlights of the community. It can become a part of your annual
harvest festivals, of which Thanksgiving is the ultimate.
Boy
are we busy this month! Don't worry. If you fail to get everything
done, you can keep at it for the first two weeks of May. There is no
need to rush in Southern California. Our climate forgives us for
being too early or too late most of the time, so you can go wrong,
but you have to work at it pretty hard.
Start
These In Containers
|
Start
These In The Ground
|
Move
to the Ground from Containers
|
Winter
squash
More
basil, if needed
|
Beans
of all kinds mentioned in the text
|
Tomatoes
Basil
|
More
summer squash, if needed
|
Squash
(some folks prefer this to staring in containers)
|
Peppers
Eggplant
Summer
Squash
|
Corn
|
Cucumbers
|
|
Refer
to the text for exact dates.
It
is with trepidation I share the following recipe: I have often
thought I need to enter this in the county fair because it is a
winner for those of us who love rhubarb pie – you cannot find a
decent one made commercially, that's for sure. A rhubarb pie cannot
be made with a ton of sugar that covers the tartness of the rhubarb.
This is a single-male modified Martha Stewart recipe and it is
delicious.
I
have not mastered making pie crust as of this writing – that is the
only reason I have not sought a ribbon with this pie: it seems unfair
to buy a crust for a pie that will be judged. I intend to learn how
to make a good crust and then, look out! The blue ribbon will be
mine!
David
King's Most Beautifully Delicious Rhubarb Pie!
2
double pie crusts
2½
pounds fresh rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces, or 2 20 ounce packages
of frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained (I have never used frozen
rhubarb, it was in the original recipe however)
1
cup sugar, or to taste
½
cup all-purpose flour
1
tablespoon ground cardamom
1
teaspoon nutmeg
Juice
and grated zest of 1 bright-skinned orange
Preheat
the oven to 350 ° F
Cut
the rhubarb into pieces to fill your pie crust. Combine all
ingredients except rhubarb in bowl. Spoon this mixture over the
rhubarb as evenly as you can over the rhubarb – the act of baking
will take care of the distribution of the sauce.
Bake
for approximately 50 minutes, until the filling has bubbled and
thickened. Let cool on a rack before serving.
Makes
one large or two smaller pies.
01 April, 2020
Seed Saving Basics In One Handout!
This is the most informationally dense material I have written. There is a glossary at the end, should you need to define words, some words have specific "seedy" meanings if something doesn't make sense, check the glossary. If you have questions, use the links at the bottom of this post to ask me directly. I hope you find this helpful and inspiring.
Including the
following articles:
Seed Saving
Cheat Sheet – by David King
Plant Isolation
Table from http://howtosaveseeds.com/
(with lots of other good stuff there too!)
A
Seed Saving Bibliography – by David King, a short list of good bedtime reading
A
Seed Saving Glossary – by David King, basic terms you'll find in
the seed saving world
Seed Saving Cheatsheet – According to Complexity
David
King
Beginner
Bean, Lettuce, Pea, Pepper, Tomato
These vegetables offer the beginning seed saver the best chance for successful seed saving. They produce seed the same season as planted and are mostly self-pollinating, minimizing the need to be mindful of preventing cross-pollination.
These vegetables offer the beginning seed saver the best chance for successful seed saving. They produce seed the same season as planted and are mostly self-pollinating, minimizing the need to be mindful of preventing cross-pollination.
Bean
- Phaseolus vulgaris
PLANT: Although,
ideally, different varieties should be separated by 150 feet or
another crop flowering at the same time, cross-pollination is rare
even when two varieties are grown next to each other.
FLOWER: Beans
produce perfect, self-pollinating flowers. Cross pollination by
insects is possible but rare as pollination occurs before the flower
opens. Because the anthers are pushed up against the stigma,
automatic pollination is assured when the anthers open.
HARVEST: Allow
pods to dry brown before harvesting, about six weeks after eating
stage.
PROCESS: Small
amounts of pods can be opened by hand. Flail larger amounts.
Lettuce
- Lactuca sativa
PLANT: Separate
varieties flowering at the same time by at least 20 feet to ensure
purity.
FLOWER: Lettuce
produces perfect, self-pollinating flowers. Each flower produces one
seed. Flowers are grouped in little heads of 10-25 flowers all of
which open at once for as little as 30 minutes.
HARVEST: Some
outside leaves can be harvested for eating without harming seed
production. Allow seed heads to dry 2-3 weeks after flowering.
Individual heads will ripen at different times making the harvest of
large amounts of seed at one time nearly impossible. 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.
PROCESS: Small
amounts of seed can be shaken daily from individual flowering heads.
Rub with hands to remove remaining seeds. If necessary, separate
seeds from chaff with screens.
Peas
- Pisum sativum
PLANT: Ideally,
different varieties need to be separated 50 feet or with another crop
flowering at the same time..
FLOWER: Peas
produce perfect, self-pollinating flowers. Cross-pollination by
insects is possible but rare because pollination occurs before the
flower opens. Because the stigma does open before pollen is ready
crosses theoretically could occur.
HARVEST: Allow
pods to dry brown before harvesting, about four weeks after eating
stage.
PROCESS: Small
amounts of pods can be opened by hand. Flail larger amounts.
Pepper
- Capsicum annuum
PLANT: Most
home gardeners will get satisfactory results if different varieties
are separated by 50 feet and another tall, flowering crop. New
studies from New Mexico State University show more crossing than was
previously thought. We recommend at least 400 feet between varieties
to ensure absolute purity.
FLOWER: Peppers
produce perfect, mostly self-pollinating flowers. Solitary bees will
pollinate if a more desirable pollen is not available in the area.
HARVEST: Harvest
mature, fully-ripe peppers for seed. (Most bell peppers turn red when
fully mature.)
PROCESS: There
are two methods, dry and wet, to process pepper seeds. The dry method
is adequate for small amounts. Cut the bottom off the fruit and
carefully reach in to strip the seeds surrounding central cone. In
many cases, seeds need no further cleaning. To process the seed from
large amounts of peppers, cut off the tops just under the stem, fill
a blender with peppers and water and carefully blend until good seeds
are separated and sink to bottom. Pepper debris and immature seeds
will float to the top where they can be rinsed away. Spread clean
seeds on paper towel and dry in cool location until seed is dry
enough to break when folded.
Tomato
- Lycopersicon esculentum
FLOWER: Tomatoes
produce perfect, self-pollinating flowers. Anthers are fused together
into a little cone that rarely opens until pollen has been shed and
the stigma pollinated. (Older varieties with wild tomatoes or L.
pimpinellifolium in their genetic ancestry may have stigmas that
stick out beyond the cone containing the anthers. Varieties with this
trait can be identified by looking closely at mature flowers and need
to be treated accordingly.)
HARVEST: If
possible, allow tomatoes to completely ripen before harvesting for
seed production. Seeds from green, unripe fruits will be most viable
if extracted after allowing the fruits to turn color.
PROCESS: Cut
the tomato into halves at its equator, opening the vertical cavities
that contain the seeds. Gently squeeze out from the cavities the
jelly-like substance that contains the seeds. If done carefully, the
tomato itself can still be eaten or saved for canning, sun-drying or
dehydrating.
Place
the jelly and seeds into a small jar or glass. (Add a little water if
you are processing only one or two small tomatoes.) Loosely cover the
container and place in a warm location, 60-75° F. for about three
days. Stir once a day.
A
layer of fungus will begin to appear on the top of the mixture after
a couple of days. This fungus not only eats the gelatinous coat that
surrounds each seed and prevents germination, it also produces
antibiotics that help to control seed-borne diseases like bacterial
spot, canker and speck.
After
three days fill the seed container with warm water. Let the contents
settle and begin pouring out the water along with pieces of tomato
pulp and immature seeds floating on top. Note: Viable seeds are
heavier and settle to the bottom of the jar. Repeat this process
until water being poured out is almost clear and clean seeds line the
bottom of the container. Pour these clean seeds into a strainer that
has holes smaller than the seeds. Let the excess water drip out and
invert the strainer onto paper towel or piece of newspaper. Allow the
seeds to dry completely (usually a day or two). Break up the clumps
into individual seeds, label and store in a packet or plastic bag.
Experienced
Corn, Cucumber, Muskmelon, Radish, Spinach, Squash/Pumpkin.
The experienced seed saver's vegetables produce seed the season they are planted but require separation to keep unwanted cross-pollination from taking place
The experienced seed saver's vegetables produce seed the season they are planted but require separation to keep unwanted cross-pollination from taking place
PLANT: Female
corn flowers are pollinated predominately by the wind, rarely by
insects. Pollen is light and can be carried great distances. For
purity, separate two varieties pollinating at the same time by at
least 1 mile. Reasonable results are obtained with separation of 1000
feet.
FLOWER: Corn
is monecious, producing separate male and female flowers on each
plant. Male flowers appear as tassels on the top of corn stalks and
female flowers are pollinated via the silk emerging from each ear.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Corn is susceptible to intense inbreeding
depression. If seed is saved from too few plants, subsequent plants
may be short, mature late and produce few ears. Grow at least 200
plants and save the seeds from at least 100 of the best.
HARVEST: Corn
seed is usually ready to be harvested 4-6 weeks after eating stage.
PROCESS: Process
all but very large amounts of seed by gripping dried ears by hand and
twisting allowing kernels to fall into container. Any remaining silk
and chaff can be winnowed.
(All
cucumbers except Armenian cucumbers which are Cucumis melo)
PLANT: Separate
two different cucumber varieties by at least 1/2 mile, or segregate
by time to ensure purity. Experienced, home, seed savers can grow
more than one variety at a time in a single garden by using hand
pollinating techniques.
FLOWER: Cucumbers
are mostly monoecious with separate male and female flowers on each
plant. Female flowers can be identified by locating the ovary (a
small looking cucumber) at the base of the flower. Cucumber vines
will produce the greatest amount of female flowers when day length
shortens to approximately 11 hours per day. Fruits will be aborted
during dry spells and very hot weather.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Although inbreeding depression is not usually
noticeable in cucumbers, seeds should be saved from at least 6
cucumbers on 6 different plants.
HARVEST: Cucumbers
raised for seed cannot be eaten. They should be left to ripen at
least 5 weeks after eating stage until they have turned a golden
color.
PROCESS: Slice
fruit lengthwise and scrape seeds out with spoon. Allow seeds and
jelly-like liquid to sit in jar at room temperature for 3 or 4 days.
Fungus will start to form on top. Stir daily. Jelly will dissolve and
good seeds will sink to bottom while remaining debris and immature
seeds can be rinsed away. Spread seeds on a paper towel or screen
until dry. (See instructions for tomato.)
Divided
below into seven separate groups because of similar features. All C.
melos varieties in all groups will cross with each other. They
will not cross with watermelons which are Citrullus
vulgaris.
Indorus: honeydew, crenshaw, casaba
Conomon: Asian, pickling melons
Dundaim: pocket melon
Cantalupensis: true cantelopes (without netted skin)
Flexuosus: Armenian cucumbers
Reticulatus: Persian melons, muskmelons with netted skin and orange flesh
Chito: orange melon, garden lemon melon
Indorus: honeydew, crenshaw, casaba
Conomon: Asian, pickling melons
Dundaim: pocket melon
Cantalupensis: true cantelopes (without netted skin)
Flexuosus: Armenian cucumbers
Reticulatus: Persian melons, muskmelons with netted skin and orange flesh
Chito: orange melon, garden lemon melon
PLANT: Separate
two different muskmelons by at least 1/2 mile or separate by time to
ensure purity. Experienced, home, seed savers grow more than one
variety at a time in a single garden by using hand pollinating
techniques. Muskmelon flowers are small and relatively difficult to
hand pollinate.
FLOWER: Muskmelons
are mostly monoecious with separate male and female flowers on each
plant. Female flowers can be identified by locating the ovary (a
small looking melon) at the base of the flower. The early flowers are
the most likely to be successfully pollinated and eventually produce
seeds.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Not usually a problem with muskmelons.
HARVEST: Muskmelon
seed is mature and can be harvested from ripe and ready to eat
muskmelons.
PROCESS: Simply
rinse seeds clean, dry with towel and spread on board or cookie sheet
to complete drying.
PLANT: Separate
different varieties being grown for seed at the same time by at least
1/2 mile to ensure purity. Satisfactory results for home gardeners
require no more that 250 feet of separation. As radishes cannot
self-pollinate, pollen must be carried by insects from plant to
plant.
FLOWER: Radishes
produce annual flowers which require pollination by insects,
primarily bees.
HARVEST: Harvest
3' tall stalks containing seeds pods when pods have dried brown. Pull
entire plant and hang in cool, dry place if all pods are not dried at
the end of the growing season.
PROCESS: Open
pods by hand for small amounts of seed. Pods that do not open when
rubbed between hands can be pounded with hammer or mallet. Winnow to
remove remaining chaff.
PLANT: It
is probably best to grow seeds for only one variety of spinach at a
time. Remove plants which bolt first, and thin remaining plants to 8"
for seed production. Leave one male plant for each two females to
ensure pollination.
FLOWER: Spinach
is "dioecious", with male and female flowers on separate
plants. Flowers are wind pollinated by spinach's dust-like, powdery
pollen which can be carried for miles..
HARVEST: Some
outside leaves can be harvested for eating without harming seed
production. If possible, wait until all plants have dried brown. Pull
entire plant and hang in cool, dry place if necessary at the end of
the growing season.
PROCESS: Strip
seeds in upward motion and let them fall into container. Chaff can be
winnowed. Use gloves for prickly-seeded types.
Cucurbita
maxima varieties with large, hairy leaves, long vines and
soft, hairy stems and include: banana squashes, buttercups, hubbards
and marrows
Cucurbita
mixta varieties with large, hairy leaves, long vines and
hard, hairy stems and include the cushaws
Cucurbita
moschata varieties similar to C. mixta with
flaring stems at the fruit and large, green sepals surrounding the
flowers and include: butternuts
Cucurbita
pepo varieties with prickly stems and leaves with a hard,
five-angled stem and include: acorn squashes, cocozelles, pumpkins,
crooknecks, scallops, spaghetti squashes and zucchinis
PLANT: Squashes
from different species (see above) can be grown next to each other.
Separate different squash varieties in the same species by at least
1/2 mile to ensure purity. (Some crossing between C. mixta and C.
moschata has been reported recently.) Experienced,
home, seed savers grow more than one variety in a single garden by
using hand pollinating techniques. Squash flowers are large and
relatively easy to hand pollinate.
FLOWER: Squashes
are monoecious with male flowers and female flowers on each plant.
Female flowers can be identified by locating the ovary (a small
looking squash) at the base of the flower. (Some female flowers have
stamens.)
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Not usually noticed in squash and pumpkins.
HARVEST: Squash
must be fully mature before harvested for seed production. This means
that summer squashes must be left on the vine until outer shell
hardens. Allow to cure 3-4 additional weeks after harvest to
encourage further seed ripening.
PROCESS: Chop
open hard-shelled fruits and scoop out seeds. Rinse clean in wire
strainer with warm, running water. Dry with towel and spread on board
or cookie sheet to complete drying
Expert
Beet/Swiss
Chard, Cabbage Family, Carrot, Escarole/Frissee, Onion, Radicchio/Endive, Turnip/Chinese Cabbage.
PLANT: Grow
seed for only one variety of beet or Swiss chard at any one time.
FLOWER: Beets
and Swiss chard produce perfect flowers. Pollen is light and can be
carried for miles by the wind.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Save seed from at least 6 different beets to ensure
genetic diversity and vigor.
HARVEST: Cut
4' tall tops just above the root when majority flowering clusters
have turned brown. Tops can be stored in cool, dry locations for 2-3
weeks to encourage further seed ripening.
PROCESS: Small
quantities of seed can be stripped by hand as seed matures. Large
numbers of tops can be put into a cloth bag and stomped or pounded.
Chaff can be winnowed.
Includes
broccoli, brussels sprout, cauliflower, cabbage and kale.
PLANT: All
vegetables and varieties in this large species will cross with each
other. Separate different varieties at least 1000 feet for
satisfactory results or at least 1 mile for purity. Caging with
introduced pollinators or alternate day caging is also recommended in
small gardens.
FLOWER: Flowers
are perfect, most of which cannot be self-pollinated. Necessary
cross-pollination is performed by bees. The stigma becomes receptive
before the flower opens, and pollen is shed hours after the flower
opens.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Plant at least 6 different plants to protect vigor
and ensure a reasonable amount of genetic diversity.
HARVEST: Broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage and kohlrabi heads grown for seed should not be
trimmed for consumption. Brussels sprouts, collards and kale can be
lightly trimmed for eating without affecting quality seed production.
If small amounts of seeds are wanted, allow individual pods to dry to
a light brown color before picking and opening by hand. Lower pods
dry first followed by those progressively higher on the plant. For
larger amounts of seeds pull entire plant after a majority of pods
have dried. Green pods rarely produce viable seeds even if allowed to
dry after the plant is pulled.
PROCESS: Smash
unopened pods in cloth bag with mallet or by walking on them. Chaff
can be winnowed.
PLANT: Separate
different varieties at least 1/2 mile to ensure purity. (Queen Anne's
Lace or wild carrot will cross with garden carrot.) Alternate day
caging or caging with introduced pollinators allows two or more
varieties to be grown for seed in small gardens.
FLOWER: Carrots
produce perfect flowers that are cross-pollinated by a number of
insects. Flowers are arranged in round, flat groups called umbels.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Carrots can exhibit severe inbreeding depression.
Save and mix seed from as many different carrots as possible.
HARVEST: For
small amounts, hand pick each umbel as it dries brown. Large amounts
of seed can be harvested by cutting entire flowering top as umbels
begin to dry. Allow to mature in cool, dry location for an additional
2-3 weeks.
PROCESS: Clean
small amounts by rubbing between hands. Larger amounts can be beaten
from stalks and umbels. Screen and winnow to clean. Carrot seed is
naturally hairy or "bearded". Debearding in the cleaning
process does not affect germination.
Varieties
within each onion species will cross with each other. Crosses between
species although not common, are possible.
Allium schoenoprasum: Common chives
Allium tuberosum: Garlic chives
Allium fistulosum: Japanese bunching onions (Occasional crossing between A. fistulosum and A. cepa has been observed.)
Allium cepa comprised of three groups: Aggregatum includes shallots, multiplier onions and potato onions; Cepa our biennial, common storage and slicing onions; Proliferum includes the Egyptian or walking onions.
Allium schoenoprasum: Common chives
Allium tuberosum: Garlic chives
Allium fistulosum: Japanese bunching onions (Occasional crossing between A. fistulosum and A. cepa has been observed.)
Allium cepa comprised of three groups: Aggregatum includes shallots, multiplier onions and potato onions; Cepa our biennial, common storage and slicing onions; Proliferum includes the Egyptian or walking onions.
PLANT: Separate
from other flowering Alliums of the same species at least
1000 feet for satisfactory results or at least 1 mile for purity.
Caging with introduced pollinators or alternate day caging is also
recommended in small gardens.
FLOWER: The Alliums produce
perfect flowers, most of which are cross-pollinated because stigmas
in each flower become receptive only after pollen in that flower is
shed. Flowers in an individual umbel open and shed pollen at
different times so crosses can and do occur on the same plant.
Cross-pollination is performed mostly by bees.
INBREEDING
DEPRESSION: Onions display a fair amount of inbreeding
depression after two or three generations of self-pollination. Save
and mix the seeds from at least two different plants.
HARVEST: Clip
umbels as soon as majority of flowers have dried. Seeds will start
dropping from some flowers at this time so check often. Allow to dry
in cool, dry location for up to 2-3 weeks.
PROCESS: Fully
dried flowers will drop clean seeds naturally. For small amounts, rub
remaining flowers to free seeds. For larger amounts, rub heads over
screens. Winnow to remove remaining debris.
Plant
Isolation Distances Table
Chart
is from http://howtosaveseeds.com/
Please
note, these distances have been formulated for rural environments –
no one has data applicable to urban growing, but the suspicion, and
the experience of most SLOLA members, indicate that the distances
will vary from these, and sometimes by quite a bit. In the final
analysis, one needs to learn one's own growing situation and note air
flow and insect activity. These charts also do not account for
'organic' methods which almost invariably means more insects
interacting with the plants and create further variances from the
figures below.
Plant
|
Isolation
Distance
(Ashworth)* |
Isolation
Distance
(USDA) |
Pollinator
|
Amaranth
|
¼
to 2 miles 1
|
—
|
wind,
insects
|
Arugula |
½
mile (2640')
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Basil |
150
feet
|
—
|
insects
|
Bean,
Common
|
0
to 1 mile 4
|
0 5,
4
|
self 2
|
Bean, Fava |
0
to 1 mile 4
|
0 5,
4
|
self 2
|
Bean, Lima |
0
to 1 mile 4
|
0 5,
7, 4
|
self 2
|
Bean, Tepary |
0
to 1 mile 4
|
0 5,
7, 4
|
self 2
|
Beet
|
5
miles
|
—
|
wind
|
Broccoli |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Broomcorn |
—
|
660
feet 7
|
self 2
|
Brussels Sprouts |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Cabbage
|
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Cantaloupe |
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Carrot |
½
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Cauliflower |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Celery
|
1
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Chinese Cabbage |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Chinese Mustard |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Chives |
1
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Collards
|
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Cilantro |
½
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Corn |
2
miles
|
660
feet
|
wind
|
Cotton |
—
|
¼
mile 6
|
self,
insects
|
Cowpea
|
0
to 1 mile 2
|
0
|
self 2
|
Cucumber |
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Dill |
1
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Eggplant |
50
feet
|
—
|
self 2
|
Fennel
|
½
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Garlic |
1
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Garlic Chives |
1
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Gourds |
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Kale
|
½
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Lamb's Quarters |
5
miles
|
—
|
wind
|
Lettuce |
25
feet
|
—
|
self 2
|
Melon, Honeydew |
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Melon,
Musk
|
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Mustard |
½
mile
|
660
feet
|
insects
|
Okra |
1
mile
|
825
feet
|
self,
insects
|
Onion |
1
mile
|
¼
mile
|
insects
|
Parsley
|
1
mile
|
—
|
insects
|
Pea |
50
feet
|
0 2
|
self 2
|
Pepper |
500
feet
|
30
feet
|
self,
insects
|
Potato |
30
feet 3
|
30
feet 3
|
self,
insects 3
|
Pumpkin
|
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Radish |
½
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Sorghum |
—
|
660
feet
|
self 2
|
Spinach |
5
miles
|
—
|
wind
|
Squash
|
½
mile
|
¼
mile 7
|
insects
|
Sunflower |
½
to 3 miles
|
½
mile
|
insects
|
Swiss Chard |
5
miles
|
—
|
wind
|
Tomatillo |
0 4
|
30
feet 7
|
self 2
|
Tomato
|
0 4
|
30
feet
|
self 2
|
Turnip |
1
mile
|
660
feet 7
|
insects
|
Watermelon
|
½
mile
|
¼
mile
|
insect
|
Footnotes:
- Green amaranths may need only ¼ mile, grain amaranths up to 2 miles.
- See paragraph on Self Pollination in Distance Isolation in the article on Saving Seeds True-to-Type.
- Potatoes are not commonly reproduced from seed.
- "Distance adequate to prevent mechanical mixture is necessary".
- Isolation distances for cotton vary from 100' between similar varieties, to ¼ mile between 'upland' and 'Egyptian' types ('foundation' or 'preservation' grade).
- Extrapolated from similar species.
A Seed Saving Glossary
David
King
This is not a comprehensive glossary, but should define most terms you will find in this literature.
alternate-day caging - A technique that allows two different flowering varieties to be pollinated by insects without being cross-pollinated. Cages constructed of wood, wire, or plastic frames are covered with fine screen. One variety is covered with cages one day, allowing the other to be visited and pollinated by insects; the cages are switched each day to allow insect access to the previously caged variety.
anther - Organ where pollen is produced.
chaff - Broken pieces of dried seed capsules, stems, leaves and other debris mixed in with seeds.
characteristics - General features caused by unidentified complexes of genes including but not limited to freeze tolerance, cold tolerance, regional adaptability, winter hardiness, early maturation, and flavor.
cleaning screen - Screens with different-sized openings are used to separate seeds from chaff. The screen number denotes the number of openings that will cover a one inch line. A screen is selected with openings just large enough to let seeds drop through without the chaff or as in the case of larger seeds, a screen selected to allow the chaff to drop through without the seeds. (See page 36.)
cross-pollination - When pollen is exchanged between different flowers from the same or different plants.
dehiscent - A seed capsule opened to discharge seeds is dehiscent. Seeds must be harvested before this process takes place and the seeds are lost. In some varieties, the seed capsules literally explode.
dioecious - A species with male flowers and female flowers on separate plants as opposed to monoecious.
dominant trait - The variation of a specific, identifiable gene that results in obserable traits. For example, tall is a dominant trait in pea plant growth. Crosses with bush varieties will usually result in tall varieties. See "trait."
F1 hybrid - The "F" in F1 hybrid stands for filial or offspring. F1 means the first generation offspring after cross-pollination. The majority of F1 hybrids are sterile or produce offspring unlike themselves. See "hybrid."
F2 hybrid – The second generation offspring and so on.
filament - Tube that supports the anther where pollen is produced.
flail - The process of fracturing or crushing seedpods in order to free the seeds. This can take the form of everything from simply rubbing broccoli pods between your hands to driving over bean vines with a car or bribing high school students to jump up and down on seeds.
flower - The part of a plant where reproduction takes place and seeds are produced.
hybrid - Varieties resulting from natural or artificial pollination between genetically distinct parents. Commercially, the parents used to produce hybrids are usually inbred for specific characteristics.
inbred – reproduction of plants using parents that are significantly similar over time. In some plants this is not a problem (tomatoes and lettuce, for example) as they have flowers with both male and female and are typically fertilized within the flower before it even opens (see 'selfing'); other plants, needing a wide variety of genetic information to remain healthy cannot last long with such a limited gene pool.
inbreeding depression - A loss of vigor because of inbreeding. Inbreeding is the result of self-pollination or pollination between two close relatives.
insect pollination - Pollen is carried from one flower to another by insects.
monoecious - A species is monoecious if it produces single plants with separate male flowers and female flowers on the same plant.
open-pollinated - Open-pollinated varieties are stable varieties resulting from the pollination between the same or genetically similar parents. Not hybrid.
ovary - The female part of a flower that contains the ovules. Fertilized ovules develop into mature seeds.
perfect flowers - Individual flowers that contain both stamens and pistils, that is to say, both male and female parts.
pistil - The female reproductive organ in a flower made up of the stigma, style, and ovary.
pollen - Equivalent of sperm in plants. Pollen grain fertilizes plant ovules.
pollination - The process of sexual fertilization in plants. The male chromosomes contained in pollen are combined with the female chromosomes contained in the ovules; pollination can be done by insects, wind, water, birds or bats. In most vegetable crops pollination is carried out by wind or insects.
recessive trait - The variation of a specific, identifiable gene that results in observable traits only if the dominant trait is not present. For example, wrinkled pea seeds result only in varieties where the dominant smooth-seed trait is missing.
rogue - The process of removing or destroying plants with unwanted characteristics or traits.
selection - The process of saving the seeds from plants that exhibit desirable characteristics and traits. To identify desirable characteristics, plant the same variety in different environmental conditions, or plant different varieties in the same environ mental conditions.
self-pollination (selfing) - When pollination takes place within a single flower, usually before it opens. Other flowers or plants are not needed. Self-pollinating flowers are called "perfect flowers" because they contain the stamens that produce pollen and the pistil that receives the pollen. Isolation distance to prevent cross-pollination is not necessary unless insects are known to invade the flowers before pollination is complete.
silique - Long, tube-like seedpod that splits in half.
stamen - A flower's male reproductive organ consisting of the filament, anther, and pollen.
stigma - The opening in the pistil through which the pollen passes to the ovary.
style - Contains the pollen tube between the stigma and the ovary through which the pollen is carried.
thresh - A term used by growers and seed savers to describe the process of separating seeds from chaff; they can be separating for grain to eat or for seeds to save, the term is ubiquitous.
trait - A specific feature traced to an identifiable gene or group of genes. Pea traits traceable to single genes include vine growth (bush or tall), seed texture (smooth or wrinkled) and disease resistance (fusarium, enation mosaic, and powdery mildew).
viable - A viable seed is one that will germinate and produce a vigorous plant. Seeds must not be harvested before they have matured enough to be viable. There is wide variation in the point of maturity at which a seed can be harvested and the time passing when the seed will still be viable. Seeds have been known to remain viable for hundreds of years, but in practice, many seeds are no longer viable even after five years.
vigor - Strong, vibrant germination and growth. A desirable characteristic.
wind pollination - When pollen is carried from one flower to another by the wind.
winnow
– A seed cleaning technique still used from ancient times to clean
seeds by moving air from a fan or breeze to separate heavier seeds
from lighter chaff.
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