Just a little something that tickled me and thought I'd share...
Earlier this year we went straight from Winter to Summer. Sadly, I barely got to harvest any of the Heirloom lettuce I planted because they bolted so quickly. So, I let them do their thing and harvested the seed heads when I *thought* they were ready. I put the heads in pillow cases, bent them down and cut them from the plants. Then I hung them in our food storage room to dry. I've been slowly working on harvesting the seeds but it's time consuming. This weekend I decided it might be a good idea to do a germination test to see if I had good seed or was just wasting my time. Yesterday I noticed they were sprouting so that means I did it right! Yay!
First Seed Saving Attempt...Success!
Started by
JustAPrepper
, Aug 18 2011 09:41 AM
4 replies to this topic
#2
themartianchick
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Posted 18 August 2011 - 10:00 AM
Congratulations! Lettuce was the first seed that I saved, too. Then came my purple beans. (I don't count all of the orange, peach and apple seeds that I've held onto for a while before throwing them out!) It feels so good to know that you can really do these things and that they can save you so much money.
I know what you mean about bolting... I got two salads out of my first batches of lettuce this year. I replanted again so I should have more salad in a few days! What a summer it has been... One plant that surprised my by not bolting is the New Zealand Spinach. It has done very well and I plan to harvest it next week. My regular spinach and pak choi bolted along with the lettuces.
I know what you mean about bolting... I got two salads out of my first batches of lettuce this year. I replanted again so I should have more salad in a few days! What a summer it has been... One plant that surprised my by not bolting is the New Zealand Spinach. It has done very well and I plan to harvest it next week. My regular spinach and pak choi bolted along with the lettuces.
#3
JustAPrepper
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Posted 18 August 2011 - 12:04 PM
Thanks Martianchick!
I don't count the beans I saved because I didn't really do anything to them but the lettuce was interesting to watch since I had never seen it flower before.
My regular Spinach never did grow but the New Zealand Spinach we planted last year grew like a WEED for us. The more I trimmed it, the more it grew. We pulled it just as it was going to seed and I still didn't catch them all. I had sprouts coming up for months. Unfortunately, we never got around to actually eating it except a few raw leaves.
We're not overly fond of greens and I just never got around to putting it on the menu but at least now I know it grows really well here and has definitely earned a place in my seed box.
I don't count the beans I saved because I didn't really do anything to them but the lettuce was interesting to watch since I had never seen it flower before.
My regular Spinach never did grow but the New Zealand Spinach we planted last year grew like a WEED for us. The more I trimmed it, the more it grew. We pulled it just as it was going to seed and I still didn't catch them all. I had sprouts coming up for months. Unfortunately, we never got around to actually eating it except a few raw leaves.
We're not overly fond of greens and I just never got around to putting it on the menu but at least now I know it grows really well here and has definitely earned a place in my seed box.
#4
Jeepers
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Posted 18 August 2011 - 06:54 PM
Just a little something that tickled me and thought I'd share...
Earlier this year we went straight from Winter to Summer. Sadly, I barely got to harvest any of the Heirloom lettuce I planted because they bolted so quickly. So, I let them do their thing and harvested the seed heads when I *thought* they were ready. I put the heads in pillow cases, bent them down and cut them from the plants. Then I hung them in our food storage room to dry. I've been slowly working on harvesting the seeds but it's time consuming. This weekend I decided it might be a good idea to do a germination test to see if I had good seed or was just wasting my time. Yesterday I noticed they were sprouting so that means I did it right! Yay!
Blessed are the cracked ~ for they shall let in the light.
#5
Amishway Homesteaders
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Posted 19 August 2011 - 07:11 AM
glad to see another 'Seed Saver' amoung our group!
Nice way to save money (not having to buy seed again) Plus the FUN of knowing YOU planted it, grew it, saved the seed AND it worked!
Nice way to save money (not having to buy seed again) Plus the FUN of knowing YOU planted it, grew it, saved the seed AND it worked!
= = = = Michael and Lori = = = =
THE AMISHWAY HOMESTEADERS
= = = in touch with the past = = =
<A class=bbc_url title="External link" href="http://www.freewebs....way_homestead/" rel="nofollow external">http://www.freewebs....hway_homestead/
THE AMISHWAY HOMESTEADERS
= = = in touch with the past = = =
<A class=bbc_url title="External link" href="http://www.freewebs....way_homestead/" rel="nofollow external">http://www.freewebs....hway_homestead/
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