self saved seed

[pat CottamMember]

How long does salad leaf seed, grown and saved yourself remain viable ?

Looking on seed packets it seems around two years.Have a tin trunk full of seed. Don’t want to waste valuable time and space unless still viable.

[charlesModerator]

 Nice work Pat, saving all that seed. 

At least when it is your own seed, you know EXACTLY how old it is, whereas bought seed is often, I suspect, older than we imagine, even if it has been stored in perfect conditions.

I find that my own lettuce seed grows pretty much as well after two years, and I keep it in an envelope in the utility room which is neither too warm nor too cold (until this winter!!). Don’t keep seed in a fridge because it is too damp.

This September I sowed some freshly harvested Grenoble Red lettuce seed alongside some newly purchased Rougette de Montpelier from Marshalls and the difference was dramatic (see This Month, October 2010), the home saved seed always feels like it really WANTS to grow while some bought seeds (not all) are struggling to get going. Lettuce especially has revealed many poor results from bought seed over the last two years. 

I save my own in a polytunnel but you can do it outdoors in a fine summer, from a March sowing. Seed saving is another skill to learn and really worth it when it comes off. Did you save yours outside Pat?

[pat CottamMember]

Hello Charles,

The seed was saved in a Polytunnel.

Can’t say I’m skilled, always save any seed from any plant I can by experimenting. From an extremely small seed to a small plant to a very tall beast was worth the wait and as you know it seems quite a long process but astounding.

Can see that it would work outside in a sheltered spot with watchful eyes,as after all that wait the finches would have a field day! Main savers in large quantities were Australian yellowleaf,Bi-colour oakleaf,Amorino and pinnochio a small cos.There are better contenders as well of course so this year,seing the vast amount of seed off one plant, will experiment with several others segragated around plot, one of each type and see what disasters or joys happen in 2011!

Unlike other flower and veg seed which you can identify as being different, the salad seed seemed to be either white or dark which needs careful identification(wise after the event)!Also I usually store in a tin trunk as have had casualties over the years from small furry guests.

Have vast quantities of beans in containers which deffinately are of good quality and germinate well, even, after being discovered years later.

I would say to anyone wanting to try it just leave the plants alone and let nature take it’s course without worrying what it looks like in the process.It’s nowhere near as difficult as you may imagine.

[pat CottamMember]

Forgot to mention I only save the best seed from the best plants or with flowers colour and strength of stem or plant.
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With salad I only chose from the plants that were slower to bolt and kept the characteristics I wanted. I only want to select the qualities I wish to grow again.

Beans I always check and throw away anything I don’t like the look of.size,damage,colour possibility of mould etc

Grew some really red deertongue lettuce (not self saved) and noticed several plants did not come true.Grew like trifids,green in colour not the beautiful dark conker brown of usual plant. Also new flower seed did not come true to markings on packet so have saved seed from the only two plants that did.

Some things I have to grow at a distance in case of cross contamination like Dill and Fennel.

I’m certainly no expert but you pick up things by gleaning information and giving it a go!

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