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You are here: Home / Gardening / Saving Seeds in the Home Garden

February 25, 2018 By Candace Godwin Leave a Comment

Saving Seeds in the Home Garden

Saving heirloom tomato seeds | The Coeur d Alene CoopNo doubt you are just as eager as I am for spring to arrive! Seed catalogs have been shopped and seeds have been delivered…waiting to be sown. In fact, in just a few days, I’ll begin sowing seeds for the various heirloom vegetable plants that we offer for sale.

While I love pouring over seed catalogs each winter and selecting new (to me) heirloom or open pollinated varieties to try in my garden, I do a fair amount of seed gathering and saving from the vegetables I grow.

In addition to cost savings (those $2.50 seed packets add up!!), I’m carrying on a tradition that helps to keep our seed diversity alive and well.

Plus seed saving is fun and easy! But, like anything, there are a few things you need to know in order to obtain “true-to-type” seed. The most important is to make certain you are saving seed from open pollinated plants and not hybrids. Of course you know all heirlooms are open pollinated, but not all open pollinated plants are heirlooms!

Exserted stigma | The Coeur d Alene CoopYou’ll also want to start with “easy to save” plant types — those that have perfect, self-pollinating flowers, like peas, beans, tomatoes and peppers. Unless of course, you’re growing a variety of tomato or pepper with an exserted stigma — then you’ll have to bag and tag for T3 seeds!

I’m I losing you? Really, it’s quite easy…and you can learn all the basics of seed saving from your own garden at The Seed Saving Class that I am presenting through the University of Idaho Extension/Kootenai County Idaho Masters Gardeners on March 10th.

Registration fee is just $10 (but it must be paid in advance of the class). You can download the PDF registration form here. Please note this class will be held at the Kootenai County Admin Building, 451 N Government Way, Coeur d’Alene. Enter next to Vehicle Licensing Dept.

In addition to learning basic seed saving techniques — including a live demos — you will receive a packet of heirloom tomato seeds so you can start saving seeds from your garden this year.

Hope to see you on March 10th, 2018!

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A 24-hour transition from garlic to veggies! The garlic was harvested in the morning and is curing on racks in the shade. In the afternoon, the bed was lightly worked with some organic fertilizer, compost, and watered deeply. This morning, veggie seeds were planted: arugula, chard, carrots, and beans. The chard and carrots will grow well into the fall. The mesh fencing is temporary to keep the cat and squirrels out until the plants establish. I'll add mulch once the seedlings emerge. No bare ground!#thecoeurdalenecoop #garlicharvest #sucessionplanting #nobareground #fallplanting #fallplantingseason ... See MoreSee Less

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thecoeurdalenecoop

#thecoeurdalenecoop
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Heirloom tomatoes πŸ…πŸ…
Organic gardening πŸ₯•πŸŒΆ
& Urban chickens! πŸ”πŸ“

Garlic harvesting is complete. πŸ§„ Big, beautiful Garlic harvesting is complete. πŸ§„ Big, beautiful bulbs this year: 134 total; 98 Music and Susan Delafield; 36 Russian Red. These will cure outside in the shade for about 4 to 6 weeks. In about 3 weeks, I'll trim the roots and remove the dried leaves. Once fully cured, I'll do a final cleaning and cut the stalk off before storing in a dark, cool place

A few tips for garlic harvesting:
1, Do not cure in the sun! Unlike onions, garlic should be cured out of direct sunlight. 
2. Do not wash or clean harvested garlic with water. Gently bush off any soil and allow it to air dry. 
3. To make harvesting easier, stop watering garlic about 4 days before harvesting. 
4. Begin harvesting when there are about 5 green leaves remaining. Unsure? Dig one up and see how it looks.
5. Replant your garlic bed with carrots, radishes, beets, or beans. Top dress first with a little compost or organic fertilizer. 
6. Don't forget to save your best bulbs for replanting in the fall!

#thecoeurdalenecoop 
#organicgarlic 
#2025garlicharvest 
#harvestinggarlic 
#stinkingrose 
#garliclover
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