Harvesting you own seeds - Have you had any luck?

After becoming very frustrated this spring, trying to find seeds that were organic here in my small town, I started thinking about harvesting my own seeds from my garden veggies and herbs. I have read some great posts I found through the search, but most had links to other, more "professional" websites that tell you how. I did print this info off of course, every little bit of info helps.

What I am looking for here, is your actual experience, if you have any.
How you harvest them.
How you store them.
How early you start them. (indoors or out, depending on your climate zone.)
Did they actually come up the next year.
Have you had a BAD experience with this. (what shouldn't I do)

I was also wondering if herbs are more difficult to harvest from the veggies.

I have learned a couple things in the last few years, but they were completely unintentional.
Apparently, once you have planted potatoes, you can't get rid of them unless you go through your garden with a fine tooth comb!
The tomatoes I get as plants must be organic, because I now have 6 extra tomato plants, that I did not plant this year.

So please, I ask for all your advise/experience with seed harvesting. Be it bad or good.

yeah i have a pepper plant and now i have 3 pepper plants

I bought some books on harvesting seeds for future SHTF. it doesnt look that hard.

reply to post by chiefsmom


Depending on what exactly your trying to harvest seeds from, the process is a little different. One thing I've learned is that mimicking natures cycle goes a long way. Some seeds need the cold that winter provides but most can be planted without even drying out. Perfect example would be my tomatoes, when I have tomatoes that have been nibbled on or touched by insects and such I just throw that whole tomato into a pot with some soil and watch them sprout in about a week. Not all veggies/herbs will grow this way but many will. Again it just depends on what exactly you're trying to grow.

My garden:
Marketmoore Cucumbers
Beefsteak Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Collard Greens
Lettuce
Yellow Crooked-neck Squash
Eggplant
Yellow Sweet Corn
California Wonder Peppers (Green and Yellow)
Jalapeno Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Plum Tree
Lime Tree
Avocado Tree
Kidney Beans
Basil
Cilantro

reply to post by chiefsmom

Yep we do alot of harvesting of seeds, we have close to 3/4 of an acre in garden. The best thing to do is look for the most productive plants, leave them alone and let them come to full ripe. Always pick the first and easiest and best of whatever you are saving. The bean pods with the most seeds in them , the most perfect tomato, etc. We save most of our seed, and there are some good books on it, go to Seed Savers Exchange and look at some of their books they are selling or give them a call and they will tell you what is best to buy. Asl around your area, you might be surprized by what the gardeners in your area are doing.

Yes, I produce and keep garden seeds.

I now harvest lettuce, carrot, parsnip, beet and squash seeds, among others, to use the next year.

Some will not produce seeds until the next year, like carrots. Leave an area for the type of plant you wish to harvest so they can overwinter. You should pull up any carrots that try to seed the same season they were planted, no early birds to mess up the long-shelf-life of carrots in the ground genetics.

I wait until the plant has finished the seeds, the pods or capsules or whatever the plant makes are dry and done. Cleaning seeds is tricky and depends on the type of plant...you'll just need to experiment. Just let them dry out in a paper bag then remove the seeds or crush the pods in hand and gently blow the chaff away. Seeds are usually heavier than the chaff.

I keep my seeds in glass jars, or packets that are sealed in zip-lock bags, and kept in a cool, dark place.

While heirloom or open-pollinated plants are best for seed keeping, I have found that even hybrid plants will produce useable seed for the next season, they just won't be quite the same as the original---still they will be better acclimated for your growing conditions each successive generation.

I have fouth and fifth generation potatoes as well...they are ones I miss in harvesting and they seem to end up everywhere. I let them grow where they will.

Thanks for the great responses, I really appreciate it. I'm proof that your never to old to learn

reply to post by czygyny


So the carrots that are in the ground, the ones I want to get seeds from, will produce seeds the next spring?

55 lbs of white grapes!!! Making wine as we speak...

I have had some success with growing potato plants from seeds harvested from the 'berries' produced by some of the mature plants. These are called True Potato Seeds. There is a good deal of information of the 'Net detailing how to go about preparing the seeds from these fruit bodies, so I'll spare you my version.

While I have had no trouble getting these tiny seeds to germinate the following growing season (I do this in starter peat pots), I have invariably transplanted the seedlings while they are too small and they are gobbled up by some critter within a day or two. I am going to persevere and learn from this mistake. Some of the seeds that I successfully had germinate this year were two years old so they appear to remain viable at least that long. I store them in a small lidded plastic container that is left in an unheated shed that is subject to the temperatures of a typical Great Lakes winter.

I've also planted green bean seeds and pea seeds that I have harvested and stored for this purpose.

For some plants such a zucchini,various melons, and tomatoes, I find it easiest to simply wait for the self-seeded plants to germinate where the seeds fell in the fall and then I will transplant them to a better location. Of course the hybrid varieties will yield some pretty novel second-generation crops, but many of them are enjoyable regardless.

The best thing I did, growing peppers, etc. is to get a box of miracle grow and pretty much empty the entire box into the area your going to plant, till the soil, and slow soak for about a day. Plant your seeds or plants and watch them take off, a good mulch and adding small wood chips (about 2-3" thick) over your garden plot is recommended (keeps the moisture in).

Originally posted by chiefsmom
reply to post by czygyny

 

So the carrots that are in the ground, the ones I want to get seeds from, will produce seeds the next spring?

Yes, I would wait for them to begin to bloom next year. In our hot dry Mediterranean-like climate it takes all summer for seed to mature, they'll get four to five feet tall and form flat, white flower heads. Wasps love them, and are good nectaries for these beneficial insects.

In fact leave as many wasp nests as you can safely keep around (NOT yellow-jackets, however...death to them all!!) they eat a lot of soft-bodied insect garden pests.

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Originally posted by GoneGrey
I have invariably transplanted the seedlings while they are too small and they are gobbled up by some critter within a day or two.

I always try to get my stuff in the ground too early and too small. I've found by taking styrofoam cups, cutting the bottoms out, up ending them and putting them around the tiny seedlings they are insulated and protected from insect damage.

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This little broccoli baby came through just fine!