saving seeds--just the easy stuff

easy vegetables to save seeds from.
- - - tomatoes
- - - pole beans
- - - edamame (soy beans)
this is what we are attempting to keep this year.

the hard stuff
- - - cucumbers
- - - squash
- - - onions
- - - garlic
we'll probably purchase these next season again.

tabitha did manage to pollinate a cucumber but we don't know the results yet.

hot peppers and okra are also on our intended list but haven't tried yet--there is still time..

here is the list of our tomatoes that i have successfully removed, fermented, washed, dried and packaged.
- - - cherokee purple
- - - yellow pear
- - - amish paste
- - - omar's lebanese
- - - principe borghese
- - - black cherry
- - - lime green salad
i also saved lots of seed from john's tomatoes (four years in his garden and running). john lives next door and has been a tomato gardening mentor. his tomatoes are fabulous.

how we save tomato seeds:
1. pick a fully ripe tomato that exhibits the best qualities of your variety.
2. cut the tomato along the equator, if it were a globe.
3. scoop out the seeds into a container with a lid. (we use a jelly jar)
4. put the jar in the garage in the dark. it can pressurize and stink up the place.
5. let it set until a white scum forms on the top (usually takes three days)
6. once mold appears promptly wash seeds. sprouting can occur if you wait.
7. fill jar 2/3 full with water shake well and pour off top liquid.
8. the good seeds sink and bad stuff floats. repeat three or four times.
9. screen off all water and spread onto a coffee filter or aluminum foil (not paper)
10. let dry in a dry well ventilated dark place.
11. package-up, label and keep frozen until ready to plant.

this is our method and was taken from the book seed to seed there are many reasons and variations for their methods. if you plan to save seeds i highly recommend this book.

our rattlesnake pole beans are drying on the vine as i write. the extreme temperatures are speeding us to a quick harvest. the rattlesnake pole bean is a dual purpose bean so we'll see how many dried beans we'll have to can via tabithas pressure method. we'll also save plenty to plant for next year.


we just picked our edamame the plants and beans are sitting in a big pile in the front yard. we'll shake the bugs off them and bring them inside for processing--it is too hot to process outside.

i left about four feet of the row to go boar for seed saving at a later date.

beans are easy to save just let them dry on the vine and pick and husk the seeds out.

we are considering little seed gift packages for the christmas holiday. if you want an omelay care package for next years garden drop me an e-mail with your (usps) address and we'll try to accommodate. omelay (at) gmail (dot) com