Harvesting vegetable seeds

 

Hi Everyone

At this time of year, there are many plants in my vegetable patch with seeds
I could harvest. As I understand it, some plants breed true from seed, so if
I harvest seeds from those plants and sow them next year, I should end up
with something similar to what I had this year. On the other hand, some
plants don't breed true, and I'd be much better off buying new packets of
seeds for next year.

Are there any rules of thumb for which types of vegetables breed true? Or
are there any lists out there somewhere of the best plants for harvesting
seeds?

All suggestions gratefully received.

Many thanks
Adam

 


|>
|> Are there any rules of thumb for which types of vegetables breed true? Or
|> are there any lists out there somewhere of the best plants for harvesting
|> seeds?

The closer to the wild form, the more likely.  F1 hybrids almost never
will, most herbs almost always will.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

 

says...

But if all you want is a carrot does it matter if the F1 variety does not
come true? you will still get carrots, you may even get as good a crop.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

 


|> >
|> But if all you want is a carrot does it matter if the F1 variety does not
|> come true? you will still get carrots, you may even get as good a crop.

I grew four varieties of carrot this year - two 'heritage' and two
F1 hybrid.  One of the heritage ones was a complete and total failure
(with two sowings), as it bolted before it formed a root.  The other
was nearly as bad.  The hybrid were fine, except nowhere near as fly
resistant as such varieties usually are.

Now, will the ones grown from F1 hybrid seed be nearly as good as
the parents, or will they revert to characteristics that make them
useless?  Well, that will depend on many things.  I agree that it is
worth experimenting with seed from even F1 hybrids, but it may well
be a complete failure.

And that assumes you haven't been Monstantoed - which SHOULDN'T be
possible in the UK yet, at least while the EU holds the fort, but I
don't trust those b*gg*rs in Whitehall not to have let such stuff
through on the QT.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

 

nmm1@cus.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


The other issue is cross-pollination.  Some plants cross readily with
anything in the area, others are more chaste, practicing
self-fertilization.

Beans only need a little separation to avoid crossing.

Do you have the common weed "Queen Ann's Lace" there?  It's really wild
carrot, and that's what your carrots will revert to, given half a chance.

Suzanne Ashworth's "Seed to Seed" has everything you might want to know and
more.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G