Planting Starting seeds -- New vs Self Collected

[Donna_in_OK]

Just a general question for the gardens this year. Are you planting newly purchased seeds this year, or are you planting seeds that you have collected that are already adjusted to your zone?

If you are planting seeds you collected and have in the past, have you seen a difference in your yield for those that are adjusted to your micro climate?

 

[philkar]

Donna I am planting my own saved seed. I just know how they perform here. So far my onions which I planted last fall look amazing. My seed potatoes are up through the soil. My yields for my saved seed have always out done those that I buy. We did several comparisons last year and always came out ahead with saved seed. Just our experience!

 

[Rabbit]

I'm am doing both this year new and saved. The yields have always been good and I haven't noticed a difference between new seeds and old ones. The germination rate with older seeds is not always great but as long the majority of them do I'm good.

I am trying to get a few favorite heirloom tomatoes started from older seeds. The seedlings are struggling but I might have two plants and if they produce I'll save new seeds.

I bought some hybrid tomatoes that I grew last year that were very good, so I'll have a good mix this year.

I have so many old seeds that I know I need to throw out but I just can't make myself do it.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Both.

 

[Bps1691]

Both. I also have some seeds already started that are from 5 years ago and everything in between.

Some of my saved seeds go clear back to their roots in my Grand Mother's garden. I grow so many of them every year in special set aside spots, baby the heck out of them and save extra seed from them each time. There is a possibility there has been some cross pollination over the years, but they are still have something special about them that I treasure or like. I have also lost a few by waiting to long to replace them with a new year crop, when it failed due to weather or varmints.

As far as yields, I've always thought that the particulars of the climate during the year affects it much more that than seed stocks. There are also some varieties that I have found just don't do well in my area. I also try new varieties every year, some do well others don't.

I test germinate my saved seeds every so often. When the germination rates start falling from the saved seeds, I add in extra starts (or seeds if direct plant) to make up the difference plus to have more seeds from the new crop to make up for the difference.

Yields even from good stock can be affected by your soil. In the last few years we grow the main garden at my daughters and frankly her soil isn't as good as mine. The things I really want to pass on I grow here and baby the soil. Tested in the fall and added what was needed. Have already tested most of my plots already this year and know what needs to be added and already have it on my schedule for before planting.

 

[Donna_in_OK]

Living in Oklahoma, I have dirt, and very poor dirt at that. We are in the process of building soil for our gardening spots. Heck, last year we put in a 4'x20' wicking bed and it is fabulous, but not near the growing space we need. We have cleared some land, and plan on putting quite a few 25' rows in. We knew we wanted to garden in the area a couple of years ago, and put in about 6 inches of wood mulch. After a year of normal decay, we have allowed our chickens to free range in that area. The top portion is soil now, but it isn't deep and the dirt is just under. We will continue to cultivate our soil so we can have better results. Also, we are wanting to put in a greenhouse this year and are trying to determine the correct location for it after clearing some trees. Actually, the freak ice storm at the end of October cleared a few of the trees for us. LOL The Okra I grew last year (say a dozen plants), I only ate a few pods and saved the rest for seed for this year. Lettuce, Kale, and cabbage I just grew and didn't collect seed. Tomatoes, well... we always seem to have a few that pop up on their own when we toss out the seedy leftovers from when we process them. I do have radish seeds that I collected last year, and currently in ground is a 2nd generation of garlic that I grew. I have some pepper seeds from Kansas City that I collected, so will plant some of those this year. I plan on growing a LOT of new varieties this year, and plan to collect as many seeds as possible if I can keep the chickens away. They have really gotten use to free ranging, and I'm not sure that they will be happy with the 1/4 acre we are about to confine them to. We have contemplated letting them free range for like an hour before they will put themselves up for the evening, and that would be for bug control. Last year, they free ranged and well ate most of the harvest before we could. We will not make that mistake again. LOL.

 

[China Connection]

Free food for an hour?

Mine only need a few minutes to do heaps of damage..