Seed saving can be a challenge!

My fellow gardeners and not a few books I’ve read over time all have extolled the virtues of saving seed from each year’s harvest. They cite how cost effective this approach is and how it is one way to preserve heirloom strains. OK, but there are some challenges!

While saving seed may save a few dollars it does not always work with hybrid seeds and that is generally the most of what I plant in my garden. Second, I have spent no small amount of time getting the soil in my raised beds in shape. (I started out years ago with what was essentially river bottom muck and then, over time along with the addition of amendments, have increased both the soil fertility and tilth). Come spring, I want to be sure that I have the best seed possible to plant. I’m not sure what I’ll get if I go with seed recovered from a previous year’s crop, especially if I used hybrid seeds. OK, so that was then. Now is now, and since as I will soon be working on articles concerning self sufficiency and survival, I thought I would give the seed saving thing a go.

My first candidate this season was the seeds from a Long Red Cayenne pepper. This plant was grown from seed purchase from Burpee Seed. I noted that the package made no mention of the word ‘hybrid’ so I’ll assume that the seed will produce true to the variety.

I waited until the pepper was ripe before harvesting both it and the seeds it contained. One of the uncertainties in my mind is whether or not the seed is viable. (I guess I could test germinate some, but pepper seeds take forever and who has the time)? Once harvested you must then make sure to dry them properly and seal them away from moisture and excess heat until next season. That generally means putting them into airtight baggies stored in the bottom of the fridge. I am planning on doing this for other veggies including; green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. See you all in a few!