I saved seeds for canteloupe, butternut squash, runner beans, and holy basil. The butternut squash was from the farmer's market, the rest was grown in our garden.
I followed the seed saving directions in the book "Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast"
Wet processing method - canteloupe & squash (I removed seeds and let them ferment in a jar with a loose lid for 3 days stirring occasionally, then rinsed and laid out to dry under a fan)
Dry processing method - runner beans and holy basil. (I removed and shook the runner beans in a bowl to remove the chaff, I dried the holy basil and then stripped the flower heads into a strainer and the seeds fell out
Every year I say to myself This is the year I'm going to save seeds. Somehow I never manage. This year I came across this badge at the right time and I'm saving some seeds. I'm still in the process, but have enough to complete this bit.
So far I have gathered Crenshaw melon, Sungold tomato, and a Paul Robeson or Celebration tomato, (not sure, but since they are planted next to each other it won't matter because they will cross pollinate anyway), and Asparagus. I removed all the fleshy parts, rinsed with water. On our outdoor table I put the seeds in a paper towel. I put a plastic grid on top and weighted it down until dry.
I also collected Yard long beans, okra, cosmos, Marigolds, broad leaf plantain, and holy basil. I let all these dry on the plant, so all that was required was collect the seeds. In the most cases it was super easy. When it came to the holy basil it was a challenge because the seed are incased in a sort of hull, and thought that should be removed. I rubbed the hulls against a paper towel to remove the seed.
I have enjoyed this process and still have other seeds I hope to collect. I have more beans almost ready. I have watermelon drying now and still hope to get a cantaloupe, and a couple of cucumber, and maybe a couple other tomato's, and peppers. Even if I don't manage, it's better then before.
The beans are so big, and I want to save a bunch, so they got there own jar. Marigolds went in this container I had. The rest are so small I decided to make little packets out of parchment paper. I folded and stapled the edge. I wrote on white duck tape and stapled that to the package since it will not stick to the parchment. I will put all the little packets in a clean dry jar with one of those little packets of dry stuff you get in everything these days to help keep everything dry. Where I live it's so dry it probably isn't necessary, but I have some I have saved, so I would rather error on the side of caution.
(I can never figure out how to make the pictures smaller. I printed them small and made a sort of collage so I and post what is required without using so much space.
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seed saving 2023
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“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
Four species: scarlet runner bean; poke milkweed; velvetleaf mallow; sochan. Two perennials! I hope they actually grow—milkweeds can be hard to grow from seed. But if so then it will be rewarding—poke milkweed is a rare species here, but delicious, the flowers tasting like honey.
I hope this one picture counts for all criteria. I like using paper packets (instructions elsewhere on permies) because you can just put seeds in and not worry about whether they’re totally dry (I picked these on a rainy day) because the packets wick away moisture.