assessing viablity

Hi! New.

I've started seed saving this year, largely as a means of saving money. I'm still learning the process for each plant. This year I saved peas, green beans, and bunches of flowers. Next year I'll save tomatoes, cucumber, and let some carrots overwinter (supposing they actually grow next year. Weather didn't cooperate this year)

What do I need to do to save as much viable seed as possible? And winnow out the bad seed... so I'm not re-seeding in the greenhouse endlessly.

I've read about the water-test. But it doesn't appear to have worked on everything. Example- the cleome seeds do not sink. Not a one. I've stratified a good handful and have them in a baggy with a papertowel to see if they'll germinate. I'll find out...

But, if I can learn from my betters and save a lot of heartache(time and effort), all the better!! Are there other ways to ensure that most of the seed I'm bothering to save is viable?

Thank you!

Lissa

Lissa, check around your area to see if you can find a copy of "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth.  It is a great tool for the home gardener that wants to start or save even more of their own seed.  It is loaded with how to information and instructions for many veggies.

Hope this may help.

Peace

I'll add that to my christmas list, and if that falls through we'll get it with the first quarter bonus.

Meantime- I am fearing that the growing season on the Seychelle's greenbeans is too long for this area. Which is a pity. I got them 'in' about two weeks late, but when I let the first 6+ pods on each plant mature, and they still didn't have time before the frost... ugh. Either that two weeks really made that much difference, or these reeeaaalllly want warmer than zone 5b and I'll have to find some green bean I love to eat as much as these... or just continue coughing up the $$ for the seed.

On the plus side, I FINALLY got brussels off my plants. After five years of trying, I have the timing down! The timing being- I need to start the plants in the greenhouse in the beginning of February, and into the ground w/cold frame end of April.

Hi Lissa, I missed your earlier post (not that I have much to add). I'm not sure there is a sure fire way of knowing if a seed is viable except for sowing it! Try and get mature seeds that are formed well, make sure they are dry and then store dry and cool (generally speaking).
I also have a problem with bean and pea seed maturity - I have a short cool summer here and the timing needs to be spot on for most seeds to have a chance of a good crop. I'm trying landracing to improve my success here - hopefully this will enable my crops to adapt to my location.
The other good thing I've found about seed saving (apart from having loads to give away and swap!) is that the seeds tend to have better germination than bought seed.

Lissa, one other thing I can pass along, is the sprout test.  This works on most veggie seeds and I would think for flowers also.  Place a few seeds on a damp cloth or paper towel, fold over and place in an unsealed plastic bag, then put that in a warm spot (top of frig will do) check in a few days see how many seeds have sprouted!

Easy smeasy, if you use 10 seeds for your test the math almost does itself!

Hope this helps.

Peace

I was reading about landracing, which is a very sensible and easy thing to do. I plan on leaning into it going forward!!!
As far as germination- I thought I might end up with the opposite because I don't know much yet! Good to know odds may favor my fanciful flailing around!!

Nancy Reading wrote:Hi Lissa, I missed your earlier post (not that I have much to add). I'm not sure there is a sure fire way of knowing if a seed is viable except for sowing it! Try and get mature seeds that are formed well, make sure they are dry and then store dry and cool (generally speaking).
I also have a problem with bean and pea seed maturity - I have a short cool summer here and the timing needs to be spot on for most seeds to have a chance of a good crop. I'm trying landracing to improve my success here - hopefully this will enable my crops to adapt to my location.
The other good thing I've found about seed saving (apart from having loads to give away and swap!) is that the seeds tend to have better germination than bought seed.

The simplest and most reliable way I have found to germinate seeds and/or test viability is Robert Pavlis' baggie method (https://youtu.be/RgkXUSI1GWo).

Hi Lissa, it has been a while since you posted your question. This is the first time I saw it.  I hope you’re getting enough satisfying results to keep you interested in continuing.

I know something about one species of Cleome. I don’t know if it is true for all species and you didn’t say what species you had collected seeds from..

Cleome serulata is a plant that is native to the western USA. It’s common name in these parts is Rocky Mountain Beeplant.  

It’s a beautiful plant, knee to shoulder high, covers itself in mauve colored flowers.  It had apical clusters of flowers and they are indeterminate.  The plant will keep blooming as long as conditions are suitable.  I have been told it is a “pot herb” and that the black color on Ana’azazi pottery was derived from this plant.  

To break dormancy on the seeds, the easiest way is to toss the seeds out in the fall in the place you want them to grow next year. It’s very common for people to put seeds in the refrigerator to break dormancy. With Cleome serrulata, the seeds need oscillating temperatures,  which is easiest to provide by having them outdoors. I have never tried putting a container of seeds outdoors for the winter though that may work.

I seed really heavily  because if I get poor germination I will still get some success.

Beeplant is a prolific reseeder.  Generally will return year after year.  At that point, I collect seeds to share and to get them started in new locations.

Lots of insects like it.

I have posted photos of seedlings, but they’re pretty small.

One thing I have done to bypass seed buying is let some plants go to seed and rather than collect them, just let them scatter themselves.

Take the example of lettuce, let a few flower.  The seeds that will follow are a lot like dandelion seeds:  a tiny seed with a fluffy part that will carry the individual seed.  The lettuce seed will germinate when conditions are right.  Usually before seed packets or professional instructions recommend.  When plentiful enough, the little lettuce plants will shade the soil with early leaves.  They will keep the soil cooler longer, preventing the germination of warm soil seeds (often weeds).  

Sometimes I take the plant that has gone to seed and whack the ground to deposit seeds thete.

I like to “over seed” because there is some healthy competition between seeds - seedlings.  In that way the survivors are the best suited for my environment.  Or my gardening idiosyncrasies 🤣

When you want warm soil germination, just “clear cut” the lettuce, exposing the soil.  Or plant your started plants among the lettuce plants.