Stocking Seed for Next year, NOW

[pamela]

have a good  day Wordy!
will look for some more info on seed saving that we can print out and put in with our seeds.
just in case.  

[Grower]

I just got fertilizer last week that should last me through at least most of next season. 3 bags of perlite left, and two big bales of potting soil. I ordered enough seeds this year to last two, and I plan to save seeds of things like beans, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers.

I ordered Egyptian walking onions last spring that should arrive for fall planting. I'll put in some garlic, too. The "walking" onions are the ones that put out little baby onions at the top, so that when the top falls over the "babies" self sow. That way you don't have to worry about onion seed, which doesn't save well.

Today I bit the bullet and ordered the plastic I'll need someday when we put up our hoop house. Not cheap. But I'm afraid what with oil prices, let alone everything else, that if I don't get it I won't be ABLE to get it soon. I'll be storing all this in the bottom, "walkout" basement area of our barn/workshop.

If you can get any perennial vegetables in this summer or fall, I'd recommend it. You can plant asparagus crowns even now, as well as these onions, garlic, jerusalem artichokes, rhubarb, etc. The more perennial veggies you have the less seeds you need. Maybe you guys could add to a list of perennial vegetables. I actually have a book on this, but I'd have to get up and go find it!   And the Ashworth book on seed saving is PRIMO. I'd recommend it to anybody.

Speaking of which, it's not a bad idea to have some good books on weeds and pests -- Rodale has some good ones. Most of you already have gardening books, which is great. But you can get books on the peripheral needs -- season extension (go for Elliot Coleman), seed saving, bugs & weeds, soil development, etc.

[pamela]

excellent idea on the perennial vegetables Grower.
I've got my asparagus to plant, put out raspberries and elderberries, and will be planting some more strawberries too.
OH also, someone had mentioned "Ragged Jack" red kale earlier this year and I have that growing as well.
Supposed to come up again next year, is that right Grower. Is Russian Red Kale perennial?

[Grower]

No, but some people have had it reseed. Arugula will also do that. Problem is sorting it out from the weeds in the spring.

[wormcrusader]

Hey, if anyone is interested in the mid - atlantic area, there is a seed "old timey" seed exchange festival in Charlottesville, VA Sept 12, 2009. It is part of the heritage harvest Festival sponsoredin part by Southern Exposure Seed company.

www.southernexposure.com

You can see the details of the festival here:
http://heritageharvestfestival.com/

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will be there too.

[spacecase0]

that freezer sounds great to keep the seeds safe
are you going to put a dehumidifier in it to keep the seeds dry ?

I have taken to storing my seeds in canning jars with all the air removed.

[Emeline]

Great idea pamela!

I will come back to this later but just as another quick thought, if people have the room/inclination, it's always possible to let things SELF seed, that is go through their natural cycle.  I did that this year with my silver beet (maybe that's called spinach or a type of spinach in the US).  I just let some grow tall, self seed and voila, next thing I had hundreds of little silver beet plants growing everywhere. Too easy!

Actually maybe others have thoughts on what vegetables are best for self seeding?  

[residualheat]

Actually maybe others have thoughts on what vegetables are best for self seeding?  

One thing is worth considering with self seeding is that if a plant bolts then it's best not to save seed from it, because you don't want to breed this tendency in. With biennials that bolt in the first year, best to have those plants out and only save seed from plants that flower when they're supposed to.

[spacecase0]

self seeding really gets you what nature wants, not what you want.
collect seeds form only the best plants to get the best seeds
and you will have the best plants with the best food.

my mom tries a self seeding garden all the time,
after a few years the plants have no usable food,
and she starts over again with seeds I give her.

I think some grains are not bad at self seeding,
teff and amaranth are ok at it.
also some tomatoes are good at it,
but over all, it really will not get you what you need.

[residualheat]

my mom tries a self seeding garden all the time,
after a few years the plants have no usable food,
and she starts over again with seeds I give her.

Just curious, spacecase0, what happens to your mother's plants? Do they become less vigorous?

[spacecase0]

the food part gets smaller,
way less productive with just as big of plant as before,
the plants just go straight to seed without doing anything else,
pumpkins end up 2 inches across, ect...

[residualheat]

That's what I thought it might be, spacecase. I've noticed the same with self seeded ornamentals.

[Madnsassy]

I'll confess I'm a neophyte about gardening, but I did purchase a can of heirloom seeds last year from this place:

http://everlastingseeds.com/  If stored properly, will have a several year shelf-life until opened.  Just a suggestion for looking ahead.

[pamela]

about moisture in the freezer space, I haven't had a problem with it.
it's an old freezer, inside the building, not running.
all winter I go out every day or so and lift the lid, (usually to get things out to eat) and that seems to keep the air flowing enough.

[spacecase0]

that is great,
you are lucky
I live where there is constant 60% or more humidity and often 85% in the winter and I need to store my seeds careful or they all die.