Seed Saving, Production and

Availability

The 2013 Educational Program Committee is pleased to share conference educational materials with you under the condition that they are used without alteration for educational and non-commercial use only. All materials are protected by copyright law. The authors kindly request their work is properly cited, including the date of publication. For more information on Small Farms, visit our website at: http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/ or contact your local County Extension Agent. For inquiries about this topic, please contact: Danielle Treadwell, Educational Program Chair. Phone: (352) 273-4775 Email: ddtreadw@ufl.edu Suggested Citation: Author Full Name. Title of Presentation or Handout. 2013 University of Florida-IFAS and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University-CAFS Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference. August 2-4, Kissimmee, FL.

Melanie Hernandez

High Mowing

Organic Seeds

SEED QUALITY AND SEED SAVING

High Mowing Organic Seeds Who are we and how do we know all this

stuff about seed saving and quality?

• We are producers and sellers of 100% certified organic hybrid and open-pollinated seeds

• Our 2014 Catalog will contain 700 varieties of organic seed

High Mowing Organic Seeds

• We breed and license exclusive varieties on our own farm and in collaboration with other universities

• We trial 1000 varieties/yr.

Our Amaizing Corn –Organic hybrid sweet corn variety “My Fair Lady” F1 Hybrid

Breaking New Ground High Tunnel Seed Production in Vermont

WHAT DOES A SEED NEED TO SUCCEED?

1. Dry-seeded crops need dry weather around harvest to avoid fungal diseases (e.g. salad greens, radish)

2. Wet-seeded crops need only ample moisture, but often yield better with more heat (e.g. tomatoes, peppers, squash)

3. Certain crops need cool weather to MAKE seed (e.g. spinach, beets, chard, cole crops)

4. Certain crops need heat for seed to FINISH (e.g. beans and peas)

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY QUALITY SEED?

• Germinates at or above a defined minimum germination – usually 80% for vegetable seed, 70% for flowers and herbs

• Germinates quickly with strong vigor and full set of seedling parts

• The higher the initial quality, the

longer it will hold that quality

WHAT ENSURES “GOOD SEED?”

• Fully mature at harvest = “finished” • Moved quickly from wet to dry during

harvest processing • Dried down to ~10% moisture or lower • Not allowed to get too hot during

drying • Stored in cool, dry conditions

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY SEED WILL GERMINATE?

How do I know my seed is “PURE?”

ISOLATION

ISOLATION

ISOLATION

WHICH CROPS REQUIRE ISOLATION?

1. Read seed catalogs or go online to determine the SPECIES of your crop

2. Figure out which species are INSECT or WIND pollinated

(e.g. Squash, melon,crucifers, corn)

These REQUIRE ISOLATION

WHICH CROPS DO NOT REQUIRE ISOLATION?

• All “SELF-POLLINATED” crops do NOT require isolation Tomatoes, lettuce, beans, peas

Resources to Consider:

• 1. Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth (for isolation requirements and seed specifications)

• 2. The Garden Seed Inventory by the Seed Savers Exchange (for finding varieties)

• 3. On-Line www.howtosaveseeds.com

SAVING YOUR SEED: SQUASHES/CUCUMBERS/MELONS

SQUASHES, CUCUMBERS: - easy to grow for seed - need ISOLATION of ~1 mile

MELONS, WATERMELONS: - often require plastic and row cover to get enough

heat - need ISOLATION of ~1 mile

SQUASH/CUCUMBER MELON SEED HARVESTING I

1. Select your best fruit to harvest – nothing rotten

2. Harvest squash/cucumber/melon seed by first cutting fruit and scooping out seed

SQUASH/CUCUMBER MELON SEED HARVESTING II

WASH seed in a strainer or by fermentation and rinsing – make sure to pick out flesh and get it very clean

DRY seed flat on a paper towel or screen -- make sure it’s dry enough to snap in half when you bend it

SQUASH/CUCUMBER MELON SEED HARVESTING III

Drying Dirty Seed

SAVING YOUR SEED: TOMATOES/PEPPERS/EGGPLANT

• TOMATOES: • - easy to grow for seed • - NO ISOLATION required (or just 50 ft)

• PEPPERS/EGGPLANT: • - often require plastic and row cover to get

enough heat • - need isolation of ~500 feet

TOMATO SEED HARVESTING I

1. Select your best fruit to harvest – nothing rotten

2. Harvest tomato seed by crushing fruit and allowing to ferment for 24-48 hours

• Fermentation is needed for tomato seeds (in order to remove a germination-inhibiting gel),

FERMENTING TOMATO SEED

TOMATO SEED HARVESTING II

WASH seed after fermentation by rinsing to remove all flesh

RINSING TOMATO SEED

RINSING TOMATO SEED

TOMATO SEED HARVESTING III

DRY seed after rinsing by spreading on a towel or screen

DRYING TOMATO SEED

SAVING YOUR SEED: Beans and Corn

BEANS – DRY BEANS work well – GARDEN BEANS and PEAS can work, but

are prone to disease due to sugar in the pods

– Edible soybeans (EDAMAME) can work, but are difficult due to long season for maturity

CORN - FLINT CORN works well - SWEET CORN can do well, but more prone

to mold – have to be harvested before dry

Beans at harvest

Beans drying

Corn drying

Corn Sheller

SEED STORAGE

DRY +

COOL

GOALS = 1.keep seed from

molding 2.keep seed alive

as long as possible

SEED STORAGE

• SEALED jars, ziploc bags, or bins (For DRY seed)

• If any doubt, use PAPER envelopes or bags (to avoid mold)

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!