Hand Pollinating For Seed Saving: Cucurbits

By hand pollinating your cucurbit flowers you can ensure the seeds you save from the resulting fruit will always be true to type. The Cucurbitaceae family, which consists of zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber, melons, gourds, luffa and marrows, is one of the most promiscuous genus of plants.  Their insatiable desire to cross-pollinate with one another makes […]

How to Make the Best-Ever Seed Raising Mix

Getting your seed-raising mix just right is super important for growing strong seedlings, which in turn become strong plants that produce mountains of edible deliciousness for you. While you can buy mixes from the shops, making your own is much cheaper and usually assures a higher-quality result than a commercial seed-raising mix. Plus, you get…

Seed saving for beginners

Permaculture Womens Guild

Whether you are an old expert at seed stewardship or a new gardener with a budding curiosity, saving seeds from your home garden to grow and share can be one of the most rewarding experiences of the season. By Heather Jo Flores This old-world skill is best learned experientially, and within a community of fellow seedpeople. But here are some tips to get you started, even if you only have a small garden. Selection Some plants are much easier for beginners. This has less to do with ease of harvest than with whether or not the plant needs a large or…