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GROWING HEIRLOOM VEGETABLESAND SAVING SEEDS
Rebecca McMahonHorticulture AgentSedgwick County Extension
WHAT ARE HEIRLOOMS?
Open-pollinated
50+ years old
Saved seeds come true to type
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WHAT ARE HYBRIDS?
Crosses between at least 2 parents
Saved seeds will NOT come true to type
NOT GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
HYBRID VARIETIES
Parent A
Parent B
F1HybridNot Genetically Stable
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OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES
Parent A
Parent B
F1Hybrid
F1Hybrid
F1Hybrid
Self-Pollination
OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES
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OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES
6th
Generation!
WHY HEIRLOOMS?
FLAVOR!
Unique colors, shapes, etc.
Tender skin or flesh
Other quality characteristics
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WHY HEIRLOOMS?
Want to avoid hybrids
Maintaining genetic diversity
Ease of breeding/selecting characteristics
CHALLENGES WITH HEIRLOOMS
Disease susceptibility
Growth habit
Low(er) yield
Lack of uniformity of size & shape
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CHALLENGES WITH HEIRLOOMS
Longer/shorter harvest window
Shelf life
Tolerance of rough handling
“NEW” HEIRLOOMS
New OP varieties, some “improved” traits
Hybrid varieties with some “heirloom” traits
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KEYS TO SUCCESS
ALWAYS use good cultural practices!
Try a range of varieties
Be alert for problems
GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES
Rotation!
Appropriate plant spacing
Staking/tying/caging
Drip irrigation
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GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES
Mulching
Adding organic matter
Maintaining soil fertility
TRY A RANGE OF VARIETIES
Varying productivity
Different responses to weather conditions
Different tolerances of other conditions
Plant more than one plant!
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BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS
Scout for insects & disease regularly
Watch for abnormal growth/coloration
BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS
Treat at first sign of a problem
Remove plants with viruses or severe bacterial infections
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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SPECIFIC HEIRLOOMS
TOMATOES
Flavor
Texture
Cracking
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TOMATOES
Yield
Green shoulders
Uniform ripening
Catfacing
TOMATOES
Long Days to Maturity
Diseases
Plant Size
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PEPPERS
Growth habit
Yield
Diseases
MELONS
Flavor
Cracking
Seeds & Seed Cavity
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MELONS
Over-maturity
Huge vines
Diseases
SQUASH/ZUCCHINI/PUMPKINS
Large seed cavity
Huge vines
Diseases
Insects!
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CUCUMBERS
Huge vines
Bitterness
Diseases
LEAFY GREENS
May bolt quickly
Flavor
Disease
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BEETS & CARROTS
Root uniformity, shape, & quality
Germination/seedling vigor
Woodiness in older/larger roots
BEANS & PEAS
Pole or climbing types
Yield
“Strings”
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“STORAGE” VARIETIES
Intended for root cellar storage
“Long keeper” tomatoes
Other roots, cabbage, squashes
SAVING SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR
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PLANNING TO SAVE SEED
Research each vegetable
Pollination requirements
Isolation requirements
Selecting & saving the right seeds
Timeline for seed production
Seed harvest, cleaning, and storage
UNDERSTANDING FLOWER STRUCTURE
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SELF-POLLINATING PLANTS
Have both male & female flower parts in each flower
Will self-pollinate with no assistance
Relatively easy to save seeds!
Have to save from multiple fruits/plants to maintain a little genetic diversity
INSECT POLLINATING PLANTS
Require insects for pollination
May or may not have lots of inter-crossing with related species
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WIND POLLINATING PLANTS
Require wind to move pollen for pollination
Usually highly promiscuous
OUTBREEDING & INBREEDING
Crossing between more distantly related plants
Crossing between closely related plants or self
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SOLANACEAE
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes
Self-pollinating
Can have some insect crossing
Isolation or caging to prevent crossing
TOMATOES
Naturally inbreeding
Certain types more prone to crossing
Currant tomatoes, potato-leaved varieties, double blossoms on beefsteaks
Save seed from best fruit of best plants
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TOMATOES
Remove seeds from fully ripe fruit
Wet fermentation process
Store dry, clean seeds in an air-tight container in a cool, dry area (or freeze)
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PEPPERS
Naturally inbreeding
Insect cross-pollination is common
500 ft. isolation distance
Caging individual varieties or bagging flowers
PEPPERS
Select fully ripe, fully colored fruit
Scrape seeds off core and rinse clean
Dry until seeds will break when folded
Store in a cool, dry, dark area
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LEGUMES
Self-pollinating, but can be crossed by insects
Best to keep multiple generations of seed
Cages or blossom bags for isolation
“Rogue out” non-typical plants
CUCURBITACEAE (VINES)
Insect pollination
Separate male & female flowers
Lots of crossing can occur between varieties!
Less common between species
Hand-crossing works best
Maintain genetic diversity with many plants
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CUCURBITACEAE (VINES)
Harvest fully mature fruit (not when you eat it!)
Let sit for 20 days to fully mature seeds
Remove seeds and wash or ferment
Dry & store
BRASSICAS & UMBELLIFERAE
Insect pollinated
LOTS of inter-crossing
Mostly out-crossing species
Need LOTS of isolation for pure seed
Timing of seed saving – second year of growth!
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ALLIUMS & COMPOSITAE
Insect pollinated
In-breeders or self-compatible
“Rogue” out off-types
Don’t choose plants that go to seed early!
Caging or isolation for seed purity
CHENOPODIACEAE & CORN
Wind pollinated
Out-crossers
Need miles of isolation or bagging to maintain seed purity
Timing can be a challenge (with Chenopods)
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RESOURCES
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth
Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener by Joseph Tychonievich
Seed Sowing & Saving by Carole B. Turner
Breed Your Own Vegetables by Carol Deppe
SEED SOURCES
Seed Savers Exchange www.seedsavers.org
Native Seeds/SEARCH www.nativeseeds.org
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange www.southernexposure.com
Seeds of Change www.seedsofchange.com
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QUESTIONS?