Hi Alan. Me thinks it was the real seed company where I got the idea to save seeds.
It's fairly easy to save peas/beans and if you aren't successful the first year you'll realise why and manage it the 2nd if you follow the real seed guide.
Pea/beans are slightly different but basically - plants have a life span and die back when the temps drop. If you continue picking every pod from one plant then none grow big enough to produce seeds to save before the plant dies, despite drying out the seeds inside are small and either won't germinate the following year or produce a poor crop.
If you have a big plot and want to save seeds from this years plants you need to stop picking the bean or pea plant which you plan to save seeds off. This allows pods to grow to their full size before the plant dies. The pods dry out on the plant and will then be ready to save for seeds next year. If you have an allotment you could leave one plant at the end of the row and just never pick it but use as a seed plant.
If you get that part right and you'll know when your seeds have dried because they'll be a similar size to bought seeds, you are onto a winner
Peas/bean seeds save well and last several years, I grow in the back garden so don't allow a whole plant to go to seed. Last year I left some pods unpicked but not the whole plant and saved enough seeds for a couple of years.
Hi Zoomer nice one all this info is just what i want so i can try it, probably with peas and beans to begin with,and i watched Monty last nite ,he mentioned not storing in plastic bags so i checked all the seeds id saved ALL in plastic food bags and ALL wet and no good ,but never mind still time to do it all again live and learn they say and iv learnt so much on this site since joining, many thanks for all the time and trouble youv all taken BUT i,ll b back 4 more you see AND bye the way iv just had to take in my this years Fig tree im growing for the new house cus its blowing rain /wind 30 miles an hour here in Tenby feel sorry for the holiday makers, right manyofem Cheers Alan4711
Not watched this weeks GW yet. Small brown envelops to store seeds in are ideal once the seeds are dry. Seeds will sweat in plastic and don't dry out.
I've only saved peas, beans, peppers, chillies and toms seeds. I'm going to branch out and save other stuff this year, not just veg but flowers and herbs .
Posts
Hi Alan. Me thinks it was the real seed company where I got the idea to save seeds.
It's fairly easy to save peas/beans and if you aren't successful the first year you'll realise why and manage it the 2nd if you follow the real seed guide.
Pea/beans are slightly different but basically - plants have a life span and die back when the temps drop. If you continue picking every pod from one plant then none grow big enough to produce seeds to save before the plant dies, despite drying out the seeds inside are small and either won't germinate the following year or produce a poor crop.
If you have a big plot and want to save seeds from this years plants you need to stop picking the bean or pea plant which you plan to save seeds off. This allows pods to grow to their full size before the plant dies. The pods dry out on the plant and will then be ready to save for seeds next year. If you have an allotment you could leave one plant at the end of the row and just never pick it but use as a seed plant.
Peas/bean seeds save well and last several years, I grow in the back garden so don't allow a whole plant to go to seed. Last year I left some pods unpicked but not the whole plant and saved enough seeds for a couple of years.
Hope this is helpful. Happy gardening
B lucky
Alan4711
Not watched this weeks GW yet. Small brown envelops to store seeds in are ideal once the seeds are dry. Seeds will sweat in plastic and don't dry out.
I've only saved peas, beans, peppers, chillies and toms seeds. I'm going to branch out and save other stuff this year, not just veg but flowers and herbs .
Good luck with the fig tree
.