SAVE HOME-GROWN SEEDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1940, Page 4

SAVE HOME-GROWN SEEDS

INTERESTING AND PROFITABLE. Saving seeds from home-grown plants is an interesting, and sometimes a profitable, occupation, and one which does not present any great difficulties. Il is remarkable how many of our improved plants are due to the keen interest taken in improved forms, which have first made their appearance in home gardens. Certain rules must, of course, be observed, and important factors like cross fertilisation must be taken into account. It is no use picking seedpods haphazard and expecting plants identical with the parents, or that seeds, once collected, will remain in first-class condition no matter how or where they are kept. When collecting seeds of herbaceous plants mark with a tie-on label the particular flower from which you wish to save seeds. If you are not looking for “sports,” this flower should be selected on three counts: beauty, District adherence to type; vigorous growth as compared with its fellows, and freedom from disease. At the same time consideration should be given to the questions of early flowering, where this is desirable, and hardness and adaptability to varying conditions.

Seed should be harvested when the weather is dry and fine and immediately the seed capsules have become plump. In many cases it is advisable to remove these capsules with a piece of stem adhering to them. Seeds in pods may be picked as soon as the seeds within are properly formed, even though the seeds themselves are green. As soon as possible after picking, place the pods or capsules in paper bags (on which the name of the flower and other particulars have been written) and suspend the bags in an airy shed to dry. When drying is complete, the seeds can be shaken on to a sheet of white paper and put in envelopes until sowing time arrives. These packets, carefully named, should be kept in a room that is dry and not excessively warm.