Healthfood Stores & Organic Produce - Seeds

[Guest guest]

Hi Debra.

 

HOW LONG CAN SEEDS BE STORED BEFORE THEY NEED TO BE USED?

1. I know that most of the seeds you purchase say Packaged for and the

year. Example: 02

 

The seed package I have in front of me from Seeds of Change also says:

They

are unconditionally guaranteed or your money back. I would take this to

mean if I planted the seeds in the year 2002. Now would they be

good to plant the next season or the following year. Maybe some would

still germinate or maybe they would not. As an overall general rule, I

would say the longer you go beyond the 1 year past the season they were

harvested, the fewer will germinate and grow.

 

AFTER I PLANT VEGETABLES, CAN I THEN MAKE MY OWN SEEDS

FROM THE CROP? IF SO, HOW DO I DO THAT? AND HOW DO I

PRESERVE THE SEEDS?

2. Yes you can save the seeds from your own crop and plant them the

following year. I've done this mostly with Basil and Stevia as they flower

and if I let the flowers turn brown, there are lots of seeds. Some just

fall

and grow new plants under the older ones. I cut the tops off and store

them in a plastic bag with a label saying " Basil harvested and the date " .

There is a book entitled _*Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth *_that goes

into great detail on how to save seeds from all kinds of plants. For

instance, saving a tomato seed from inside a tomato is different than

cutting off the flowers after they dry.

 

COULD YOU HELP ME WITH AN EASY GARDENING BOOK?

I HAVE NEVER GROWN ANYTHING BUT TOMATOES. I LIVE

IN DELEWARE - GROWING SEASON MAY TO LATE AUGUST.

3. I have a number of gardening books and I never use them so I'm a

bad person to ask on this one. As I said yesterday, I am having a

wonderful time reading Gaia's Garden and I would definitely recommend

it highly. So far I find it fascinating and easy to understand. She

touches

on a number of things and refers your to other books if you want to go

into a certain thing in more depth. If anyone out there has a good, simple

basic book on organic gardening, companion planting etc. that you love and

couldn't live without, let me know and I'll pass it onto the group.

 

In Knowledge, Health and Freedom,

 

Valorie

 

Debra L. Garrett wrote:

> Hi Valorie,

> Thank you for your help with this. I did call to order a catalog.

> Could I ask three additional questions.

> (1) How long can seeds be stored before they need to be used?

> (2) After I plant vegetables, can I then make my own seeds from the crop?

>

> If so, how do I do that? And how do I preserve the seeds?

> (3) Could you help me with an easy gardening book? I have never grown

> anything other than tomatoes. I live in Delaware, of course, so the growing

> season is from May to late August.

> Thank you for all your help with this.

> I am trying to make preparations for the future and there seems to be so

> much to know.

> Debra

>

>

>

> Valorie [ValorieShillington]

> Monday, June 11, 2007 3:01 PM

> Debra L. Garrett; Dr. Ian Shillington; herbal remedies

> Re: Healthfood Stores & Organic Produce

>

> Hi Debra,

>

> I get my seeds from these 2 places.

>

> I would suggest you research them a bit to decide which one you prefer.

>

> I'm leaning toward the Seed Savers Exchange as I like their stated

> purpose and they are a smaller operation than Seeds of Change in New Mexico.

>

> Here is the info on both:

>

> Seed Savers Exchange - www.seedsaversexchange.org Phone: 563-382-5990

>

> Seeds of Change - www.seedsofchange.com Phone: 1-888-762-7333 They also

> sell high integrity foods such as salsa and spag. sauce. I pay almost

> twice as much for their products over the other supposedly " Organic " .

> They use top notch ingredients and don't toss in non organic and junk at

> the end of the label like other companies do.

>

> My must have list includes: Peppers, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Squash, and

> Basil for starters. It depends on where you live and what grows well.

> Pick things that do well in your climate and also keep in mind what you

> like and what you and your family will eat. Check out " Companion

> Planting " a concept that recommends planting certain plants next to

> other plants as they do well together and discourage certain pests so

> that you have healthy plants.

>

> We can see what Doc says he would add.

>

> Valorie

>

> Debra L. Garrett wrote:

>

>> Doc,

>>

>> Where is a good place to purchase seeds. Do you have a " must have " list?

>>

>> Thanks again,

>>

>> Debra

>>

>>

>

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