#seedsaving — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #seedsaving, aggregated by home.social.
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The Watermelon Is Innocent
The knife goes through a seedless watermelon the way an argument goes through a lazy afternoon: no resistance, no interruptions, nothing to spit. Somebody at the picnic table always ruins it. This summer the ruin arrives as a warning passed hand to hand across the internet: every seedless bite is a serving of your own impending death, because a fruit without seeds is a future without planting, and a future without planting is a population that eats only what it is sold. Subscribe to eat, the warning goes, or starve on schedule. The charge deserves a trial. Half of it is theater. The other half is the most important story in agriculture, and the theater keeps pointing at the wrong defendant. […]https://bolesblogs.com/2026/09/07/the-watermelon-is-innocent/
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The Watermelon Is Innocent
The knife goes through a seedless watermelon the way an argument goes through a lazy afternoon: no resistance, no interruptions, nothing to spit. Somebody at the picnic table always ruins it. This summer the ruin arrives as a warning passed hand to hand across the internet: every seedless bite is a serving of your own impending death, because a fruit without seeds is a future without planting, and a future without planting is a population that eats only what it is sold. Subscribe to eat, the warning goes, or starve on schedule. The charge deserves a trial. Half of it is theater. The other half is the most important story in agriculture, and the theater keeps pointing at the wrong defendant. […]https://bolesblogs.com/2026/09/07/the-watermelon-is-innocent/
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The Watermelon Is Innocent
The knife goes through a seedless watermelon the way an argument goes through a lazy afternoon: no resistance, no interruptions, nothing to spit. Somebody at the picnic table always ruins it. This summer the ruin arrives as a warning passed hand to hand across the internet: every seedless bite is a serving of your own impending death, because a fruit without seeds is a future without planting, and a future without planting is a population that eats only what it is sold. Subscribe to eat, the warning goes, or starve on schedule. The charge deserves a trial. Half of it is theater. The other half is the most important story in agriculture, and the theater keeps pointing at the wrong defendant. […]https://bolesblogs.com/2026/09/07/the-watermelon-is-innocent/
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#SeedSavingExchange - Learn how to create a garden that will attract #NativePollinators with #SeedSaving in mind.
Excerpt:
"Serve Up an Enticing Menu Year-Round
Flowering plants supply #pollinators like #bees and #butterflies with essential pollen and nectar. #PollinatorFriendly plants also provide a safe shelter for our hard-working insect friends. The most important aspect of any pollinator garden is diversity. Because pollinators are active from April to October, make sure you have a colorful array of continuously blooming flowers from early spring through fall and keep your plants free of pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides.
Plants should be selected based on the space they will occupy. Specifically, consider your space’s soil type, sun exposure, and moisture levels.
You may also choose to select plant species to support specific pollinators.
- To help monarch butterflies, include #milkweeds and high-quality nectar plants like blazingstars.
- To support #Bumblebees, include plants like #WildBergamot, #hyssop, and #goldenrod.
- #Sunflowers offer not only a supportive perch but also seeds to help attract #hummingbirds and other feathered friends to your garden. #Honeysuckles are also a great way to attract hummingbirds.To ensure that the pollinators will have something to forage from spring through fall, select various natives that flower at different times throughout the growing season. Choosing plants with a variety of flower colors and shapes will also help attract an assortment of insects of a variety of sizes and foraging habits. Larger clusters of a plant species are better for attracting pollinators than several smaller clusters in and around the garden space."
Learn more:
https://seedsavers.org/learn/pollinators/#SolarPunkSunday #Gardening #GardeningForPollinators #SeedCollection #NativePlants
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#Gardens that Nurture #Culture
Spring 2022
Excerpt: "Growing one’s own food became more appealing and, in some cases, a greater necessity to many in this pandemic era. #NativePeoples have long tended gardens that have provided their communities with #sustainably grown foods, #MedicinalPlants and #NaturalMaterials. Today these much-needed sources of local, healthy foods are also places to cultivate and preserve #CulturalTraditions.
" 'Even some Native cultures—like #foraging cultures—that didn’t historically garden now see it as a helpful use of land and time and money because they can efficiently produce the kinds of foods that people need to stay healthy,' said Elizabeth Hoover. Of #Mohawk and #Mikmaq descent, she is an associate professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California in Berkeley. Researching this trend, she drove 20,000 miles in 2014 to talk with dozens of #AmericanIndian gardeners and food advocates.
"In western North Carolina, David Anderson works as the horticultural operations supervisor at the #JessieOwleDugan #NativePlant and Greenhouse Facility of the Eastern Band of #Cherokee Indians. The complex includes three #greenhouses, 30 raised growing beds, a 3-acre nursery and 5 acres of fields dedicated to producing crops specifically for their seeds. It also has 330 acres of field that can be leased to enrolled tribal members who wish to garden or farm.
"While the facility does generate funds for the tribe, it also preserves culturally important species to get them into the hands of tribal members to plant. It focuses on growing traditional plants, such as #grapes, #elderberry, #WildStrawberries, #blackberries, #huckleberries sochan and #cohosh. In 2021, the greenhouse also grew #hickory saplings, which once mature, can to provide wood that can be used to make stickball sticks, artworks and other traditional projects. 'We serve our community with plants for home, for farmers, and for restoration,' said Anderson."
Read more:
https://www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/gardens-that-nurture-culture#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalFoods #NativeAmericans #CulturalPreservation #GrowYourOwnFood #Resilience #FoodSecurity #HeirloomPlants #SeedSaving
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Excerpt from Seed Saving: Introduction by the #SeedSavingExchange
"Know Your Plants
Know whether your parent plant is a hybrid or open-pollinated variety.
Open-pollinated varieties are like dog breeds; they will retain their distinct characteristics as long as they are pollinated (or “mated”) with the same “breed”/variety.
Hybrids, which are created by crossing plants of two different varieties, generally do not produce offspring with the same traits as the parent plant. Seeds saved from open-pollinated varieties, on the other hand, will produce plants identical to the parent.
Seed Savers Exchange offers only open-pollinated varieties through its online and print catalog and on The Exchange, its gardener-to-gardener seed swap.
So what are #OpenPollinated varieties, and what is their lifespan? Open-pollinated varieties are like dog breeds; they will retain their distinct characteristics as long as they are pollinated (or “mated”) with the same “breed”/variety.
This means, with a little care and planning, the seeds you produce will be true-to-type, keeping their distinct traits generation after generation as long as they do not cross-pollinate with other varieties of the same species.
Know your plants’ lifespans.Open-pollinated varieties can be annual, biennial, and perennial.
Plants that flower, set seed, and die in a single growing season—like lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers—are called annuals.
Biennials, such as carrots and onions, don’t flower until their second growing season after they have gone through a cold period called vernalization.
Some long-lived plants, like apple trees and asparagus, are perennial, surviving and flowering for many years.
Know your plants’ specific name (genus and species).
A long green vegetable with several slices
The ‘Armenian’ cucumber, commonly sold as a cucumber, is actually a melon.In biology, a genus is a taxonomy rank that groups together closely related species. For example, tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are closely related to eggplants (Solanum melongena). In this case, Solanum is the genus that both tomatoes and eggplants belong to.
A species is a group of individuals that are able to reproduce together. All tomatoes belong to the species lycopersicum and are able to cross-pollinate (or transfer pollen between plants) with each other.
In the garden, most crops are different species from one another, but not always. There are several species of squash and two distinct species of kale—meaning some varieties of these crops are not able to cross-pollinate with each other.
On the other hand, Cucumis melo, commonly categorized as a melon, also contains some varieties that are sold as cucumbers (like ‘Armenian’) because fruits of the variety are unsweet and sometimes pickled.
Planting just one variety in a species will help ensure you save pure seed. But if you want to save seeds from more than one variety, knowing your plants’ scientific name will help you determine which ones may cross-pollinate. To save pure seed, you want to prevent cross-pollination between two different varieties in the same species.
The squash commonly grown in the Seed Savers Exchange gardens at #HeritageFarm, for example, could fall into one of three species: Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, and C. pepo. These species won’t typically cross-pollinate.
On the other hand, Brassica oleracea includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi, all plants you might think wouldn’t cross-pollinate but actually do. Read up on the cross-pollination habits of the plants you are saving seeds from to ensure you won’t run into issues."
Learn more:
https://seedsavers.org/learn/seed-saving/#know-your-plants#SolarPunkSunday #CrossPollination #Gardening #CommunityGardens #SeedSaving #KnowYourPlants
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Transport Evolved Chicken and Garden Update: Nikki’s Got A New Stash! https://www.allforgardening.com/1657173/transport-evolved-chicken-and-garden-update-nikkis-got-a-new-stash/ #abutilon #BackyardGarden #Baldur'sGate #BG3 #BroadBeans #Broccoli #CaliforniaBellPeppers #celery #DanversCarrots #FavaBeans #garden #geraniums #greenhouse #HickenAndGarden #Karlach #Parsnip #PortlandNursery #RaisedBeds #SeedPotatoes #SeedSaving #SnowPeas #squash #SweetCorn #TelegraphCucumber #VancouverCentennial #WinterGardening #zucchini
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Found this through the #PennState Extension web page...
#SeedSaversExchange - #SeedSaving: Introduction
"Why Save Seeds?
Have you ever tried to save seeds from your crops? While the topic may seem daunting, anyone can do it! Not only is seed saving practical, it’s also very rewarding and essential for biodiversity preservation.
Why save seeds?
- You increase your #SelfReliance.
- You connect to nature and your food.
- You save money on future seeds.
- You establish ties to history.
- You adapt varieties to your local climate.
- Saved seeds make great personal gifts.
- You help preserve #biodiversity.
- You join a unique and large community of seed savers!Seed Saving at Seed Savers Exchange
Saving seeds is integral to our mission at Seed Savers Exchange. It’s right there in our name! At our Heritage Farm headquarters, we steward a living collection of over 20,000 different varieties of seed crops, potatoes, garlic, grapes, and apples. Learn more about preservation at SSE.
There is inherent value in all of the seeds we work to protect. Some of the plants we preserve have a strong cultural history. Others possess unique culinary properties, and others display resilience to climatic events or invasive pests. Read seed stories from the collection.
Rows of large metal shelves full of boxes with many seed packets
The seed bank at Heritage FarmBy saving your own seeds, you play an important part in carrying out our collective mission. It’s up to all of us to lend a hand by saving and sharing seeds. Other ways to support SSE.
You don’t have to save seeds alone! By saving seeds, you join a community of countless other gardeners with similar interests. SSE facilitates the largest free seed swap between home gardeners like yourself. Through the Exchange, gardeners can request seeds from other gardeners, and list their own to share!"
Saving seeds also gives you a special opportunity to make an impact in your own community. Join or start a local #SeedLibrary, attend or host a #seedswap and connect with local gardeners!
Through the Community Seed Network, co-created by SSE, you can connect with other gardeners. You will also find extensive resources on creative ways to share seeds within your community."
Learn more [includes isolation methods, know your plants, harvesting and cleaning seeds]:
https://seedsavers.org/learn/seed-saving/#SolarPunkSunday #SeedSaving
#HarvestTime #Harvesting #SeedSavers #FoodSecurity #GrowYourOwn #HeirloomSeeds #HeirloomPlants -
Includes dealing with tomatoes and peppers, and storing seeds properly!
How to Save Seeds: Seed Saving for Beginners
"Why you should save seeds
1. First of all, learning how to save seeds allows you to take one more step toward self-sufficiency. By saving seeds, you’ll be able to produce your own seed and stop relying on outside sources to provide seed for you (plus, you’ll save money too).
2. Second, saving seeds from your healthiest, most robust, most productive plants and replanting them year after year means you’ll create your own strain of healthy seeds that are specially adapted and optimized for your specific environment, which tends to mean higher germination rates, bigger harvests and less disease.
3. Finally, saving seeds allows you a unique opportunity to create your own heirloom seeds to pass down through generations in your family. By handing down family heirloom seeds, you’ll be passing on a legacy and gifting future generations with the gift of self-sufficiency. How cool is that??
But before you start saving seeds, there are a few things you need to know to ensure the seeds you’re saving are actually viable."
Learn more:
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-save-seeds/#SolarPunkSunday #SeedSaving #HarvestTime #Harvesting #SeedSavers #FoodSecurity #GrowYourOwn #HierloomSeeds
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A step-by-step guide to #SavingSeeds
by Maud Powell, March 2010
"Summer and autumn are the seasons when many gardeners and farmers are out in their fields collecting vegetable, fruit and flower seeds for the next season. Seed saving is an excellent way to engage in the worldwide movement to preserve some of the older 'heirloom' varieties of seed.
"During the past two decades, many seed companies have consolidated, and regulations regarding the patenting of seed varieties have been loosened. As a result, seed companies routinely drop older varieties for newer ones, which are usually hybridized and/or patented.
"Organized grassroots #SeedSaving efforts, as well as inspired gardeners and farmers, have done an excellent job of saving many heirloom varieties.
"Seed saving is also a great way to develop seed lines that are well adapted to a particular environment. Saving seed from the healthiest plants year after year enables growers to select for traits that are most suitable for their growing conditions.
"Finally, seed saving encourages a deeper understanding of the life cycle of plants. We rarely see certain vegetable plants, such as lettuce, onions and carrots, in the reproductive stage of their lives. Saving seed provides growers with an education in plant genetics and breeding, which is usually left to universities and seed companies. Following are the four basic steps to saving seed."
Read more:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/flowers-shrubs-trees/step-step-guide-saving-seedsEspañol version:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/es/gardening/flowers-shrubs-trees/step-step-guide-saving-seeds#SolarPunkSunday #HarvestTime #Harvesting #SeedSavers #FoodSecurity #GrowYourOwn #SeedExchange #SharingEconomy #OSUExtensionService #OregonStateUniversity #HeirloomSeeds #HeirloomPlants
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A Beginner’s Guide to Seed-Saving in the Garden
When seed-saving for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed with information about hybrids, heirlooms, and proper seed-saving techniques. This easy guide takes you from start to finish so you can confidently collect your favorite plants’ seeds. Learn how magical these tiny living things are alongside native plant gardener Jerad Bryant.
Written by Jerad Bryant
September 9, 2024"Growing plants from start to finish exposes them to your climate’s conditions—as you collect seed year after year, you create new hybrid species that adapt well to your ecoregion."
https://www.epicgardening.com/beginner-seed-saving/
#SolarPunkSunday #SeedSaving #HarvestTime #Harvesting #SeedSavers #FoodSecurity #GrowYourOwn #SeedExchange #SharingEconomy #ClimateChangeAdaptation
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#SeedSaving Basics
Have you wondered whether you can replant seeds from your garden? Here is basic information to help you get started with saving seeds.
by Lois Miklas, January 27, 2025
"For longtime gardeners, saving seeds from their plants may be a family tradition. For new gardeners, it may only be a matter of time until they wonder if they can save the seeds forming in their vegetables and flowers to grow next year's garden. While the answer is yes, the successful seed saver will need to plan ahead. Here are a few things to consider in getting started with seed saving."
Read more:
https://extension.psu.edu/seed-saving-basics#SolarPunkSunday #PennStateExtension #HarvestTime #Harvesting #SeedSavers #FoodSecurity #GrowYourOwn #SeedExchange #SharingEconomy
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Alrightly then... Time to start #SolarPunkSunday! Unless there's breaking news, I'll try and stay focused on SPS until at least late afternoon/evening on Sunday.
#Solidarity #GrowYourOwn #BuildingCommunity #RepairCafes #SeedSaving #InvasiveSpecies #Rewilding #HarvestTime #World3 #Earth4All #SharingEconomy #Resilience #StabilizedWorld #ClimateChangeAdaptation #SocietalChange #LtG #Sustainability
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The California Wonder 300 bell peppers are growing fast. These are from saved seed.
#gardening #peppers #SweetPeppers #BellPeppers #June1 #GrowYourOwn #GrownFromSeed #SeedSaving
