The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds 322 Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, Flowers, Trees, and Shrubs

by Gough, Robert E.; Moore-Gough, Cheryl

• ISBN13: 9781603425742
• ISBN10: 1603425748
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-07-01
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Summary

Gardening is more popular than ever. And many gardeners, new and old, want to save seeds from the plants they grow, to plant again the next season. Some do it to save money, some do it to preserve plants they particularly like, some do it to preserve rare heirloom varieties, and some do it to be self-sufficient and independent of commercial seed companies. But the primary benefit is that by saving seeds, gardeners can improve their gardens every year. The seed-saving process selects for the most desirable traits of each plant -- flavor, color, vigor, scent -- and maintain the genetic adaptations plants have made to their specific environments. The result is a strong, healthy, flourishing garden filled with plants that the gardener loves. The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds shows exactly how to collect, save, and cultivate the seeds from more than 300 vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, trees, and shrubs. It's easy, and it's fun! The techniques and timing for fathering viable seeds vary from plant to plant, and the book dicusses these differences while thoroughly explaining every step in the seed-saving process. Descriptions of seed biology; tips on how to select plants for the best seeds; and advice on harvesting and cleaning, proper storage and care, an propagating and caring for new seedlings are all presented with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Chapters dedicated to individual plants contain species-specific directions and detailed information. This is the largest, most comprehensive seed-saving guide available. Gardeners of any experience level will find all the sinformation they need to extend the life of their favorite plants to the next generation and beyond, creating a healthy, productive, truly one-of-a-kind garden.

Author Biography

Robert Gough holds a doctorate in botany and is Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at the College of Agriculture, Montana State University. He is the author of 17 gardening books, 500 extension service publications, and articles for Fine Gardening, Country Journal, National Gardening, Zone 4, Montana Magazine, and Harrowsmith. He served as Extension Horticulturalist in Montana, hosted the popular Dr. Bob’s Northern Gardening Tips radio program for 10 years, and was a panel member on PBS’s Montana Ag Live for 15 years.  He is a Fellow of both the American Society for Horticultural Science and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, as well as a member of the advisory board of Zone 4.

Cheryl Moore-Gough holds an M.S. in Plant Sciences from Montana State University, where she is now an adjunct assistant professor in horticulture. Cheryl has taught and coordinated the Montana Master Gardener program and has published numerous works alone and with her husband, Dr. Robert Gough, including five gardening books. She has written for Montana Magazine, Fine Gardening, American Nurseryman, and Zone 4 Magazine, and she hosts Northern Gardening Tips, which is broadcast by radio stations throughout Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota on the Northern News Network. She has been gardening and saving seeds in Montana for 30 years.

Table of Contents

The Seed-Saving Revival
Those Amazing Seeds * Why Bother Saving Seeds? * How to Use This Book

Part 1: Saving Seeds: The Basics & Beyond

Chapter 1: Seed Biology 101
Flowers Come First * Pollination * Fruit and Seed Development

Chapter 2: Growing Plants for Seeds
Super Spacing for Seed Production * Preventing Unwanted Pollination * Hand Pollination * Selecting Your Seed-Stock Plants * Special Handling for Biennials

Chapter 3: Harvesting and Cleaning Seeds
Know What You're Harvesting * Timing the Harvest Just Right * Extracting and Cleaning Seeds

Chapter 4: Seed Storage Know-How
How Long Do Seeds Last? * Getting the Moisture Right * Getting the Temperature Right * Good Places to Store Seeds * Summing Up Storage Recommendations

Chapter 5: All About Germination
Nature's Exquisite Logic * Types of Seed Dormancy * Overcoming Seed Dormancy * Promoting Optimum Germination * The Waiting Game

Chapter 6: Sowing Seeds and Raising Transplants
Heat-Treating Seeds * Direct Seeding * Raising Transplants * Hardening Off * Setting Out Transplants * Creating a Nursery Bed

Chapter 7: Breeding Your Own Varieties
Plant-Breeding Basics * Breeding Hybrids

Part 2: The Handbook: From Vegetables to Nuts

Chapter 8: Saving Vegetable Seeds

Chapter 9: Saving Herb Seeds

Chapter 10: Saving Flower Seeds

Chapter 11: Advanced Seed Saving: Nuts, Fruits & Woody Ornamentals