[rowan57]

Self saved seed. I saved my Runner Bean Grex (tons) and Lord of Leicester tall Pea (probably 200) last year and when I came to sow it this year:

240 Runner Bean Seeds planted - 240 GERMINATED!
48 (first sowing) Lord of Leicester Tall Pea sowed - 48 GERMINATED!

I will save these again this year and will also plan to save;

Swiss Chard - Fordhook Giant (plants left over from winter, flower TY)
Beetroot (not flowering TY, flowering early NY).
(Save one of the above 2 one year, then the other the next year to avoid crossing)
Parsnips (if they flipping grow), again flower NY.
Tomatoes (grown in the garden not plot)
Kale (various, again will flower NY).

I almost enjoy saving my own seed more than anything else

[Chrysalis]

Well done you!  I saved borlottis and purple peas and french beans from last year.  The courgettes didn't give me proper seeds.   Should check the packet next time 

Didn't sow the purple peas this year as we'd had them for three seasons (very nice too!), but then had disaster with new seed from Marshalls.  All doing fine now....

Let us know how you do with them all.  Never grown parsnips to flowering.....maybe you're onto something..

[diospyros]

The packet of parsnip seed I got from the US says if you want to save seeds you need to let at least 20 plants flower and cross to prevent inbreeding depression.  I will be lucky if I get 20 parsnips growing in the first place at this rate...

 I will definitely be trying some seed saving this year though!

[kermit]

I sowed my own seeds for first time this year too, superchilli. 3 seeds, 3 plants! And they came up really quickly for chillis. It was only as a last resort as forgot to add them to my seed order. Remembered I had some dried fruit from two years ago in garage. Didn't expect it to work. Dead chuffed, feels good doesn't it! Like you will be trying to do this more from now on (although i grow a lot of f1 which I think may cause problems).

[GreyScales]

Saved some seeds from my compact jalapeño last year for fun. No idea if it hybridised with the anaheim, actually hope it did as that would be interesting. Anyway to my surprise, they're growing much more vigorously than the full sized jalapeño seed I got from Real Seeds. It's quite bizarre, the plants are so much bigger and healthier looking despite being planted the same time and I have no idea why.

[sunshineband]

Parsnips produce masses of seed, and if you do not collect it , it comes up all over the place. So much for being difficult to germinate 

The crop from what I saved was not spectacular, and not a patch on the seed I purchased either,  Lovely flower heads though 

[NewSteve]

If growing parsnips (or any veg for that matter) specifically for seed, could we use closer spacing? I'm guessing the seed production will be just as good (if not better) if my parsnips are a little closer than 6" apart?

[rowan57]

I would suggest not. You most likely want to select for the biggest/straightest/etc. roots and use those for seed, planting closely may have a genetic impact down the line.