[Armleywhite]

Sorry for yet another daft question.  With certain crops can you just keep the seeds from them to grow on the next season?  I.e., toms, peppers, chilli's corn etc.  Also, can you allow plants to go to seeds to harvest them to be planted on the following season?

By doing this will you diminish the potency of the seed?

[JayG]

Quite surprisingly for a company that makes its money selling seeds, "The Real Seed Company" gives plenty of advice about saving your own seeds:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html

[Armleywhite]

Quite surprisingly for a company that makes its money selling seeds, "The Real Seed Company" gives plenty of advice about saving your own seeds:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html

Brilliant.  Thanks JayG.  Much appreciated 

[JayG]

You're welcome. 

They are a not-for-profit company so actually put their environmental and sustainability principles above making money, which I think is admirable and deserves support, although I have to confess I've not used them up to now.

[RJR_38]

I use them for some of the harder to get varieties - for example the squashes and 'traditional' English vegetables before the supermarkets took over! I have been very pleased with their service

[Armleywhite]

Na then.  I planted some garlic last year and they are coming along nicely.  Solent and purple wight were the two I planted.  Can I keep a bulb or three back after harvest and plant them out for next years crop?  Or will they be as bad as shop bought non seed garlic?

[pdblake]

You're welcome. 

They are a not-for-profit company so actually put their environmental and sustainability principles above making money, which I think is admirable and deserves support, although I have to confess I've not used them up to now.

I have and they're very good.

[JayG]

Na then.  I planted some garlic last year and they are coming along nicely.  Solent and purple wight were the two I planted.  Can I keep a bulb or three back after harvest and plant them out for next years crop?  Or will they be as bad as shop bought non seed garlic?

Saving bulbs for re-planting cloves is what many of us do - apart from the cost saving it reduces the risk of introducing any diseases to your plot. All you have to do is find somewhere cool, dry and dark to store them until ready to plant.

Mine originally were supermarket bulbs donated by my neighbours who were going away on a 3 month holiday - I planted them in Feb and they did so well I've kept growing them every year since, although I have to admit that growing supermarket garlic isn't really recommended.

[mumofstig]

All you have to do is find somewhere cool, dry and dark to store them until ready to plant.

Oh  so on my kitchen shelf (along with the ones for eating) isn't the best place for them 
Still werks fer me 

[JayG]

Oh  so on my kitchen shelf (along with the ones for eating) isn't the best place for them 
Still werks fer me 

Mine have to last in good condition from July right through to the following February, so they have to go somewhere as sprouting-unfriendly as possible.

[mumofstig]

Mine have to last in good condition from July right through to the following February

So do mine - some were split and planted in Autumn, but I'm still using garlic from the shelf, although some of the cloves do have green shoots in now