[Glastonbury 10]

Broad beans/pea's do i leave a number of pods on the plant and allow to dry or do i pick and dry, do i shell ? please help
what else seed wise can i keep?
noticed ontop of the sweet corn head there were small number of kernals/seed are these ok to keep for next years plants?
Pete :?

[GrannieAnnie]

I suppose broad beans and peas are the same as runner beans Pete.  I have been saving my own seed for the past 4 years.  When we moved to this house I bought a packet of runner bean seeds, then the man who was looking after the bungalow next door gave me loads of beans and I saved the seeds and have done each year.  This year though I bought a packet of Lady Di which are supposed to be stringless, but don't look or taste any different than my others! When I find a runner bean that I have missed, and its going brown, leave it on the plant until it goes a lot browner (but not too early in the season or the plant may think you're not going to pick anymore beans from t and start to die down)  Pick the pods and I leave them on a tray so they are not touching each other in a dry place.  I have had pods go mouldy on me.  When they are completely dry, open up the pods and store the seeds in paper bags again in a dry place.

I'm going to try saving more seeds this year, as are osme of the others on here.  With tomatoes, they say you should put the pulpy bit with the seeds into a glass jar, fill 3/4 of the way with water, leave for 3 days until it starts to ferment, then remove seeds and dry, keep as others.  

Each time we find a new way of saving seeds, we'll have to tell everyone else!

[Laura]

not concerning saving them but if you are looking for buying top quality seed (including unusual native plants) look no further than Chiltern Seeds - their beautifully written catalogue will fill the long winter evenings.  i've already bought salsify and good king henry - amongst others - to set away for next year

[GrannieAnnie]

Just found this website, thought you might find it interesting!  I've not read it all yet though!!!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1977_September_October/Save_Your_Own_Garden_grown_Vegetable_Seed

[Oliver]

With tomatoes, they say you should put the pulpy bit with the seeds into a glass jar, fill 3/4 of the way with water, leave for 3 days until it starts to ferment, then remove seeds and dry, keep as others.!

Oo-er. This sounds a bit dodgy to me! All she does is spread the seeds on some kitchen towel removing as much of the flesh as possible. Fold the towel and write the variety on the outside. Leave somewhere airy to dry completely. When dry rub off into a paper bag and store as others.

You can save any ripe tomato - rather than eat it, save it! Oliver

[hayles62]

A man that I used to live next door to always put his last years Tomato seeds in the freezer for a week before planting them, he said more of them germinated. I don't know how true this is but I am going to try it next year as my "Marters" (bit of Norfolk spake for ya there although I'm realy from Essex) were realy nice this year.

[Glastonbury 10]

THANKS GUY'S , PLEASE ANY MORE HINTS TIPS WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED AS ITS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE PLOT (GLASTONBURY 10)
AND AS JOHN COULD TELL YOU, I HAVE'NT GOT A CLUE, ITS A CASE OF SUCK IT AND SEE WITH ME IM AFRAID.
SAYING THAT EVERYTHING ON THE PLOT AS DONE PRETTY MUCH OK, HERB GARDEN IS CRACKING, THE MINI POND/GARDEN LOOK WELL COOL, IM LEAVING SOME OF THE LETTICE TO GO TO SEED BECAUSE I JUST LOVE THE CRAZY FORMS/SHAPES THAT THEY THROW UP.
MARTERS(HAYLEY) I GOT THEM COMING OUT OF MY EARS AT THE MO.
PETE