GB Farmer's Mini-Handbook
Principle 7: Open Pollinated Seeds The following is an excerpt from Margot's popular GB Farmer's Mini-Handbook, first published in 2011, You can download it for free in 10 languages here, and you can watch a free seed-saving video from John Jeavons, and you can find a list of our favorute sources for open-pollinated seeds here. Goal: Maximize seed production and quality Using open-pollinated (OP) seeds allows the farmer to save seeds on the farm, providing for future crops through growing healthy, locally acclimatized, fresh seeds. This helps create a self-sufficient closed system by reducing dependence on large or small seed vendors, and by saving money. It is generally possible to grow all the seeds necessary for next year’s garden in about 3% additional area.
Saving seeds requires learning how specific crops reproduce. Some crops produce seed in one growing season (annuals), while others require two seasons for seed production (biennials). Some crops can self-pollinate while others require pollen from another plant to produce seed (cross-pollination). This information will help you learn how to grow the seed.
Each type of seed generally has an average number of years it is able to germinate. A seed saver must attend to seed storage in such a way that the viability (ability to germinate) and vitality of the seed are supported. Conditions that are ideal for seed storage are the opposite of conditions that are good for germination. For example, seeds stored in airtight containers in cool and dark places are likely to remain viable longer than seeds stored in open containers in warm, sunny places. Using companion planting, farming for carbon and calories, and using open-pollinated seeds are like choosing the strongest material to make the three-legged stool, so it will truly last. They are actions of intention. They allow GB to produce enough compost and food to truly build and sustain the soil, to feed the farmer and help the farm approach sustainability. GB Farmer’s Challenge:
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Seed savers must start with OP seeds. This is because
hybrid seeds have been crossed already, and do not
have pure genes; seeds saved from hybrid plants will not
produce offspring that are true to type (have appropriate
characteristics for the variety). Only offspring from OP
seeds will be true to type.
When growing seed in the garden, the farmer must pay
attention to the purity of the seed. Pure seed will produce
true to type offspring,
keeping the variety strong
and consistent. Seeds from
some crops, like those that
require cross-pollination,
are naturally more likely to
become impurely crossed
(hybrids) with a different
variety or crop. Some plants
will even cross with wild
relatives. To attend to seed purity it is wise to grow most crops for seed at a good distance from other varieties
and other crops in the same family. For crops that cross
readily, like corn, it may be advisable to grow only one
variety each season—and that variety 2,000 ft (610 m)
from other corn varieties. Another method of isolating
seed from potential crossing is to grow varieties
that mature at different times, so the pollen has no
opportunity to cross.
In addition to purity, genetic diversity is an important
practice of good seed saving. Always save seed from
a minimum of 5 plants,
preferably more. (For
corn at least 50 plants are
needed.) You can never save
seed from too many plants
(of the same variety). In this
way your seed harvest has
a wider range of genes and
traits. This will result in a
healthy and diverse crop that
will be better able to deal with various challenges of life,
insects, climate, etc. Over time, seed saved consistently
will be more acclimatized to local conditions and be
more genetically adapted to the area, a benefit of careful
seed saving.
