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GROWING HEIRLOOM VEGETABLESAND SAVING SEEDS

Rebecca McMahonHorticulture AgentSedgwick County Extension

WHAT ARE HEIRLOOMS?

Open-pollinated

50+ years old

Saved seeds come true to type

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WHAT ARE HYBRIDS?

Crosses between at least 2 parents

Saved seeds will NOT come true to type

NOT GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

HYBRID VARIETIES

Parent A

Parent B

F1HybridNot Genetically Stable

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OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES

Parent A

Parent B

F1Hybrid

F1Hybrid

F1Hybrid

Self-Pollination

OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES

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OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES

6th

Generation!

WHY HEIRLOOMS?

FLAVOR!

Unique colors, shapes, etc.

Tender skin or flesh

Other quality characteristics

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WHY HEIRLOOMS?

Want to avoid hybrids

Maintaining genetic diversity

Ease of breeding/selecting characteristics

CHALLENGES WITH HEIRLOOMS

Disease susceptibility

Growth habit

Low(er) yield

Lack of uniformity of size & shape

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CHALLENGES WITH HEIRLOOMS

Longer/shorter harvest window

Shelf life

Tolerance of rough handling

“NEW” HEIRLOOMS

New OP varieties, some “improved” traits

Hybrid varieties with some “heirloom” traits

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KEYS TO SUCCESS

ALWAYS use good cultural practices!

Try a range of varieties

Be alert for problems

GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES

Rotation!

Appropriate plant spacing

Staking/tying/caging

Drip irrigation

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GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES

Mulching

Adding organic matter

Maintaining soil fertility

TRY A RANGE OF VARIETIES

Varying productivity

Different responses to weather conditions

Different tolerances of other conditions

Plant more than one plant!

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BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS

Scout for insects & disease regularly

Watch for abnormal growth/coloration

BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS

Treat at first sign of a problem

Remove plants with viruses or severe bacterial infections

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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SPECIFIC HEIRLOOMS

TOMATOES

Flavor

Texture

Cracking

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TOMATOES

Yield

Green shoulders

Uniform ripening

Catfacing

TOMATOES

Long Days to Maturity

Diseases

Plant Size

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PEPPERS

Growth habit

Yield

Diseases

MELONS

Flavor

Cracking

Seeds & Seed Cavity

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MELONS

Over-maturity

Huge vines

Diseases

SQUASH/ZUCCHINI/PUMPKINS

Large seed cavity

Huge vines

Diseases

Insects!

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CUCUMBERS

Huge vines

Bitterness

Diseases

LEAFY GREENS

May bolt quickly

Flavor

Disease

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BEETS & CARROTS

Root uniformity, shape, & quality

Germination/seedling vigor

Woodiness in older/larger roots

BEANS & PEAS

Pole or climbing types

Yield

“Strings”

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“STORAGE” VARIETIES

Intended for root cellar storage

“Long keeper” tomatoes

Other roots, cabbage, squashes

SAVING SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR

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PLANNING TO SAVE SEED

Research each vegetable

Pollination requirements

Isolation requirements

Selecting & saving the right seeds

Timeline for seed production

Seed harvest, cleaning, and storage

UNDERSTANDING FLOWER STRUCTURE

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SELF-POLLINATING PLANTS

Have both male & female flower parts in each flower

Will self-pollinate with no assistance

Relatively easy to save seeds!

Have to save from multiple fruits/plants to maintain a little genetic diversity

INSECT POLLINATING PLANTS

Require insects for pollination

May or may not have lots of inter-crossing with related species

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WIND POLLINATING PLANTS

Require wind to move pollen for pollination

Usually highly promiscuous

OUTBREEDING & INBREEDING

Crossing between more distantly related plants

Crossing between closely related plants or self

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SOLANACEAE

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes

Self-pollinating

Can have some insect crossing

Isolation or caging to prevent crossing

TOMATOES

Naturally inbreeding

Certain types more prone to crossing

Currant tomatoes, potato-leaved varieties, double blossoms on beefsteaks

Save seed from best fruit of best plants

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TOMATOES

Remove seeds from fully ripe fruit

Wet fermentation process

Store dry, clean seeds in an air-tight container in a cool, dry area (or freeze)

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PEPPERS

Naturally inbreeding

Insect cross-pollination is common

500 ft. isolation distance

Caging individual varieties or bagging flowers

PEPPERS

Select fully ripe, fully colored fruit

Scrape seeds off core and rinse clean

Dry until seeds will break when folded

Store in a cool, dry, dark area

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LEGUMES

Self-pollinating, but can be crossed by insects

Best to keep multiple generations of seed

Cages or blossom bags for isolation

“Rogue out” non-typical plants

CUCURBITACEAE (VINES)

Insect pollination

Separate male & female flowers

Lots of crossing can occur between varieties!

Less common between species

Hand-crossing works best

Maintain genetic diversity with many plants

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CUCURBITACEAE (VINES)

Harvest fully mature fruit (not when you eat it!)

Let sit for 20 days to fully mature seeds

Remove seeds and wash or ferment

Dry & store

BRASSICAS & UMBELLIFERAE

Insect pollinated

LOTS of inter-crossing

Mostly out-crossing species

Need LOTS of isolation for pure seed

Timing of seed saving – second year of growth!

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ALLIUMS & COMPOSITAE

Insect pollinated

In-breeders or self-compatible

“Rogue” out off-types

Don’t choose plants that go to seed early!

Caging or isolation for seed purity

CHENOPODIACEAE & CORN

Wind pollinated

Out-crossers

Need miles of isolation or bagging to maintain seed purity

Timing can be a challenge (with Chenopods)

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RESOURCES

Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth

Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener by Joseph Tychonievich

Seed Sowing & Saving by Carole B. Turner

Breed Your Own Vegetables by Carol Deppe

SEED SOURCES

Seed Savers Exchange www.seedsavers.org

Native Seeds/SEARCH www.nativeseeds.org

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange www.southernexposure.com

Seeds of Change www.seedsofchange.com

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QUESTIONS?