Second hand seeds - are they any good?

[Learner-Grower]

I feel like the new kid in the classroom - gangly and awkward, anyway here goes.

I have some health issues I am recovering from and it's difficult to get out as much as I'd like, and when I saw some seeds from a gardener in London on ebay, I bid on some herbs and veg (let me know if you want to know which ones).

Now I have read/heard it mentioned that you should sow from new seeds because seeds taken from fruit or veg you've already grown are not very tasty or successful.

But if that's the case - then where would all the seeds come from LOL?? Or are seeds gathered and treated and processed and re-sold (I know I am completely green - except my fingers)!

I am sure they did it like this is the olden days anyway so would welcome some opinions please.

[Hazel at the Hill]

The only people who say you can't sow home saved seeds are those people who want to sell you new ones!

Sometimes they won't come true (if you save the seeds from f1 varieties, for example) but they'll all grow! Your seeds from ebay should be ok - ask here about specific varieties if you are worried.

Some seed doesn't like to be keep too long - the germination rates will fall as time goes on, but generally saved/old seed will come good.

Get your name down for the seed swap parcel (where a lot of peeps have contributed self saved seeds) by sending a pm to zazen99, (it's like Christmas all over again when it arrives!) and have fun!

[Pumpkin Becki]

Hi Learner Grower and welcome to the Vine. Lots of our fellow Grapes save and collect seed from their crops to sew next year. Beans and peas seem to work particularly well. I understand the ones to avoid are courgettes, squashes and pumpkins, as they cross pollinate too easily and the seeds never come true of either parent and are a bit tasteless.

Some shop bought seed should (according to the packets) only be kept for one year, especially parsnips, as the seed isn't supposed to keep very well and you'll have poor germination rates, but I'm still getting good results from a packet I opened three years ago.

[Learner-Grower]

Hee hee about the new ones.

The person I got the seeds from seemed to know what they were talking about in their ad and had hints on how to sow and how long they'd keep so I felt confident.

I willjoin this seed swap thing - but that brings me to my next question (another embarrasing one). How do I find out how to save seeds? LOL It's just that whilst planting my cherry upside down toms yesterday some tiny green ones fell off - and I wondered if I could open the toms and dry them out or if there's a 'special way' you have to do it

[vicky]

Hi LG, welcome to the vine - whereabouts in London are you?
Some seeds are fine to keep for a while - I have brassicas that are at least 5 years old and still grow, but last years sweetcorn didn't germinate at all...
You can collect seeds from shop bought tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins although they are often F1 hybrids which means the seeds will not produce exatcly the same offspring as the parent plants. You can also grow dried beans you buy in the supermarkets and many other seeds you buy to eat (corriander seeds in the spice section can be cheaper than buying a garden centre packet)
Def PM Zazen to go on the seed swop list!

[Learner-Grower]

Thanks Vicky - I've updated my profile now so people can get to know where I am etc - North London as it happens.

I wish I had known that about the beans as I am a vegetarian (with no dairy) and when I had an accident (managed to get myself run over outside the tube station) I had to downsize my property. The new property was infested with Indian Meal Moths who pretty much rendered all my dried packs of beans, pulses, herbs etc useless - some of which were unopened in bags, but they eat tiny holes in packs and then spin their eggs through all the grains and pulses and dried whatever for the larvae to feed off and hatch. Nice!

It's taken me ages to get rid of them, but I am still overly careful and mainly buy tins and any dried stuff I freeze first and keep in the fridge. I discarded so much money's worth of my own food (via the recycling facility) it was dreadful as initially I didn't know they were attacking my food. Thankfully I seem to be on top of it but as I have a moth phobia I am hyper vigilant. I could have planted some of that stuff though!

I have some mustard and cumin and coriander seeds as I cook quite a lot of Indian inspired vegetarian dishes, so I may give them a go. I am depsperate for some more soil tho - and I don't drive.

[RickinDarwen]

I feel like the new kid in the classroom - gangly and awkward, anyway here goes.

I'm glad you asked this, I'm new here also and had been meaning to ask the same question.

There is some info here Saving Vegetable Seeds

[quark1]

LG - welcome and good luck with your endeavours.

In answer to your question on how to recover and save seed the Real Seeds website do a piece on seed saving for each of the major varieties they save and distribute. I have to be careful how to use words here as when you give them money for seed you first become a 'member' (1p taken from your 1st order) - this way you'll find many old varieties which are not registered because of the expense of registering and upkeeping varieties on official lists and this gets round the EU ruling as it is an exchange (for cash) within a private club.

[Learner-Grower]

Brilliant advice - thanks both for the tips.

I'm hoping I can save the plants I've got - as well as sow some new ones

[smallblueplanet]

...It's just that whilst planting my cherry upside down toms yesterday some tiny green ones fell off - and I wondered if I could open the toms and dry them out or if there's a 'special way' you have to do it

Its usually better to save seeds from fully ripened fruit - more chance of them germinating, but there's no harm in trying. I saved some seeds from a Tesco's Dorset Naga chilli last year. It wasn't ripe when it was bought but after a few days it went red and I saved the seeds on a piece of kitchen roll to dry out. I planted them this February and they germinated no problems, they're now starting to flower!

Good luck with your endeavours.

[Learner-Grower]

Good luck with your endeavours.

Ta muchly manda - I am encouraged on the chilli score, well done you!

There seems so much to learn but it's all pretty exciting isn't it? I feel like I have been really missing out not having the time to grow my own sooner!

I also miss having any elderly relatives still around who I could have happily learned from as an adult - invaluable stuff and quality time too.

I'm going to have a root through ebay for some of the recommended reading. I really want a sowing calander for the UK so I can get some kind of organisation going (I'm not very good at being organised)!

[quark1]

OK - seed sowing calendar you'll find on Thompson & Morgan website - not in calendar month form but tabular.

Thompson & Morgan: Guide to Seed Sowing

Its an online version of the ones I got given with a certain spend threshold in 2007!

[Learner-Grower]

Yes!!!

Quark you are the angel of all angel - I owe you big time for that, fantastic!!!!!

Does it have a calendar that promptsyou to say "get your spuds in now etc and so on at different times of the year?

[smallblueplanet]

...I am encouraged on the chilli score, well done you!

There's a few chiliheads on here - Herby has just started a thread for us to 'show off on'! Check it out. Its still early in the season for chillies really, unless you over-wintered some.

If you come across any chillies you fancy trying next season save some seeds and try it next spring. If you find some next spring you don't have to dry the seeds just plant them up.

I also miss having any elderly relatives still around who I could have happily learned from as an adult - invaluable stuff and quality time too.

There's probably lots of 'elderly rellies' on here you can learn from!

I'm going to have a root through ebay for some of the recommended reading. I really want a sowing calander for the UK so I can get some kind of organisation going (I'm not very good at being organised)!

Good idea. Check out your library too. I always recommend Joy Larkcom 'Grow your own vegetables' - packed with info. Its only drawback is no pictures. If you come across a copy of 'Pippa's Organic Kitchen Garden' by Pippa Greenwood that's good too, although nowhere near as comprehensive as Joy L's books its a good start and we still refer to it.

[Florence Fennel]

Welcome Learner-Grower, could you have some multi-purpose compost delivered to your door?