Knowing if the seeds we collect will produce good results next year takes a little research. This is a quick reference to open pollinated plants, which are better for seed saving. Included is also a list of plants which cross pollinate with each other giving different results the following year.
Open Pollination
Open-pollinated plants produce seeds that will reliably grow into plants with characteristics similar to the parent plant, making them ideal for seed saving. These seeds can be saved year after year, and with careful selection, the plants may even adapt to your specific garden conditions.
Here’s a list of open-pollinated plants that are ideal for seed saving:
Vegetables
Tomatoes (non-hybrid varieties)
Lettuce
Beans (bush beans, pole beans)
Peas (snow peas, garden peas)
Cucumbers
Squash (summer squash, zucchini, winter squash)
Pumpkins
Carrots
Radishes
Spinach
Kale
Beets
Swiss Chard
Corn (non-hybrid varieties)
Herbs
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley
Sage
Thyme
Flowers
Marigolds
Sunflowers
Zinnias
Calendula
Cosmos
Coneflowers (Echinacea)
Hollyhocks
Poppies
Fruits
Heirloom Watermelons
Heirloom Melons
Heirloom Tomatoes (which are both vegetables and fruits)
Cross Pollinated plants
If you're planning to save seeds from these plants, be mindful of their potential to cross-pollinate. To maintain the purity of a specific variety, you can take steps like isolating plants, using physical barriers (e.g., row covers), or hand-pollinating flowers and then bagging them to prevent unintended cross-pollination.
Isolating plants that cross Pollinate
1.Distance - You can safely save seeds from these if you grow only one kind plant that will cross, for example, only grow one variety of cucumber with no other squash or other types of cucumbers. Obviously the insects in your garden may not respect the distances you have set for them so there are no guarantees.
2. Cover the flower - Put an organza bag over newly formed flowers to isolate them from visiting insects. With this method you must be the bee and hand pollinate with a q-tip or feather.
Here’s a list of plants that are known to cross-pollinate easily, which can result in seeds that produce plants with mixed or unexpected traits.
Squash (Cucurbita spp.)
Examples: Zucchini, pumpkins, acorn squash, and other varieties within the same species.
Notes: Different varieties of squash within the same species (e.g., Cucurbita pepo) can cross-pollinate, leading to hybridized offspring with unpredictable traits.
Melons (Cucumis spp.)
Examples: Cantaloupe, honeydew, and other muskmelons.
Notes: Melons of the same species can easily cross-pollinate, resulting in mixed traits in the next generation.
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
Notes: Cucumbers can cross-pollinate with other cucumber varieties, which may affect the characteristics of the fruit in the next generation.
Corn (Zea mays)
Notes: Corn is wind-pollinated and can easily cross-pollinate with other varieties of corn, including sweet corn, field corn, and popcorn.
Peppers (Capsicum spp.)
Examples: Bell peppers, hot peppers, and chili peppers.
Notes: Different varieties of peppers within the same species (e.g., Capsicum annuum) can cross-pollinate, leading to peppers with mixed heat levels or colors.
Brassicas (Brassica spp.)
Examples: Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens.
Notes: Brassicas can cross-pollinate with other Brassica varieties, leading to unpredictable offspring. This is especially common among plants of the same species (e.g., Brassica oleracea).
Radishes (Raphanus sativus)
Notes: Different varieties of radishes can cross-pollinate, potentially leading to variations in root size, shape, and flavor.
Carrots (Daucus carota)
Notes: Carrots can cross-pollinate with wild carrots (Queen Anne’s lace) or other carrot varieties, affecting the color, shape, and flavor of the roots.
Onions (Allium cepa)
Notes: Onions can cross-pollinate with other onion varieties, including shallots and some ornamental Alliums, resulting in mixed characteristics in the next generation.
Herbs
Examples: Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Mint (Mentha spp.).
Notes: Different varieties of basil or mint can cross-pollinate, resulting in plants with altered flavors or growth habits.
Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo)
Notes: Pumpkins can cross-pollinate with other squash varieties within the same species (Cucurbita pepo), leading to unpredictable fruit shapes, sizes, and flavors.
Gourds (Cucurbita spp.)
Notes: Gourds can cross-pollinate with other Cucurbita species, which can result in fruits with mixed traits.
Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
Notes: Different sunflower varieties can cross-pollinate, potentially affecting seed size, oil content, and flower color.
Commentaires