Generational Saved Seeds and Personal Growing Conditions: Any Personal Experience?

[woodlouse]

I was looking into the notion that over time (years/decades), you can save seeds from your own grown stock, sow them the following year, and then harvest those seeds again... on and on... and at some point start to see better success (not necessarily in crop returns initially, but maybe in stronger stock) that have become accustomed to their unique environment: Your own back yard.

The theory seems to make perfect sense in a Darwinian way, and would indeed fit most models of experimentation and why even hybrids are possible. Manipulation is overt and a given, but I ask if any of the more oldschool members have noticed a difference after years of saving seed from a few plants and keeping it going?

Genuinely very interested with this notion.

I saved some meager crop of mung bean seeds from last year (also some red lettuce, just because they bolted at the end), and they were noticeably smaller than the ones from a bag I got at the store and grew from. But, I wonder if I keep sowing and saving I can slowly turn things around.

Maybe the cycle is too large to actually guage, like the farmers growing from stock that started in the 1800's. Yet I read little bits about average growers having more success over short periods of time (a few years) from second, third, fouth generation of seeds saved.

It does make sense and I assume is true, because every other model in every other category you might mention in almost any form of life is the same.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced the results over a protracted period of years? Or, maybe not, but just wants to give some thoughts?

Regards

Edit: I know my spelling isn't the best, but can I still type "colour" with a U? Nope.

[mothhawk]

The weeds I have grown year after year from annual seeding certainly seem to be well adapted to my garden, and are strong and healthy!

[Bren In Pots]

I was looking into the notion that over time (years/decades), you can save seeds from your own grown stock, sow them the following year, and then harvest those seeds again... on and on... and at some point start to see better success (not necessarily in crop returns initially, but maybe in stronger stock) that have become accustomed to their unique environment: Your own back yard..

Woodhouse I bought my Scarlet emperor runner seeds 13 year ago and have saved and resown each year ever since. I do get 100% germination and the beans seem to grow fine but as a back garden grower I've nothing to compare to.

Hope you get more replies be interesting to see what others say.

[muckdiva]

I haven’t been saving my own seed for long enough but I suppose when done for long enough (decades at least I imagine) you might end up with a local ‘Landrace’ of the original variety if my understanding of the term is correct?

[nickdub]

The main problem with this is that it's not just the seeds which dictate the final crop, but also the growing conditions eg soil, weather, pests etc - so deciding whether you have "improved" the seeds or not is practically impossible.

My take on it would be that if you have some spare time available and enjoy saving seeds try doing some controlled crosses by hand pollination of either a fruit or a flower you like - eg raise a new raspberry or strawberry variety - you'll have fun, and if you get lucky maybe even make some money as a plant breeder.

[bikermike]

Another "impossible to tell" here.
I have some squash I grew from saved seed, and am growing saved seed from them - but because cucurbits are such open pollinators, any result is possible as others will affect it.

I bought some beans from an allotment sale in 2016 and I'm still using seed saved from the 2016 crop this year (100% successful germination), but they have never come up as big, so I don't think it's an environmental year-on-year thing. I am growing some 2019-vintage (grown from the 2016 stuff) this year, and I'll try to see if there is any difference.

[nickdub]

Some seeds do tend to produce less good results if home saved for several generations - runner beans being an example - in old books this was put down to disease being acquired by the plants and so affecting the quality of the seed - whether this is inline with current thinking I don't know, but it was a well observed fact in the past but the reason was not proved.