No more seed buying!

[veggiechicken]

Help me here! I'm trying to think of a way out of the seed-buying trap - not just for me but for anyone if they want to - and I'm thinking aloud.

It needs a simplified seed saving system - saving only the seeds that are easy - won't cross with anything else and come true. No isolating, bagging or other faff.
It may come down to growing only one variety each year - or different varieties that don't flower at the same time.
Also, not grown near anyone else's in case of cross-pollination.
No F1 seeds.

Easy seeds are peas and French beans. They're self pollinating.
Tomatoes are mostly reliable too.
So, in theory, once you have the peas, beans & toms you need never buy another packet.

Anything else that is really easy?

[Snadger]

Help me here! I'm trying to think of a way out of the seed-buying trap - not just for me but for anyone if they want to - and I'm thinking aloud.

It needs a simplified seed saving system - saving only the seeds that are easy - won't cross with anything else and come true. No isolating, bagging or other faff.
It may come down to growing only one variety each year - or different varieties that don't flower at the same time.
Also, not grown near anyone else's in case of cross-pollination.
No F1 seeds.

Easy seeds are peas and French beans. They're self pollinating.
Tomatoes are mostly reliable too.
So, in theory, once you have the peas, beans & toms you need never buy another packet.

Anything else that is really easy?

With you on that one!

[Guest]

achocha
broad beans - whilst peeps may have a preference for certain varieties I have never come across horrible broad beans even when crossed, so you could just grow and sow mongrel broad beans. Someone may say different.
lettuce as far as I am aware doesn't cross.
Tomatilloes
Cape Gooesberries

[veggiechicken]

I left some lettuce to seed in the GH this year - there are hundreds of lettuce seedlings there now.
Rocket is easy - don't know if it crosses - and some of the oriental leaf things.

[lottie dolly]

parsnips are easy,i am well impressed with what's growing this year,the self setters can be a nuisance,i tried carrot and beetroot,no luck,onion and leeks,
the only snip seeds i got are what i grew from last year,saved from year before,will chit a few to see how they go.

[Thelma Sanders]

If you want to grow 3 types of squash varieties, plus a courgette variety that won't cross pollinate - you can save seeds as well, according to this
Will Different Types of Squash Cross Pollinate? | Home Guides | SF Gate

They say you can grow a courgette or an Acorn squash (cucurbita pepo)
a cucurbita mixta eg Tennessee Sweet Potato squash
and a cucurbita moschata, eg butternut
and a cucurbita maxima uchiki kuri
without any cross pollination between the four types.

[Bren In Pots]

parsnips are easy,i am well impressed with what's growing this year,the self setters can be a nuisance,i tried carrot and beetroot,no luck,onion and leeks,

I save peas, beans and toms and nasturtiums, so I ought to have a go at saving parsnips they were the only seeds I bought last year.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

With the various seed swaps we have running on here, don't think I will ever have to buy a single packet of seeds again!

And what's the price of a stamp?

So once again! Thanks "One and all"

[Jimny14]

Things like beans, if you only grow one variety for saving try growing in blocks rather than rows. The ones in middle are less likely to cross then those on outside. It's by no means perfect but if you pick the best plant from near the middle of a block to harvest seed then you should get fairly reliably pure seed. If you keep doing this annually then some crossing may happen but the likely end point is you have a variety that is better suited for your land, it may eventually end up becoming a new variety but it should do brilliantly as long as you don't move house. If it all goes wrong buy some seeds and start again.

[veggiechicken]

Nobody near me grows anything edible Useless lot! The only crossing will be in my garden. Not so easy for allotmenters though. Good advice Jimny

[mothhawk]

Kale works. I have a huge bag of red Russian seeds from just one plant, enough to sow in the garden and use as sprouting "cress" in the kitchen.

[Kirk]

Help me here! I'm trying to think of a way out of the seed-buying trap - not just for me but for anyone if they want to - and I'm thinking aloud.

It needs a simplified seed saving system - saving only the seeds that are easy - won't cross with anything else and come true. No isolating, bagging or other faff.
It may come down to growing only one variety each year - or different varieties that don't flower at the same time.
Also, not grown near anyone else's in case of cross-pollination.
No F1 seeds.

Easy seeds are peas and French beans. They're self pollinating.
Tomatoes are mostly reliable too.
So, in theory, once you have the peas, beans & toms you need never buy another packet.

Anything else that is really easy?

Haven't you said much the same last year? and the one before, and the one before that also
Starting to feel quilty about that secret batch you ordered in the early hours of the morning when no-one was looking?

Do you need half of whatever you order? I have a nice little plan of my veg bed, and will have either 11 or 12 rows. All I need is to determine one veg type per row and which one I will throw in it. So at most 12 seed packs.

As Moreveg sell small amounts it will be say 1 pack of Leeks from there, sow them amd if OK I may try the same next year or try another. Same for the others. I buy just sufficent for a row.

The padded envelope they come in will get marked 2018 and at the end of 2019 I simply dispose of the padded envelope. So last years seeds and envelope and this years seeds and envelope at the start of each year.

Sort out what you bought last year, sort out what may grow still this year and were actually honestly worth growing. The rest you can go scatter somewhere. Any communial veg beds - several places are doing these or a association that would like them. Throw any that are not worth growing, in my case all onion seeds, if you have more then 2 of anything from last year reduce to 2.

I had a collection that kept increasing, then I realised that the padded envelopes from Moreveg with the year on was a simple method. Anything that was marked 2 years old went at the start of the year. Theory being I didn't get very far with the seeds so not trying again, or they were good but I will have used them and need new. Either way 2 years meant they went and made way for new.

Rule is sort out from last years seeds those that were worthwhile, and limit to just 2 varieties. Everything thing else goes. No "Just in case" or "I wonder" or "They look interesting".

Make a plan of the veg growing area(s). That way 2 areas for the growing of carrots means 2 varieties of carrots, not 6 varieties.

Stop asking suggestions for varieties, 6 people mean you get told 6 varieties as well as the 2 you initially thought of.

[mothhawk]

Ooh, Kirk, you're made of sterner stuff than me. Although so far I have kept to what I intend to be my New Year Resolution - not buying any seeds from now until I've used up all I have.

[veggiechicken]

Kirk, everyone knows I can't help myself when cheap seeds are on offer - and I have far more seeds than anyone could grow in their lifetime as a result.
However, this is really just looking for ideas for someone who is, perhaps, starting off and doesn't want to spend money to line the retailer's pockets. Who, like me, would prefer to know that their seeds have been treated with kindness and respect and not sprayed with goodness knows what. Anyway, I don't trust some of the big companies!
Since I started growing Bijou mangetout, I haven't bought any other MT. Same with Wizard Field beans.
If I can find more, easy to save, reliable veggies, I'll add them to my "menu".

Anyway, I'm not as disciplined as you! Bet you sow in rows too

[Dalrimple]

garlic is easy ,this year I was struggling to get courgetes started and my Italian neighbour came to the rescue with a hand full of seeds he'd colected from a vacated plot I asked what sort they where he said they was green ones ! I planted about 12 plants and I got 8 diferent types there were green and white striped, yellow green striped,two green mottled types,two diferent yellow types and oval yellow with green ends that climbed up the bean row and windeld it's way down between the potato rows ! so does it realy matter if some seeds cross pollinate ? they where great courgetes !atb Dal.

ps iv'e saved seeds from all of em so it will be mixture come harvest .