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Re: Saving seeds in a SQFT garden

Tamara wrote:
>How to you handle saving seed from a SQFT garden. I have ordered seed
>for many different heirloom/open-pollinated varieties and would like to
>be able to save the seeds for next year. Can this be done with the
>intense planting in sqft beds? I am a little worried about
>cross-pollination.  I am only growing a single variety of each
>vegetable, but many of them are in the same general family. Thanks for
>any help! 
The best way is to wrap plants in Reemay to prevent cross-pollination or
plant only one variety.  Plants that need bees and other insects for
pollination, such as squash, will have to hand pollinated by you. If the
heirlooms are tomatoes, wrap each cage in Reemay from the day you plant
them.  When flowers appear, shake the cages a couple of times a day so that
flowers will pollinate themselves.  The are normally wind or vibration
sel-pollinated.  After fruit has set on the bottom third of the plant,
remove Reemay.  Harvest ONLY those tomatoes on the bottom third for seed
saving.  It only takes 5 or 6 tomatoes to have enough seed for next year and
to give away to dozens of friends.
Hope this helps.
Doreen

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