Whether seeds are suitable for composting is a hot debate! Learn the advantages and disadvantages of including them to your pile, and other useful tricks to prevent unintentional seedling growth and spread.
Search Results for: saving seeds
Seed Saving: 5 Things I Never Knew
Before I moved to my homestead, I was gifted a huge jar of heirloom seeds by a friend who understood what we were trying to do and had experience in seed saving. I remember dreamily sorting through the tiny baggies of beans, kale, and beets; my inexperience and ignorance of gardening temporarily gilded with happy
How To Choose, Collect, And Save Garden Seeds
Planting a garden may just be the most exciting part of the growing process. Whether it is your first time or your twenty-fifth season, the anticipation of fresh spring greens emerging in your backyard never gets old. As you browse through plant catalogs and uncountable wonders of seed suppliers making your necessary heirloom seed purchases,
Chia Seeds Vs. Flax Seeds: What’s the Difference?
We hear a lot about the benefits of eating seeds. But when it comes to the goodness of chia seeds vs. flax seeds, do you know the differences? I’m learning.
Saving Squash Seeds
Saving squash seeds is a rewarding way to keep your garden thriving year after year. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to choose, save, and store seeds from your squash harvest for a successful growing season ahead.
Saving Lettuce Seeds
Save lettuce seeds the easy way and keep your garden going season after season. Learn when and how to harvest, dry, and store seeds so you can grow fresh, homegrown lettuce year after year!
How to Save Tomato Seeds
If you are a gardener, chances are you’ve grown tomatoes. There are few plants more adored and widely grown across the gardener landscape from carefully watered patio pots, to the sprawling volunteer emerging from the compost pile, to the ruby-studded plants staked out in the back 40. But I would guess that while the percentage
Saving Pepper Seeds
Peppers started out as a tiny berry hidden on perennial bushes in the mountains of Mexico and Central America, but they’ve come a long, long way since they were domesticated 6,000 years ago. Ever since people around the world got a taste of these spicy, sweet, colorful fruits, we don’t seem to be able to
Saving Cucumber Seeds
In the past, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with cucumbers. I loved their crisp, sweet flavor, so cooling to crunch on a hot summer day, and the way their aroma filled the kitchen with a fresh scent. I hated when the summer droughts would come and deform my cucumber crop into awkwardly-shaped spheres with squiggles
Why Save Seeds?
As we dip into the cold stillness of winter, the garden lays silent and still under its mulch blanket. The trees are bare, the birds quiet, and anything green and growing seems like a distant memory. But for the avid gardener, this is the season of dreaming and planning. Seed catalogs will be arriving in
Seed Companies
List of safe seed companies that sell non-gmo, open pollinated, untreated, heirloom seed. How to steer clear of Monsanto seed. Buying non gmo seed.
Heirloom Seeds: What Are They?
Heirloom seeds are what our great-grandparents called “seeds.” My mother often complained during my childhood that you couldn’t buy tomatoes like her grandmother grew. The tomatoes in the grocery stores were hard, mealy, and tasteless. When a farmer’s market opened in our neighborhood, she would buy a bag of heirloom tomatoes every week and eat
Types of Beets
Beets are great all-around root crops you can plant, even in small home gardens. Some beet varieties are cultivated for their crisp leafy greens, while others can be processed into homemade sugar and livestock feed.
10 Heirloom Seeds and Their Strange Histories
Heirloom seeds offer much to the backyard and homestead gardener. They reproduce true-to-type, affording you seed self-sufficiency if you grow and save them from year to year. But for those who love a good story or who really enjoy delving into history, these seeds also offer something for the intellect and curiosity, as well as
How to Save Eggplant Seeds
Eggplants are one of my favorite fruits. I feel conflicted admitting that, however, as they’re one of the more challenging plants to grow on my dry Ozark hill. Since I don’t spray plants with chemicals or grow hybrids, any plant grown in my garden is devoured by flea beetles before it reaches maturity. My best
15 Seeds You Should Save
If you enjoy your current plant varieties, you may want to save the seeds for next year. A healthy garden, both flowers and vegetables, is certainly something to be proud of. Inevitably there will be some plants that you prefer over others, and as luck will have it, some of these plants will be annuals.
How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds
Originally titled “How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds (Cabbage, Kale, Collards, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts, Gai Lan).” I know it’s a mouthful, so you can see why the title was shortened, but I feel it would be repetitive to write an article on how to save seeds from every one of those vegetables independently.
Types of Tomatoes
Don’t get lost in the vast world of tomatoes with this comprehensive guide! Discover which varieties are suitable for canning, salads, or sauces. Learn about unique varieties and more to expand your tomato knowledge for home garden or kitchen.
A Helpful Homesteader’s Guide to Harvesting Sunflower Seeds
The humongous, cheery blooms of sunflowers, nodding head and shoulders over the garden gate, is a welcome addition to any food plot or house corner. But these sun-following flowers aren’t just for show — they provide protein-rich, delicious seeds for both humans and animals. Here’s our guide for harvesting sunflower seeds as well as cooking
Types of Eggplant
Belonging to the nightshade family, eggplants are versatile summer produce due to their meaty texture and subtle flavors. They are a staple ingredient in various dishes, especially in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Technically speaking, an eggplant is not a vegetable, but a fruit that is botanically categorized as a berry. Eggplants are served as
Saving Okra Seeds
Okra intrigued me as a child. My classmates had never eaten it — betraying our northeastern roots where the plant would have struggled to survive, and the pods weren’t part of our regional fare. But when my family went to Cracker Barrel on Sunday afternoons, I’d always order a side of the curious, deep-fried pods
Seed Germination Techniques: Soaking, Scarifying, Stratifying, and Smoking
If you’re accustomed to planting simple annual seeds where all you need to do is open a packet, put seeds in dirt, and then wait for them to sprout, the process of more difficult seed germination seems bizarre in comparison. For years, I avoided certain plants because their germination requirements were to my (at the
Types of Cabbage
Cabbage is an annual vegetable crop known for its versatile culinary use. Get to know these dense-leaved heads that come in many varieties — each with distinct features and flavor.
Types of Watermelon
Watermelon is a refreshing summer treat you can grow at home! From red to yellow watermelons, there’s a variety fir to your garden needs.
Types of Spinach
From the popular Bloomsdale variety to lesser known cultivars, get to know the spinach plant before planting them in your garden. These leafy greens are packed with nutrition and boasts versatile culinary uses.
Types of Broccoli
If you want a supremely nutritious addition to your home garden, look no further! Broccoli is an outstanding cool season crop with both heirloom and hybrid varieties.
Chia Plants: How To Grow and Harvest Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses and have a huge range of versatility in the kitchen. They are my very favorite seed to use in the kitchen. But what about chia plants? In this article, we’re going to look at how to grow these awesome little plants that are easy to grow and beautiful to look at.
Types of Basil
Commonly used in many Asian and Italian recipes, basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a world-famous herb primarily cultivated for its aromatic leaves. Surprisingly, both its flowers and stems carry flavor that goes well in sauces, stews, and stir-fries. Technically, basil (also known as great basil) has an annual lifecycle. However, you can plant basil at home
Types of Peas
Peas add crunch and freshness to countless recipes. Growing them in your garden allows you to have fresh stock of this delectable treat, including its rarer varieties.
Types of Kale
Knowing the different types of kale will guide you in choosing the appropriate variety for cooking or growing. Here’s everything you should know about this leafy vegetable, including it’s rare varieties!
8 Uncommon Spices You Can Grow at Home
Uncommon yet flavorful, these homegrown spices add depth to your cooking. Learn how to grow and use eight unique spices like turmeric, Sichuan peppercorn, and star anise.
What Is Landrace Gardening?
“No. No, no, NO! ARGHHH!” This is typically not the sound you want to hear coming from the squash patch. But I had reached my wit’s end and was throwing a (teeny tiny) hissy fit over my plants (maybe). With a desire for food security and self-sufficiency, I had planted about 30 Hubbard squash plants
Growing Poppies From Seed to Seed
Summer is the high time for big, beautiful blooms. Proud sunflowers, cheery zinnias, and wispy cosmos grace the garden with color, bringing a smile to my face. But there’s a long wait between getting a seed packet in the early spring to finally enjoying that first big ol’ bloom. In the meantime, I have a
How to Create a Tree Nursery
A tree nursery is a designated area where young trees are cultivated and grown. They are made to grow vigorous, healthy, young trees. Tree nurseries help support young trees by protecting them from outside dangers (i.e., weather, animals) and competition from other vegetation. Think of it as a preschool; a place small children go before
Types of Corn
With an immense number of varieties, corn is one of the most consumed grain in the United States. Don’t get lost in the cornfield as we guide you in this comprehensive read!
Know Your Vegetable Seeds: The Lowdown on Heirloom, Hybrid, and Organic Seeds
Now’s the time of year when prudent green thumbs curl up with their favorite seed catalogs and plan their springtime gardens, selecting from a huge variety of vegetable seeds for sale from an equally large number of seed companies. Many companies commonly offer heirloom and organic seeds, but what sets these varieties apart from the
How to Save Bean Seeds
Beans are an incredibly exciting plant to grow. This may come as a surprise to folks whose experience with the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is limited to the limp, gray-green cylinders that glorp out of a can and boil to depressingly mushy. If that’s the only way you know beans, I am delighted to introduce
10 Cheap Chicken Feed Ideas For Feeding Your Flock On A Budget
Raising chickens is extremely rewarding, but the costs of commercial feed can add up quickly. If you’re raising just a couple of hens for eggs, you may not mind paying the price for quality feed, but trying to feed a large flock can get expensive fast. Yes, you’ll get eggs and you can sell your eggs
Types of Green Beans
Not all green beans are created equal. With unique traits on flavor, growth, and texture, get to know the different types of green beans you can grow at home.
Microscopic Images Of Seeds
The diversity and intricacy of shapes and sizes of seeds is extraordinary. Even more amazing is that within even the tiniest of seeds lies the complete genetic information required to birth and structure such organisms as the complex passion flower, or a 360 foot tall sequoia. Seeds are also amazing travelers, either with the help of
Types of Zucchini
Whether you like them raw or cooked, zucchinis are one of the most versatile crops you can grow a home. Discover different zucchini varieties and their unique traits with this comprehensive guide!
Types of Arugulas
Nutritious and versatile, arugula is an excellent leafy vegetable to grow at home. Fresh arugula work well in salads and sandwiches, adding unique flavor and distinct crunch.
Growing Parsnips
I find it oddly infuriating when plants are described as old-fashioned — as if a living, growing thing occupies the same category as powder blue tuxedos, platform shoes, or rotary telephones. You’ll often find parsnips described with this unsuitable adjective, but that’s merely because they’re a root vegetable that’s been around and depended on for
Types of Peppers
From sweet to hot, peppers are one of the most diverse produce in the market. To help you choose the right variety for your garden, get to know the five major species of peppers and their unique characteristics!
Types of Celery
In various cuisines, celery leaves and stalks add aroma, flavor, and texture. Get to know this well-loved vegetable, starting with its three main types and their distinct characteristics.
Why Did You Think They Were Called “Heirloom Seeds”?
Most of us in the Western world get the majority of our food from the local grocery store. Generally, they are huge buildings that are stocked with an amazing variety of food from across the planet. These massive food stores, however, depend on a supply chain that is much more fragile than it might appear
Types of Radishes
Crisp and nutritious, radish is a well-known root crop with varieties suitable for planting in spring, summer, or winter. Before growing your radishes at home, learn the unique characteristics of common radish varieties.
Types of Okra
Okra is a Southern staple that primarily thrives in warm regions. However, you can grow this nutritious fruit at home under optimal growing conditions and use it to various culinary applications.
Types of Turnips
Growing your own turnips at home allows you to access varieties of different colors. From yellow to purple turnips, these gorgeous varieties can provide a pop of color to your garden and meals.
Types of Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a colorful leafy vegetable that can brighten up your garden and meals. Learn different varieties of swiss chard, their unique characteristics and growth needs with this comprehensive guide!
