Seed saving - and food for free

Yes, it's that time of year again when every horizontal surface is covered with trays to collect and contain my seeds.

Now, this year as most in the UK will tell you - it's been a rubbish year. Thankfully, I DO save from biennials so I have Beetroot, Parsnip, and Scorzonera seeds. And now, the tomatoes are starting to come - Early Tanana, Maskotka, Rambling Gold, Latah and Aranyalma and French Black so far...Unfortunately the ones at one of my 'stable' places to grow veg have got blight so I pulled half up last week, bagged the green toms and any that don't show signs of blight will get eaten, but not saved from.

I have also spent today with my chillis and peppers - dipping the unopened flowers in PVA glue and tying twine or red cotton around them to identify them. This method stops the flowers from cross pollinating and results in pure seed.

You can see the wet PVA and the tie on this Numex Twilight.


















Here's some I did earlier in the year - as you can see, the pepper is just the same as the ones that weren't PVA-ed

These are potatoes that were dug up from the compost heap - Amorosa, Kestrel and [yay] Mr Little's Yeltolm Gypsy. From last year's tubers.  Result.















And the last of the parsnip seed, just before it is removed and the last bit of drying done before packing up.