Hello! My name is Eva and I am a seed addict! It may sound silly but I know my fellow home gardeners understand how I feel. On Friday of last week I picked a few items from my ridiculously large wish list on one of my favorite organic seeds websites. It took me almost an hour to pick what I wanted to plant this season! There are so many amazing choices! It was right around that time when I realized that my cart was full of seeds I really didn’t need. I hadn’t taken into account that I already have a TON of seeds left over from last season that I have saved from my own harvest.
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While buying seeds to start off or to ease your seed-addiction 😉 is exciting and fun, some people forget that saving your own seeds is not only rewarding but also FREE! One of the best accomplishments for me as a home gardener will always be when I see a plant growing with beautiful vegetables to feed to my family. What makes that feeling even sweeter is when I know that the plant came from a seed that was previously in a vegetable that I grew. Saving your own seeds is also a way to pass heirloom seeds down to future generations. The word heirloom refers to an item or object of value that is past on from one generation to the next. Therefore, an heirloom seed is a seed that comes from a plant that has been passed down from one generation to the next. In other words your children, your children’s children and beyond could be planting seeds from the same plants you are growing in your garden right now. Heirloom seeds that are passed down through many generations are considered to be very valuable to home gardeners and farmers.
Planting your own seeds is not only FREE but so easy to do! Some seeds require a little more attention then others depending on what kind of seed you are working with but they all follow the same basic steps: take the seeds out of the fruit, wipe off any remaining flesh and place in a glass or ceramic container in a non-humid, shaded place. Keep checking on them every few days and once they are fully dry (not sticking together or bending) your seeds are ready! One thing to keep in mind is if seeds are wet, like tomato seeds for example, try to stay away from placing your seeds on a paper plate or paper towel to dry. The wet seeds tend to get stuck to the paper and are difficult to remove. Using glass or ceramic is best. And of course, always plant organic, non-GMO seeds.
If you are just starting your garden or are in need of more seeds to plant some of my favorite company to buy seeds from is Seeds Now.
Happy planting!
Much Love!
Eva
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