· If your seed packet has seed-saving instructions, follow them!
· Save seed from plants that are healthy and free of pests, and have desirable characteristics you want to preserve for future generations.
· Choose the best plants to be seed producers and avoid harvesting leaves or fruits to eat from them.
· After harvesting, store seed in a cool dry place (fridge) until you plant it.
· The following vegetables all belong to the species Brassica olearacea, and will CROSS if flowering at the same time: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Collard greens. Likewise Beets and Swiss Chard belong to the species Beta vulgaris and can also cross if flowering at the same time.
Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Broccoli, Radish, Most herbs, Beans, Peas, Okra: Wait for plant to flower then set seed. Harvest seed when seed heads are brown and dry.
Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collards, Carrots, Beets: These are biennials, and need 2 growing seasons to complete their life cycle. In Paraguay, they should eventually flower and set seed after a long time.
Tomato, Peppers, Hard shell Winter Squash, Melons: Wait for peppers to turn fully red and soften. The mature edible fruit of these plants contains mature seed. Wash and dry seed.
Cucumbers, Eggplant, Zucchini: Allow the edible fruit to stay on the plant to fully mature… When eggplants yellow and shrivel, scrape seeds out, wash and dry. Harvest cucumber seed when fruits are hard and yellow, but before they rot. Zucchinis will harden and begin to dry out when seeds are mature.
¡ More detailed seed saving and planting instructions are on Sharepoint in the Seed Bank folder!
What is the Peace Corps Paraguay Seed Bank?
The objectives of the Seed Bank are:
1. To provide Paraguayans access to non-hybrid seeds (of green manures, trees, garden & field crops, etc.) that they cannot otherwise afford or find locally;
2. To promote sustainability through seed-saving;
3. To operate sustainably by making loans of seed (at 10% interest rate) through Peace Corps Volunteers; and
4. To ultimately help seed other local and regional seed banks throughout Paraguay.
1. To provide Paraguayans access to non-hybrid seeds (of green manures, trees, garden & field crops, etc.) that they cannot otherwise afford or find locally;
2. To promote sustainability through seed-saving;
3. To operate sustainably by making loans of seed (at 10% interest rate) through Peace Corps Volunteers; and
4. To ultimately help seed other local and regional seed banks throughout Paraguay.
Seed Bank Blog Information
How do PCVs & Chokokuekuera contribute to this blog?
- Anyone wishing to share experiences or information may send the author of this blog the content they wish to have posted. Please send photos along with your content. The email address to send your posts to is: seedbankpcpy@gmail.com
How is blog intended to help those interested?
- This blog is intended to be a resource for everyone planting and seed saving around Paraguay. The seed bank committee will also use blog gather information helpful to its continued success and the success of its members.
What are the key areas and goals of this blog?
1. Communication and Information Sharing
2. Information Gathering
3. Providing Resources and Useful Links
4. A Guide to Seed Saving as a Part of a Sustainable Livelihood System
- Anyone wishing to share experiences or information may send the author of this blog the content they wish to have posted. Please send photos along with your content. The email address to send your posts to is: seedbankpcpy@gmail.com
How is blog intended to help those interested?
- This blog is intended to be a resource for everyone planting and seed saving around Paraguay. The seed bank committee will also use blog gather information helpful to its continued success and the success of its members.
What are the key areas and goals of this blog?
1. Communication and Information Sharing
2. Information Gathering
3. Providing Resources and Useful Links
4. A Guide to Seed Saving as a Part of a Sustainable Livelihood System
Saturday, January 31, 2009
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