Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB)

Today is an episode of TSP Rewind, commercial free versions of past podcast episodes.

Today’s episode was originally, Episode-1054- The How, What and Why of Saving Seeds and was first published on Jan. 10th 2013.

The following are the original show notes from that episode.

There is Magic Within Seeds but Saving Them Isn’t Mystical

I was talking with Ben Falk of Whole Systems Design yesterday about how more and more small seed companies are now buying at least some seed from companies associated with the ilk of Monsanto.

Ben was pretty shocked to hear the Johnny’s Selected Seeds is buying some of their seeds from Semanis, which is owned by Monsanto.

There is a lot of fear about GMO contamination both legitimate and ridiculous specifically when the word Monsanto comes up.

The best solution is to save your own seeds but we are going to also discuss how to know who you can trust when buying seeds and times where you simply do not have to worry about GMO at all.

Join me today to hear about…

• What is “the safe seed pledge” and why should you care
• Why we need to be saving seeds in the first place
• Breeding improvements vs. hybrids vs. GMO (all three are different)
• Exchanging seeds – a great form of barter
• The easy plants to save seed from – beans, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes
• Separation rules – why they exist and not stressing them
• Staggering pollination times to create effective separation
• Herbs and unusual plants are often easy to save for and over looked
• Storing your seeds once they are harvested (is cold storage a good idea)
• How to clean your seeds, what you need, what you don’t need
• Growing your own hybrids – hybrids are not always bad
• How to hand pollinate and ensure purity with squashes and melons, etc
• Saving root crops like garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes for replanting
• The rewards of regionally adapted plants
• Breeding for any and all traits, it really isn’t hard

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

• Members Support Brigade
• Join Our Forum
• The History of The Safe Seed Pledge
• The Form for Companies to Take The Safe Seed Pledge – PDF File
• The International Seed Saving Institute Seed Saving Guide
• How to Make Sweet Potato Slips
• Dealing with “Spindly” Seedlings – YouTube Video
• Building an Inexpensive Grow Light System – YouTube Video
• Potting Up Seedlings – YouTube Video
• Watering Seedlings from the Bottom Up – YouTube Video

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.