Landrace Gardening: Saving Landrace Seeds

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Folks have mentioned an interest in questions and conversations that make them think. So I've decided to offer more of those. The current batch features landrace gardening.


Landrace Gardening: Saving Landrace Seeds

Seed saving is an integral part of landrace gardening. We can localize our gardens to our specific growing conditions and way of doing things by planting genetically diverse seed, allowing them to cross pollinate, and then saving and replanting the seeds.

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It is up to you whether or not you care about seeds breeding true. If you're trying to maintain a specific cultivar, you probably care. If you're into promiscuous pollination of landraces, however, you want your plants to have as many sex partners as possible. Then if an undesirable trait shows up, you can always cull those plants later. So plant and save according to your personal goals.  Just make sure you label things so other folks know what's what.

Seed saving makes it easier to share seeds among a network of gardeners growing locally adapted cultivars or landraces. Label everything with the date, variety, where grown, who grew it , habits, and growing instructions. This way you can share things without needing to relabel them later when you've forgotten half the important stuff. You can use your printer to speed up the process with printable seed envelopes or stick-on labels.

Remember that if you are bad at gathering and storing seeds in containers, you can also store seeds in the soil via seed banking. Native species and some "self-seeding" garden plants do this naturally, but you can help them along. If you want to get fancy, you can clear soil and spread the seeds as they ripen, or dig small holes and drop them in. If you're tending a prairie garden, permaculture, etc. then you can just throw them. I often use a combination of digging small holes and throwing things into the prairie garden, because when the plants are overhead (the goldenrod is about 6' now, the sunchokes 7' or so, the cup plants 8-10') I can't reach the middle any other way. Seeds in shallow holes will likely sprout the next spring. Dig some in deeper to replenish a depleted soil seed bank.

Also, consider landraces or other saved seeds in end-of-life planning. Do you save seeds? Clarify who gets them when you pay away. Do you know an avid garden who saves seeds, especially if they develop their own cultivars? Ask if they have a succession plan. Do you belong to a seed saving organization or local gardening network? Bring up the topic at a meeting and encourage folks to make sure their plans are current. An organization may benefit from having a volunteer to field "What do I do with my grandfather's seed collection?" type questions from outsiders.


Seed Saving Resources
Learn more about saving seeds.

Global Seed Network: How to Collect, Process, and Store Seeds

Mother Earth News: Saving Seeds: 7 Reasons Why and Dozens of Tips for How

The Old Farmer's Almanac: How to Save Vegetable Seeds

Permaculture Research Institute
Seed Saving, Part 1: Seedy Issues
Seed Saving, Part 2: Practical Ways to Save Seed

Seed Alliance: Seed Saving Guide

Gardening Know How: Seed Lending Library: How To Start A Seed Library

Seed Savers Exchange: How to Save Seeds

Survival Mom: 27 Important Things You Should Know About Saving Seeds

Tenth Acre Farm: Storing Seeds for Long-Term Seed Saving


Seed Saving Supplies
You don't really need fancy equipment for saving things, but some tools sure make it faster and easier, while others improve viability of stored seeds. Now is a good time of year to buy and use these things if they appeal to you.

Annie's Heirloom Seeds: Seed Saving Supplies

Balcony Garden Web: 16 DIY Seed Storage & Organization Ideas

Birds & Blooms: 7 Best Seed Storage Containers and Boxes

Homestead Nurse: The Best Seed Storage Containers and Organization Ideas

Megan H Studio: Free Printable Thank You Seed Packet Templates

Seed Libraries: Envelopes and Labels

Seed Savers Exchange: Tools of the Trade: Our Top 10 Seed Saving Supplies

Southern Exposure: Seed Saving Supplies

Tipnut: 20+ Free Seed Packet Printables & Templates


Seed Saving Organizations
Some save everything. Others specialize in native species, garden vegetables, flowers, etc.

Food Tank: 27 Organizations Working to Conserve Seed Biodiversity (international listings)

Global Seed Network: Related Organizations

Native Food Alliance: Indigenous Seed Keepers Network

Salish Seed Resources (for Salish Sea Watershed)

Seed Libraries: Sister Libraries (500+ international listings)

Seed Savers Exchange in the United States of America

Seed Savers' Network in Australia

Seeds of Diversity in Canada