What do I do with my extra seeds ?

[msdixiegirl]

Okay I am new here, and I need a few questions answered please, First I do have a few left over seeds I will not plant this year and I need to know what to do with them, Second question, I am growing out around 40-50 different melons, squash and pumpkins, When I harvest and dry the seeds what do I do with them? Do I send them to a seed bank or do I list them to offer for others? Please let me know as I want to find out before these seeds start coming in, Thanks Dixie

Keep them heirlooms a growing!!!!

[JackiMac]

msdixiegirl - Welcome to the boards! Glad to have you!
I am not an "officer" of the group but I am a banker so maybe my suggestion will do
If you have extra seeds for anything that you want to have others grow out then look to see who the banker is and then send them an email or PM and they can distribute them to others so the seeds don't go to waste....do we have a "central" banker to get the seeds out to the other bankers?? I'm not sure...

You can elect to trade your seeds with individuals...list what you have on the board and there is always someone who may have a seed variety you want in exchange

If you find seeds you want from any of the bankers we do trades as well...like, you may want 3 different varieties of bean seeds and the banker for those beans may want 3 different varieties of other seeds you have in exchange...although, sometimes you may not have any seeds and so an exchange is not a requirement at all times.

Whatever works best for you is good. I usually do a trade for my seeds rather than an SASE...sometimes I just give my seeds to folks that are just starting out and have nothing...sometimes I have too many and know I can't get the seeds planted before they go bad so those I try to ship off to anyone that will grow them out and save seeds for others (and myself) the following season.
That's for my own bought seeds that are not banked.

My banked seeds I will send out with an SASE and hope that person will grow them out and return some of the seeds to the group next season. I can elect to exchange the seeds as well if possible.

If you save your seeds and you have alot of them then I would suggest contacting a banker...if you only have very few then maybe an offer on the boards would work with a trade.

The way this group is set up everyone wins and we all get seeds out in the hands of those that can and will take care of the heirlooms and pass them on

I've rambles...sorry I hope this helps and I did get your PM...glad all is going better for you...don't worry about taking too long...I have enough seed set aside just for you
And I can't wait to see what seeds you have left and the seeds you will have after your harvest!

[ogkitt]

"officer" or not Jackie, your reply was excellent!!

Kitt

[JackiMac]

Gosh, thanks Kitt! I feel loved

[goldpearl]

wow, all those varieties of melons, squash and pumpkins! How are you isolating them for seed purity? I am growing several squashes this year but I only plan to be able to save seed from a few of them. I have Black Zucchini, C.Pepo that was first planted so I was able to grow out a few of them before other C. Pepos were big enough to have blooms.
I have one C.Moschata, one C. Mixta and one Maxima ( Marina di Chioggia) planted now. I am planning to be collecting seed from those. I have a few other Maximas ( Red Kuri, Burgess Buttercup, Hubbard True Green ) but I may wait til next year unless I can find some way to isolate some of them for seed saving.
What varieties of squash do you have?
Welcome to the group!

[msdixiegirl]

goldpearl, I keep the blooms closed until they are ready to open then I am hand pollenating them and closing the blooms back, It's called good old fashioned hair pins, lol, They work well and the blooms do not get open until I let them open. I am having good luck with doing it this way, It is a hit and miss sometimes with the female blooms, sometimes they make the fruit sometimes they turn yellow and fall off. I allow some to do by themselves, those the seeds will not be saved, I mark the fruits I do by hand with a white plastic non-stick tape. I just tie it around the stem of the hand pollenated fruit. It takes a lot of time but well worth it in the long run if you have limited space. I also pull off most of the male blooms and keep only the ones I use for pollenating. Dixie

[msdixiegirl]

I forgot to mention I also keep the male blooms closed as well. I know bees and other insects can bring from one male bloom to another, I try to take the best steps in keeping them pure. Dixie

[ogkitt]

Now, THAT's control! I'm growing spagetti squash for the first time and I'm out there goin' - "Please pollinate, come on now..." LOL.

Kitt

[wandak]

I planted 4 spaghetti squash seeds & since my other squashes weren't even up yet, I didn't need to isolate anything. I have spaghetti squashes coming out my ears.

[skip]

Hi Wanda

Why don't you e-mail us folks Down Under your excess spaghetti squash. We are in the depths of winter here and have withdrawal symptoms for almost everything! LOL

Congratulations on the birth of your grandson! Better late than never!

Cheers.

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