Seed Saving for Snow Peas
My Snow Peas were a success again this year. I grow them in half of a 55-gallon blue barrel on the deck. I planted seeds directly in the soil in early April and they started producing by July. I got plenty to eat fresh, but by mid-August I let the last of the crop mature and the plants die back.
This is my first year experimenting with seed saving. The International Seed Saving Institute recommends beans, peas, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes for beginners. That's me! It took several weeks for the peas to dry completely. I knew they were ready when the pods were brown and transparent, and the peas rattled inside like little maracas. Then I cut up the stems and leaves for the compost pile. Nothing wasted.
I saved more seeds than I will need, but that gives me extras in case there are sprouting problems, and some to share. I shelled the peas, made an envelope, and labeled the contents by seed type and year. Saving my own seeds won't save me a fortune, but it'll be one way to become more self-sufficient.
Do you save seeds? What are some of your most successful kinds? -- Margy
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Well done on such a good crop. Good idea to save the seeds, will try that website. Thanks for the link x
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the big planter. I could try that to dissuade Digger Dog from dining on my vegetables as they grow.
ReplyDeleteGoing to give this some thought -- cement the garden area in to make a patio, and fence it with tall (higher than the dog can reach, easier for me to work at) planters.
LOVE snow peas, but suspect Lindy will like them, too. The only vegetable she doesn't like is celery, so far.
I am madly running around begging my parent's garden to go to seed in order to take it with me.
ReplyDeleteI have sweet peas, and some other things.
My veggies were, as I think I said, a failure!!! Too much house hunting in S.E. Ont! Prime gardening time.
Timely post!
Thanks all for stopping by. Kay - I don't know any advice for a veggie eating dog. That's a new one for me. Jenn - Next year will be better I am sure. - Margy
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