Why Use Isolation Techniques for Saving Seed?

• Goal – produce true to type seeds
  • Prevent unwanted cross pollination by isolation
  • • Seeds are collected from a number of plants of the same variety, protecting the variety’s genetic diversity (prevents the loss of a variety’s unique characteristics – i.e. form, color and taste)
    • Seeds collected from a number of plants of the same variety, is essential to the health and performance of the variety.
    • Seeds collected in your garden are unique to the changing conditions of your area.
    • These seeds are now a one of kind variety for your special use.
• Isolation – the use of spatial distance or physical barriers to prevent pollination by wind, vibration, insects or mechanical means.

• Isolation techniques:
  • Blossom bagging – netting material that is a physical barrier to insects that are drawn to the flowers of vegetables, herbs and flowers that you intend for seed saving.
  • • Blossom bags are used around individual (okra) or clusters (tomatoes) of flowers.
    • Blossom bags (made of very fine screening) may be purchased through online horticultural supply distributors and high end garden centers.
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  • Caging – a physical barrier made of a frame and screen/row cover to prevent cross pollination of insect pollinated plants.
    • Self pollinated vegetables suitable for caging include eggplant, pepper and tomato.
    • Floating Row Cover material/very fine screening may be purchased online from horticultural suppliers or high end garden centers.
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    • Bagging and caging are useful for those who have limited space and/or cannot meet distance requirements.
      • The netting or row cover material will prevent inadvertent cross pollination by wind or vibration.

Here are two excellent publications for more in-depth information regarding seed saving!

      

Please contact me for any question or observation you have regarding seed saving!

Papa