Veg seeds. Do you harvest and sow them or buy them?

cotty1000

I am wondering if experienced veg growers use the seed that they have grown or buy fresh?
This is my first year growing veg. I am tempted to keep crown Prince squash and tomato seeds and possibly a few runner beans.
What is the norm?

fidgetbones

If they are F1 seeds they will not breed true. The older "Heritage" varieties will breed true. I have kept runner and french beans to sow for a second and third year. Then I get fresh stock. I dumped a load of squishy tomatoes in the compost heap last year. Due to the exceptional heat this summer, I got tomato seedlings all over the place, and my friend who had some of my excess compost, got a good crop of the orange tomatoes I grew last year. They came up in the patch she had planted the courgettes.

cornelly

Save runner bean seed, have tried tomatoes in the past but not a lot of success, the beans I grow are the Stenner strain had from the great man many years ago, still performing well, don't save any other seed, buy in.

raisingirl

This book https://www.eco-logicbooks.com/product/back-garden-seed-saving/ gives lots of info about how to save seed, which ones are easy and which tend to cross pollinate so need some care.

This website http://www.realseeds.co.uk/ sells seeds that will breed true and send out information on how to collect seed with any orders.

I try to save some - tomatoes, cucumbers and chillis are reasonably straightforward. Chard, beans and peas are easy if you grow the right varieties. I'm going to try garlic this year for the first time. Carrots are near impossible here because we have so much wild carrot around. Brassicas I may get round to but I grow several different sorts and they cross very easily so I'll have to get my head round what I need to do first.

Allotment Boy

Some of my Allotment neighbours do this a lot, I have had mixed success, Beans, Peas, some squash and Coriander all work well. I buy in most of my seed, but the way prices are rising I may try saving more in the future. 

BLT

Bean seeds are easy to collect and sow next season, but anything much else and I buy seed like carrots as its difficult to collect those etc.. I was warned re dumpmg tomatoes in the compost bin so didn't..  I keep opened seed packets in air tight tims to use the next year..

Dovefromabove

Last year I gave some ‘non gardening’ friends a few tomato plants ... the little cherry ones that were free with GW last spring ... they produced well and they were very pleased.

They must’ve dropped some fruit because this year they’ve had several selfsown plants which have given them an even better crop of sweet little cherry toms.

They’re so pleased that they’ve found out how to save seed and will grow some more next year.

We’ve turned them into gardeners!!!

gardeninglily1

raisingirl said:

This website http://www.realseeds.co.uk/ sells seeds that will breed true and send out information on how to collect seed with any orders.

@raisingirl I visited Real Seeds last night after reading your comments and what a great website! Helpful information on how to save seeds and not buy from them every year and even a two tier pricing for postage to help anyone not in work (which I really hope is not abused). So refreshing! 

cotty1000

Wow! That website is great.
I am sitting down, as it is raining, with a coffee and two schnauzers by my side writing a list for my allotment next year. I am so excited by their descriptions of the plants that I could easily buy all of them.
Thanks raisingirl.
Check out the website, you won't be disappointed.

raisingirl

  I love seed shopping. A very optimistic pass time. 

I should say I have no connection with the site and also that Dove has also recommended them on other threads. 

Dovefromabove

raisingirl said:

  I love seed shopping. A very optimistic pass time. 

I should say I have no connection with the site and also that Dove has also recommended them on other threads. 

And I have no connection with them either ... other than as a satisfied customer