by Miranda Sehl
Indoor Gardening
Many plants can grow and thrive indoors during the winter. Lettuce is a great thing to have growing year round, you can save money and skip trips to the grocery store. I hope some of you will try it! A grow light with a timer will make the process easier and more successful. Without a strong light source plants can become leggy, reaching towards an inadequate amount of light. South facing windows are notorious for having the most natural light if you want to try without a grow light. You might also want to try moving some of your herb plants indoors before they freeze. Basil, for example, can be trimmed and propagated easily.
Seed Saving
Seeds have become a hot commodity. By learning how to save seeds, you’ll become more self reliant and have a deeper understanding and connection to your plants. Plus, you will save time and money by not having to go out and buy seeds. You’ll want to gather seeds from the very best plants in your garden.
Seed Selection
Initially though, you need to buy or acquire some seeds to start with. Gathering a wide selection is a great idea when getting started. That way you can grow all sorts of plants and decide which ones you and your family like best. Some genetically modified or hybrid plants might produce seeds that won’t germinate. That’s why people like to buy and grow heirloom varieties (ones that have been handed down for generations). Be aware that different varieties can cross pollinate, so you’ll want to keep them spaced apart, to maintain the different varieties. It might be wise to buy your wide assortment of seeds now in case of any more shortages.
There are different types of plants that have different methods of regeneration: annual, biennial and perennial. Annuals need to be planted each year and produce seeds each year. Biennials (such as carrots and onions) only produce seeds in their second growth season, after they go dormant once. Perennials (berry bushes, fruit trees, asparagus, grapes, chives, horseradish, rhubarb, etc.) come back year after year, after being planted just once.
Seed Saving
Some easy plants to get started with are peppers, cucumbers, peas, beans, carrots and lettuce. I recommend that you look up more details and videos online, and teach yourself how to save all sorts of plants.
Peppers: Let the peppers ripen completely on the plant. Spread seeds out in a single layer on paper towel to dry the seeds. Be careful if you’re handling hot peppers! Wash your hands thoroughly, twice(!), before touching your eyes, because the seeds can have very spicy oil on them.
Cucumbers: Let your cucumbers ripen on the vine until they turn yellow or white. This will give the most germination power to the seeds within. Then scoop out the gel and seeds, rinse the seeds, dry them on waxed paper. Once completely dry, move to your preferred storage container.
Peas and Beans: These plants seem to work the same way. You let the pod get very big and let it dry on the vine. Collect and make sure to dry completely before storing.
Carrots: These biennial plants concentrate on growing the root the first year, and the flower the second year. The flower dries and becomes your seeds. So leave some carrots in the ground and see if they grow flowers and seeds for you next year. I’ve had success planting a carrot top from a store bought carrot; the greens flowered! It looks just like the common queen anne’s lace flower (which is a wild carrot!).
Lettuce: These plants grow a tall shoot and the leaves become bitter as it concentrates its energy on forming the flowers and then seeds. I like to leave the plant in place and let the seeds dry, but you can also pluck the entire plant and hang it upside down in a dry place.
Storing Seeds
You’ll want to make sure they are completely dry and free of any mold before moving the seeds to storage. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry place, without drastic temperature fluctuations. Use some sort of storage container to keep humidity out.
Drying Herbs
Harvest early in the morning, but after the dew has dried. Collecting big chunks of the plant including the stems will help you to avoid bruising the leaves, preserving as much of their flavor and aroma for when you want to use it. I like to hang plants upside down to dry them, in an area with good airflow and without direct sunlight. Some people use dehydrators. It’s best to use a very low temperature for herbs. Another option is to spaciously put them into a paper bag, close the bag with a fold at the top, and place out of direct sunlight in a spot with good airflow. In all cases, you want to check on them as they dry and make sure there isn’t any mold forming. Remove any plants with mold so it doesn’t spread to the whole batch. Let them dry until you can crunch a leaf and feel that all the water has left the plant. Make sure it is completely dry or else it will mold in storage. Once you’re sure the plant is completely dry, you can carefully pluck the leaves off the stem and place in a storage container. Any airtight container will do. Then put in a cool dry place. Metal tins are nice for herbal teas, because they keep sunlight out completely.
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