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The Rare Seeds in Your Garden

Paul Hrycyk

In each of the past few e-bulletins, we have shared the story of one of the seed libraries that we are working with as part of the the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security. Each of these organizations’ missions is to preserve the genetic diversity of Canadian seeds by properly saving, growing, storing and distributing seeds that are not readily commercially available. Some of these projects are well-resourced, have infrastructure and have been running for several years. Others are just beginning, growing from a box of seeds and a few dedicated volunteers. Our role at Seeds of Diversity has been to help support these efforts by providing training material, consultations and expertise on the subject.

Putting together this series of articles has been a reminder of how much fantastic and inspiring seed saving work is taking place across the country. It has also been a reminder of the fact that while following established protocols is important to maintaining a high quality seed collection, the most important way to preserve the genetic diversity of Canadian seeds is to get as many people involved in seed saving as possible.

The rarest seeds are often those that you, a backyard (or aspiring) gardener got from your grandma, who brought them over from the old country many years ago and has only shared them with you. After years of being grown out, harvested and replanted, these seeds have become especially adapted to the growing conditions in your area. These are the seeds that are incredibly important to save, and we want to encourage you to do just that.

You can do this in a number of ways. One way is to mail in a package of seeds to Seeds of Diversity, or one of the many other seed libraries across the country. Another way, however, is to save those seeds yourself. Saving your own seeds is really not difficult and can be a very rewarding activity.

There are of course a number of useful resources that provide detailed information about seed saving and storage, but you do not have to read chapters of these books to start saving your own seeds. There are really just a few basic things you should know to get started.

1. Cleaning seed: Learning how to clean your seeds is the first step. For most seeds, it’s easiest to wait until the pods they are in are dry. Crushing the pods is the easiest way to remove the seeds from the pods. Wet seeds, such as squash and peppers, can be removed from ripe fruit with your hands or a spoon, and then allowed to dry. Some seeds are a bit more complicated to clean, but a copy of our book How to Save Your Own Seed will tell you all you need to know. A simple search on google or youtube should dig up plenty of information and tutorials as well.
   
   
2. Drying seed:  Air-dry your clean seeds. Spreading them in a thin layer on a screen is easiest. You’ll want to ensure you store them properly so they maintain high germination rates after several years in storage. Dryness is even more important than cold for saving seeds. A good rule of thumb to follow is Temperature (⁰F) + Relative humidity < 100. If you save seeds in this condition they should last you several years.
   
   An easy and effective way to dry seeds is to use silica gel, which can be purchased from most local craft stores and can reused many times.  In a closed environment (like a bin with a plastic bag overtop), spread a thin layer of silica gel and place seeds, in paper envelopes, on top (make sure not to place the seeds directly on the silica gel). The silica gel dehydrates the air, which in turn pulls the moisture out of the seeds.
   
   
3. Storing seeds: After 3-5 days, the dry seeds should be sealed in an airtight jar (don’t use plastic bags because they’ll let the humidity through). Don’t worry about “over-drying” your seeds. A collection of seeds that has been properly dried and stored in an airtight mason jar will last for several years without suffering much of a decline in germination.

Remember to plant your seeds at least every few years and save fresh seeds to make sure your saved seed remains viable. And remember that each one of us who starts saving seeds is helping to protect the genetic diversity of our food system, especially since the rarest seeds are often in the hands of people who don’t realize it.

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Our short and accessible guide on saving your own seed has information for beginner seed savers as well as experts. Find out more and buy a copy at seeds.ca/publications.

Do you know someone who you think may like to try saving seeds? Forward this article to them now!

Paul Hrycyk is Seeds of Diversity Canada's Seed Library Coordinator.

Photo above: Dawson's Golden Chaff wheat seed.

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