- Joined
- Dec 3, 2017
- Messages
- 27,297
Most of mine were frozen fro several years. They all sprouted but didn't come up right of course we had a couple cold nights that did n't help either.
Garden 2021
- Thread starter UrbanHunter
- Start date
Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:
Most of mine were frozen fro several years. They all sprouted but didn't come up right of course we had a couple cold nights that did n't help either.
I'm still in "baby steps" mode for saving seeds. I have saved okra seeds for several years now. It's normally slow to come up and likes warm soil temperatures to germinate. Tried something new this year. I transplanted a very long row of them that I had started in the greenhouse but had a dozen or so holes where I needed more. So I took some seeds, put them in water in a small dish, and put that on top of our water heater. In 36 hours, they were just about all showing a tiny little sprout happening. I took them directly to the garden and put them in their little holes. I think it took a few days, but nearly every one of those little babies came up! So I think next year, I'll do the soaking in water on the water heater trick again. Will probably save a week of waiting.
I've saved sunflower seeds. I've saved pumpkin seeds. I've saved pepper seeds. I've saved some bean seed of several kinds. I've saved a lot of tomato seeds. And maybe a few more that won't come to mind. A few that I really would like to save are brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), pea seed, carrot seed, squash seed, corn seed (I wanna try some open pollinated, there are a couple of varieties), spinach, beets,... I know, lots of possibilities. And I know one has to be mindful of cross pollination on some stuff way more than other stuff. I'm likely to run out of time way before I run out of stuff to try.
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2017
- Messages
- 27,297
Pop we all need to know how to save seeds too if the power goes out. I haven'rt saved seeds long period of time without power. I need to study on that too.
- Joined
- May 29, 2020
- Messages
- 5,015
I want to cry when you talk okra, I killed what I had this year (too eager) and I don't have any of the seeds that I wanted to try left. I still have lots of I-saved-um's just note of the "special" seeds.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,600
How does having power help in saving seeds?
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2017
- Messages
- 27,297
If you freeze them you need power.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,600
Ah, okay. I thought they just got dried.
Yes, most seeds just need to be kept dry and in the dark. I like to use envelopes and place them in the back of the pantry.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,600
I keep mine in a drawer in the kitchen.
Beds are ready for planting tomorrow
Just finished up and the rototiller died *sigh*
Just finished up and the rototiller died *sigh*
Urban. I have well over a gallon of Red Burgandy Okra seed. It's been in the family for a long time. I'd be happy to send you, or anyone else some seed
- Joined
- May 29, 2020
- Messages
- 5,015
Thanks, for the offer but I'm fine.
I was really looking forward to trying that heavy hitter stuff... I have some seeds from a north south variety that seem to work well here. It just ticked me off I ordered 3 packets but with only about 10 seeds per packet there was no room for error. The next time they have it in stock I will order a gross to make sure I have enough to cover any of my mistakes.
Let me know if u change your mind
If I had okra seeds, I'd be trying to give them away too - yukko! (I know, I know - some folks like the slimy stuff.) 
Breaded and fried with green maters is awesome
I'm not one of 'em. We do freeze about 30 quarts or so, sliced into rounds. My dear wife will put it in a ziplock bag with seasonings of some kind and then dump that into a fryin' pan. It's not exactly breaded and fried like you buy in the store. Way too much work doin' that. But what she does is really tasty. I don't think she even has a recipe, just kinda throws stuff together.
Maybe for soups or stews where the okra is no longer recognizable, I wouldn't mind it. No desire to eat boiled okra, though. That stuff is slimy.
The garden is coming along nicely. The pup trampled some of my jalapeno plants so I set out a few more today.
The potatoes did well, be ready soon. We got 4 thick rows of okra, needs to be thinned a little. Dad has a few tomato plants, noticed them blooming today. We had planted 2 long rows of peas, looks like only one came up.
We've planted corn twice, seed I bought for dad first then seed I didn't plant last year, bad seed both times. Hopefully I can find good seed in the next few days so I can plant again. None of the watermelons came up, only a few of the cantaloupes... looks like another strange year.
Okra below
1 row of peas
The potatoes did well, be ready soon. We got 4 thick rows of okra, needs to be thinned a little. Dad has a few tomato plants, noticed them blooming today. We had planted 2 long rows of peas, looks like only one came up.
We've planted corn twice, seed I bought for dad first then seed I didn't plant last year, bad seed both times. Hopefully I can find good seed in the next few days so I can plant again. None of the watermelons came up, only a few of the cantaloupes... looks like another strange year.
Okra below
1 row of peas
Peanut, do you, or any others on here ever measure your soil temperature in your gardens or beds? I was discussing soil temps with my dad Sunday. We came to the conclusion the soil is still too cool, even as late in the year as it is. Our cool weather crops are thriving, but the warm weather crops either are slow coming up, or just not growing much at all. I think I'm going to try and find one and start using it.
Measure no, is the soil still cool? Yes, this happened last year. It stayed cold until the middle of May.
I'm seeing the same thing you are. The ground is about 10 degrees colder than it should be. My daily high temps from the local weather man are, and have been, running 10 degrees below normal for the past month.
Edit to add... last year was even colder... No sun but for a few days...
I'm seeing the same thing you are. The ground is about 10 degrees colder than it should be. My daily high temps from the local weather man are, and have been, running 10 degrees below normal for the past month.
Edit to add... last year was even colder... No sun but for a few days...
Last edited:
Do you think the Grand Solar Minimum may be playing a part in that? Our winter wasn't real cold for any length of time, but other than a couple weeks in March and April it's been very cool here all spring.
No idea about the Solar minimum, too busy with other things to keep up with that, besides, was it to blame last year? But yes, my weather and yours track each other, sun or rains at the same times.
Seems like I'm about a day behind you, and a little cooler usually. I've saw that fact too.
We are the opposite. We went from winter to summer. Warm and dry here. Going to be an early fire season.
We had a dry April over all and a couple fair size fires. But May has been WET. Suppose to be up in the 80's next week. I'm just fine with 60s & 70s
Depending on your soil type, you can see where they have been tunneling just under the surface and find them. There are also benificial nematodes that will help with grubs and ants.
I've been home a good part of the day and have had the sprinkler going all day (even when I had to leave) in order to try to give the ground a good soak and help the plants get going. Dry even deep.
Not good when things are that dry down deep already. What is your average annual rainfall? I guess I assumed you were western Washington. But I'm guessing now your are more in the east
I haven't measured it but it does seem to be an important factor here.
What I did do this year, for the first time, was use black woven ground cover pretty much everywhere I can. That really does seem to warm the soil up ahead of what it would be uncovered. My reasoning wasn't so much about earlier soil temperature warming but rather for keeping weeds / grass from encroaching from the aisles to the rows. Now, it's all covered, aisles and rows, all except a few places I didn't figure out quite how to make it practical in the row itself.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2017
- Messages
- 5,020
That’s how we figured out what it was. We dug down. Found a large one and a little tiny one. May try the nematodes again. Good idea. We haven’t done them in a few years.
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2017
- Messages
- 10,009
I have had rain & it is not to dry. I planted in pots until after the wedding trip so i would not need to water for 5 days.
