1 Seed Starting for the Vegetable Garden Advanced MGV Training Mike Maddox Rock County UW-Extension Plant Propagation • Sexual Propagation – Recombination of genetic materials to form uniquely genetic individual • Asexual Propagation • Asexual Propagation – Use of vegetative organs to create plantlets genetically identical to parent plant Propagation by Seed • Biology – Pollination – Anatomy – Germination • Applied – Purchasing – Starting – Transplanting – Collecting – Storing Pollination • Pollination: transfer of pollen from anther (male part) to stigma (female part) in a flower. Exchange of genetic material – Exchange of genetic material Pollination • Self pollination: – Transfer on same flower – From different flowers on the same plant o From flowers on different plants of the same – From flowers on different plants of the same cultivar – Beans, peas, lettuce, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes
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Seed Starting for the Vegetable Garden - Milwaukee County · Seed Starting for the Vegetable Garden Advanced MGV Training Mike Maddox Rock County UW-Extension Plant Propagation •
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Seed Starting for the Vegetable Gardeng
Advanced MGV TrainingMike Maddox
Rock County UW-Extension
Plant Propagation
• Sexual Propagation– Recombination of genetic materials to form
• Direct sowing– Avoids transplant shock– Less work
More risk with weather pests disease– More risk with weather, pests, disease, erosion
Starting
• Direct sowing– Know conditions and requirements for seeds
• Warm- or cool-season crop• Average last frost dateAverage last frost date
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Starting
• Direct sowing– Sow or broadcast into a well-raked bed– Free of stones or large debris
Cover with a fine layer of soil– Cover with a fine layer of soil– Gently water to avoid erosion
Collecting
• Storing– Keep dry– Place in airtight container
Label and date– Label and date– Store in 40º F, low humidity
Collecting
• Open-pollinated: – A plant that will grow true to type each year– Offspring exactly like the parents
Heirlooms– Heirlooms• Hybrids:
– The first generation (F1) offspring of two distant and distinct parental lines of the same species
– Seeds taken from a hybrid may either be sterile or more commonly fail to breed true
Collecting
• Beans– Beans of all kinds are very popular heirloom
vegetables. – There are thousand of cultivars with hugeThere are thousand of cultivars, with huge
variations in taste, size, color and markings, and climate adaptability.
Collecting
• Beans– Beans are usually not cross-pollinated. – Separate plantings by enough distance to avoid
having their vines intertwine. – Allow the seed to thoroughly mature on the vine. – Pull the entire plant and place it in the shade to dry
out for one to two weeks. – Bring inside to finish drying if rain threatens. Shell and
store in a cool, dry area in a paper bag. – Bean and cowpea seeds will keep for three or more
years.
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Collecting• Corn
– All corn is wind-pollinated and will readily cross with other varieties.
– Varieties should be widely separated, from 600 feet to over half a mile to ensure purity. Y l d b b i th th t– You can also save seed by bagging the ears that you want to save for seed and hand-pollinating them, or by growing cultivars that will be separated by blooming time.
– You should always grow at least 200 corn plants in a large block when saving seed.
– Let the seed dry thoroughly on the plant and then dry further once husked. Seed lasts only one year.
Collecting
• Cucumbers and Melons– There are many different forms of cucumbers
that are rarely seen in stores. – Cucumbers are cross-pollinated by insectsCucumbers are cross-pollinated by insects.
So if you want to save cucumber seed, plant only one variety.
– Let the fruits hang on the vine until ripe (skin becomes yellowish and hard). Then handle like the process for tomatoes given below.
Collecting
• Lettuce– Cut off seed stalks when fluffy in appearance,
just before all the seeds are completely dried. – Seeds will fall off the stalk and be lost ifSeeds will fall off the stalk and be lost if
allowed to mature on the plant.
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Collecting
• Potatoes– Potatoes are popular heirloom vegetables.– There are many unusual colors, shapes and
flavors that are seldom found at the groceryflavors that are seldom found at the grocery store.
– Heirloom potatoes are saved from year to year as tubers, and so are very easy to maintain true to name.
Collecting
• Peppers, Sweet and Chili – Peppers are usually self-pollinating. – Insect cross-pollination does occur
sometimes and if it does hot bell pepperssometimes, and if it does, hot bell peppers can result, since the gene for hotness is dominant.
– If grown closer than 500 feet apart, plants must be caged or bagged to prevent spicy surprises in future years.
Collecting
• Peppers, Sweet and Chili – Peppers should be allowed to ripen until they become
red. – Cut the pepper pod in half and scrape the seed onto a
i fpiece of paper. – Spread out the seed and dry thoroughly before
placing in a storage container. – Wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water after
harvesting the pepper seeds, since the residues will burn eyes and lips for hours after contact.
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Collecting• Squash and Pumpkins
– Winter and summer squash and pumpkins are all related.
– Crossing readily occurs between varieties of the same species. N i b t diff t i– No crossing occurs between different species.
– Grow only one variety of the same species, and separate by ½ mile or hand pollinate to maintain purity.
– The commonly grown species are: banana, buttercup, cushaw and hubbard squash (Cucurbita maxima); butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata); acorn, crookneck, and scallop squash, zucchinis and most pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo); and Mexican gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia).
Collecting
• Squash and Pumpkins – When the outer covering of the squash is so
hard that it cannot be dented with your fingernail, the seeds are generally mature. g , g y
– Split the squash fruit open, scoop out the seed and wash until all pulp is removed.
– Spread out on newspaper to dry.
Collecting• Tomatoes
– Tomatoes are self-pollinators and are usually not cross-pollinated.
– Only the potato leaf varieties must be separated. – Pick fruit from desirable plants when ripe. – Cut fruit and squeeze out pulp into a container. – Add a little water and let ferment two to four days at
room temperature, stirring occasionally. – When seeds settle out, pour off pulp and spread
seeds in a thin layer to dry thoroughly. – Store in an envelope or glass jar in a cool, dry place.– Properly stored seeds will remain viable for four to 10
years.
Seed Starting
• Fun, low cost way of obtaining plants• Provides a variety of things• Know the science and basics…