Hi Anna, if you don't tape the flowers before they open, hand pollinate, and then tape them back shut an insect can bring pollen from a different variety of the same species. (NOTE: There are 4 main species of squash and insects can bring the pollen from as far away as 800 feet to ½ mile or 250+m.) So while you think you are saving seeds from a zucchini/courgette (C. pepo) the pollen could be from a spaghetti squash, which is also the same species, C. pepo. You wouldn't know that cross-pollinate from a different species occurred until you plant out those seeds. You can learn more here, https://seedsavers.org/squash-hand-pollination/. Some people aren't as concerned about maintaining a variety and will let things "promiscuously pollinate", if you do that and share mark them "Diverse Mix." We don't recommend this for the species C. pepo (zucchini, summer squash, some pumpkins, spaghetti squash and gourds for 2 reasons. 1) spaghetti + zucs could have a weird consistency and 2) gourds are BITTER! and if someone near you is growing ornamental gourds, your seeds could have that bitter gene and be inedible!) If you want to learn more, join me for the seed saving class I am teaching at the end of the month, https://givebutter.com/seedsavingJuly29. Happy seed saving and sharing!
Do you all sell printed seed envelopes with places to write the varieties and a check off box for diversity or sequestered or something like that? I don’t want to make my own and I would like to support a good cause.
We have a free program called the Auto Seed Wrapper. It is a game changer. We have 70 common species and their common name, scientific name, planting instructions, sun requirements, and seed saving instructions. You type in the varietal information and the year, then next year, you just change the year and print. They can be printed on a variety of sized Avery labels (or print on paper like we do and we put them in the self-serve envelopes or jars). Next year, all you need to do is change the year. Such a time saver and people get high quality info. Go to our webpage and go to the envelopes and labels page. Scroll down about half the page to make your own copy. Sorry, links aren’t allowed. Otherwise, I would have added it.
Hi Jasmine, we used AI to generate the content. It took me about 25 hours of prompting and then editing to get what we were looking for. As a 100% volunteer organization that runs on a limited budget, we wish we had the capacity to hire an artist to do these, but at this moment we don't.
New here and wanting to learn everything! Why prevent insect pollination in the case of the squashes?
Hi Anna, if you don't tape the flowers before they open, hand pollinate, and then tape them back shut an insect can bring pollen from a different variety of the same species. (NOTE: There are 4 main species of squash and insects can bring the pollen from as far away as 800 feet to ½ mile or 250+m.) So while you think you are saving seeds from a zucchini/courgette (C. pepo) the pollen could be from a spaghetti squash, which is also the same species, C. pepo. You wouldn't know that cross-pollinate from a different species occurred until you plant out those seeds. You can learn more here, https://seedsavers.org/squash-hand-pollination/. Some people aren't as concerned about maintaining a variety and will let things "promiscuously pollinate", if you do that and share mark them "Diverse Mix." We don't recommend this for the species C. pepo (zucchini, summer squash, some pumpkins, spaghetti squash and gourds for 2 reasons. 1) spaghetti + zucs could have a weird consistency and 2) gourds are BITTER! and if someone near you is growing ornamental gourds, your seeds could have that bitter gene and be inedible!) If you want to learn more, join me for the seed saving class I am teaching at the end of the month, https://givebutter.com/seedsavingJuly29. Happy seed saving and sharing!
Thank you! I just signed up for the class. :)
Unless you love the crosses as much as I do. In that case plant diversity and let them all party. :)
We are definitely welcoming everyone to the party. Check out the “Embrace Diversity” bookmark!
LOVE THESE BOOKMARKS!!!
Thanks, Alyssa. It was fun .. albeit tedious to make. I'm glad you like them!
I can only imagine….
Do you all sell printed seed envelopes with places to write the varieties and a check off box for diversity or sequestered or something like that? I don’t want to make my own and I would like to support a good cause.
We have a free program called the Auto Seed Wrapper. It is a game changer. We have 70 common species and their common name, scientific name, planting instructions, sun requirements, and seed saving instructions. You type in the varietal information and the year, then next year, you just change the year and print. They can be printed on a variety of sized Avery labels (or print on paper like we do and we put them in the self-serve envelopes or jars). Next year, all you need to do is change the year. Such a time saver and people get high quality info. Go to our webpage and go to the envelopes and labels page. Scroll down about half the page to make your own copy. Sorry, links aren’t allowed. Otherwise, I would have added it.
Are the bookmarks created by someone on from the Seed Library Network or do they contain any AI generated content (images, phrases, layout etc...)?
Hi Jasmine, we used AI to generate the content. It took me about 25 hours of prompting and then editing to get what we were looking for. As a 100% volunteer organization that runs on a limited budget, we wish we had the capacity to hire an artist to do these, but at this moment we don't.
Understood. Thank you!