THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SEED SAVING

 

Before seed companies existed, gardeners around the world saved seeds from their crops to grow the following season. New varieties arose out of careful selection of desirable attributes, such as cold-hardiness or resistance to drought, resulting in an astonishing diversity of colors, shapes, taste and use. Locals traded seeds with one another, and any travel usually resulted in an infusion of new seed varieties being introduced. Seeds were indeed valuable currency!

In order to build true food security, it is important to build seed security. More and more growers are returning to this essential skill of seed saving and sharing as a way to create greater levels of resiliency and to preserve heritage seed varieties.

Join us and Janet Melrose, Calgary's Cottage Gardener, as we explore the various methods of collecting, cleaning and storing seeds, why seed saving is important, various types of seeds (open-pollinated vs. hybrid), and some of the best plants to collect seeds from in Alberta.