Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Seeds

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is that I save seeds.  I know that sounds silly for an apartment dweller to save seeds when there is no place to plant a garden.  But I save them for two reasons.

The first is that when things get bad, I have children who have lawns that can be converted into garden plots, should said children finally see the error of their ways and discover that raising food is a good thing.  To be fair, one of them has done this with a couple of raised beds.  Should seeds become hard to get, they need look no further than Mom's shelves.

The second reason is that my building has a communal deck large enough to raise several different kinds of plants in buckets or tubs.  Someone in a newer building than mine (this building was built in the late 1800's) probably has a balcony for each apartment that can be used as well.  Over the winter I plan to research the best way to garden in containers.  In the meantime, I have purchased seeds and I save seeds from produce, mostly from the Farmer's Market.  I am aware that hybrid seeds will not always produce fruit just like the fruit the seeds came from.  I don't care, as long as they produce something edible.  And sometimes seeds from purchased produce will not grow at all.  So to test those I have saved, I sprinkle a few seeds on damp paper towels, wrap that in a damp kitchen towel and wait to see if the seeds sprout.  If they do, I package the remaining seeds and mark them, storing them away from heat and light.

Another idea I saw was to sprout seeds in a quart jar.  Google "sprouting seeds" for instructions.  There are lots of websites and videos on how to do this.  I have not tried sprouting my seeds as yet, but will be giving it a go over winter.  There are seed sprouting kits in stores and online.  I see no reason not to buy seeds in bulk and use only those according to your own tastes (some might like radish sprouts while others may not, etc.).  Seems to me this might be a good way to add fresh green things to a person's diet.

We apartment dwellers may be challenged as to storage and gardening space, but with a positive attitude and a bit of research, there is no reason we can't find ways to accomplish what we set out to do.

12 comments:

  1. You may find that crops raised in a communal area get stolen. I'd try to take advantage of sprouting, and my window sills.

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  2. Gorges...You are probably right, but in bad times it might be worth the risk. I am going to try sprouting over the winter. My younger grands like trying new things, so I may get them to try it, too.

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  3. I have a huge collection of seeds but they are hybrids and ten years old, at least. I need to ditch them and get some new ones.

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  4. Harry...I read somewhere that seeds will keep a very long time if frozen. I need to check that out to be sure, but if that is true, I'm thinking about saving up and ordering from a reputable heirloom seed company. Eventually I will run out of food and seeds could be a really important item to have.

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  5. I do have produce stolen in my community garden plots. I think it's just a sign of how little respect some people have for the property of others. It hasn't stopped me from gardening there, however.

    I have changed what I plant. Instead of big, slicing tomatoes, I plant cherry tomatoes. It was too discouraging to be waiting for the perfect red on a big slicer to find it gone the next time I was in the garden. So now I just plant a few cherry tomatoes and if some are stolen it doesn't effect me. I also try and go every day when my strawberry plants are producing. Long story to say that I have learned to adapt.
    And *Harry - you might be surprised in your old seeds. Try sprouting your seeds in between damp paper towels and check for viability before you ditch them. Even if half sprouted, you'd have something. Just my 2-cents.
    SJ in Vancouver BC Canada.

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  6. SJ...There is a chance that produce could be stolen from the deck, but I think it might be worth the risk. The deck gives me a lovely view of the parking lot of the bar behind my building, so it isn't like it is seen from the street in front. It is accessible only from inside the building and the outside doors are locked and opened only with a key or a code. If someone wanted a tomato, they would have to climb up to get it. You are right about people having little respect for the property of others these days. Sad. really.

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  7. Thanks, Rob...Hope all is well in your world, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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  8. Plus - you can roast 'em and eat them. Roasted pumpkin seeds are an excellent snack, and very important for males (your son) to consume ;)

    I did a post on sprouting seeds a while back. If you'd like info : http://ecofootprintsa.blogspot.co.za/2011/09/simple-year-round-source-of-nutrition.html

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  9. Thank you, Dani...I should have remembered your post on sprouting seeds. I went back and read it again and it told me what I wanted to know. After the holidays I will order some seeds for that purpose and give it a go. The thought of having fresh green stuff in the middle of our winter is wonderful, especially when it is something I can do myself. You are a wealth of information! :)

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  10. I also save seeds. You do need to be careful of you are making sprouts from seeds. A few seeds are poisonous to us in sprout form. I buy seeds special for sprouting. We enjoy them in soups and salads.

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  11. Thanks for the advice, Lisa...I will check out my local stores for seeds for sprouting and if that fails, I will order some from a reputable company. I love the idea of having sprouts to use in the ways you mentioned. My younger granddaughters enjoy making things in the kitchen, so I'll bet they would have fun with this as well.

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