S1 Ep 49: Seed Saving at Home: How to, History, Hybrids and Why it Matters!

In this weeks episode Martha and Jamie discuss how saving seed can be simple, satisfying and useful in gardens of every size. They give a practical introduction to saving seeds from many of the plants likely already growing in your garden, such as peas, beans, lettuce, calendula and tomatoes. They cover why we should avoid seed from early-bolting crops, useful drying and storing techniques, the history of commercial plant breeding, seed registration and the important role of home gardeners in keeping varieties alive. Martha also shares the story of Nikolai Vavilov, his international seed collection and the brave scientists who guarded it at all costs during the siege of Leningrad. And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':French bean Firetongue:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/french-bean-firetongue/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.