This was my first year growing vegetables — four tomato plants and five pepper plants — and the experience proved to be very, well, fruitful. My little garden is winding down with the cooler and wetter weather, but I’m already thinking about what to plant next year. Perhaps I’ll even start some plants from seed.
If you like to grow things, and have an interest in harvesting seeds from your own plants, this week’s book has great information for all gardeners. The author shares seed-saving basics to help you get started, such as when to harvest seeds, how to clean them and how long they can be stored. You’ll also get a few interesting biology lessons about seed development, pollination and germination. And when those seeds finally turn into seedlings, you’ll know exactly what to do when it’s time to transplant.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to gather all those apple, pear and sunflower seeds in the yard. Not every seed is the same, so you’ll want to peruse the plant-by-plant details of seed collecting, cleaning and planting. Being well-informed will help you to grow beautiful herbs and flowers — and perhaps an apple tree or two as well.
Jan Johnston is the Collection Development Coordinator for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District. Email her at readingforfun@fvrl.org. She blogs at youbetterreadnow.blogspot.com.
