Chapter 1:
Saving Vegetable Seeds: A Gardener’s Guide is a book by Rob Johnston which provides instruction on how to save vegetable seeds. In this first chapter, Johnston discusses the basics of seed saving, the benefits of seed saving, and the techniques that can be used to save seeds. He starts by noting the importance of understanding the concept of plant genetics before starting the process of saving seeds. Johnston then explains that saving vegetable seeds can help gardeners maintain varieties of vegetables that work best in their climate, save money, and generally be more sustainable. Finally, Johnston provides an overview of the techniques used to save seeds, which include isolating the plants, hand pollination, and using the cleaning and drying process. Throughout the chapter, real-life examples are used to illustrate the principles of seed saving, such as how cucumbers should be isolated to allow only the cucumbers with the desired genetics to contribute to the seed-saving process.
Chapter 2:
In the second chapter of Saving Vegetable Seeds, Johnston explains the basics of pollination and how it affects plant genetics. Johnston begins by discussing how plants have both male and female parts which must unite for pollination to occur and details the processes that can be used to achieve this. He then takes readers through the basics of genetic diversity, explaining the effects of cross-pollination as well as self-pollination, and how this affects the seeds you may gather. Finally, Johnston also encourages readers to consider the capacity of their garden and how that will affect the number of plants needed for seed saving. Throughout this chapter, real-world examples are used to explain the importance of genetics in seed saving. For example, Johnston explains how cross-pollination between two different species of tomatoes would produce hybrid seeds that are not true to the parent plants, making it important to understand the process of pollination and plant genetics to maximize the success of seed-saving.
Chapter 3:
In the third chapter of Saving Vegetable Seeds, Johnston provides readers with a detailed overview of the techniques used to save vegetable seeds. He explains the process for hand pollination, which involves selecting compatible plants, covering the flowers and preventing cross-pollination, and manually transferring pollen. He then outlines the isolation techniques that are recommended for certain vegetables, such as using screens or distance isolation for peas, beans, and corn, as well as isolation by time for melons. Johnston then describes the process of cleaning the harvested seeds, which involves separating the seeds from the pulp and debris, and then preparing them for drying. Finally, Johnston explains the importance of drying the seeds to a specific moisture content before storing to allow them to retain optimum viability.
Throughout the chapter, real-world examples are used to demonstrate the techniques outlined. For instance, Johnston includes a diagram of the hand-pollination process which illustrates the step-by-step process in detail. He also provides a diagram of the cleaning and drying process, which includes an explanation of the machinery used to dry the seeds. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the techniques used to save vegetable seeds and provides clear information on the process.
