If you looked at my vege garden now a number of thoughts would cross your mind. The first would almost certainly be, "how scruffy". You would see lettuce gone to seed, discarded courgettes the size of marrows and fat yellow cucumbers that were once gherkins before inflation caught up with them. I would like to say, in defense, that your first impressions could be, well, not quite correct. Really, it's all part of a master plan to gather seed for next season. Well, that's my story. You didn't notice all those weeds did you?
It is worth saving seed though and I already have lots of beans, chillis and tomatoes saved away. Dry seeds are no problem. Tomatoes need a different approach. Smeared over some kitchen paper, which you then fold and label, they can be dried in some warm place. The top of the fridge is ideal. Heirloom tomatoes do come true from seed. They are usually robust and disease tolerant. Best of all they have great flavour. Some commercial varieties are well worth saving as well. They do tend to travel well. Should you want a tomato that can be dropped from the Skytower without bruising don't choose the Heirloom varieties go for more modern types.
Gourmet seeds can cost $10.00 for a packet of 20 seeds. Luckily they also come prepackaged in much larger quantities. You get them from the vege shop, eat the package and SAVE THE SEED! Pumpkins are a great example. The small sweet capsicums pictured came this way. The plants have proved to be ideal for the home garden. They do not rot on the plant like the larger bell pepper, they are sweeter, quicker maturing and will ripen after picking.
There aren't many opportunities for a free lunch, but gathering your own seed is certainly one of them.
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