The

Seed
Garden
The Art and Practice of Seed Saving
edited by lee buttala

&

shanyn siegel

s e e d s av e r s e x c h a n g e

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CONTEN TS

Seed Quality, Storage and

Germination 000

I n tro d u cti o n 0 0 0

The Art and Practice of

Seed Saving 000

Seed Quality and Longevity Seed Moisture

Content Home Seed Storage Germination
Tests Seed Dormancy

Why Save Seeds 000

The Seed Garden 000

Botany of Seed Saving 000

Nomenclature and Taxonomy Propagation

Flowers Pollination and Fertilization
Fruits Seeds
Mating Systems

000

Mating Systems Pollination Methods

Insect Pollinators Floral Diversity
Staying true: Seed Saving and
Varietal Maintenance 000

Open-pollinated Versus Hybrid Varieties

Isolation and Pollination Management
Population Size and the Maintenance of
Genetic Diversity Rogueing and Selection
Crop Improvement 000

Planning for Seed Saving Choosing Varieties

Seed Saving in the Vegetable Garden
Beginner Recommendations 000

Plant Profiles

000

Introduction 000

Common name directory

000

Plant Profiles 000

Ap p e n d i x: S eed Saving Mast er Tab le 000

Ap p e n d i x: Germi nat io n Tab le 000
Ap p e n d i x: R egio nal and Climact ic
Co n sid e ratio ns 000
Ap p e n d i x: Legalit ies 000

Cultivating for Seed 000

Plant Lifecycles Photoperiodism and

Vernalization Timing and Spacing General
Plant Culture Seedborne Diseases 000

Ap p e n d i x: S eed Screen Sizes 000

G lossa ry 000
Index 000
Ac kn ow l e dgements 000

Harvesting and
Cleaning Seeds 000

Harvesting Cleaning Seeds from Dry-Fruited

Crops Cleaning Seeds from Fleshy-Fruited
Crops 000

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The

Botany
of Seed
Saving
For some gardeners, an understanding of botany can
transform the magical and mysterious path of a plantfrom
seed to seedling, from flower to fruit, and back again into
seedinto something more measured and technical than
wondrous and spiritual. But as one comes to understand
the scientific underpinnings within the formation of a seed,
this deeper understanding of botany only works to reinforce
a belief in the miraculous processes at work in the garden,
bringing with it a deeper appreciation of the merging of art
and science which is at play in the horticultural universe, and
in the tradition of seed saving.

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into a family. An understanding of each of the

various classifications tells us something about a
plant that may be of interest to the seed saver.
Within each species exist cultivated varieties (also called cultivars), a group of plants of
a particular species with a set of characteristics
that distinguish it from other varieties within its
species. These distinct characteristics can be in
the plants form, color, days to maturity, disease
resistance or heat or cold tolerance. For example, White Icicle radish has 3- to 4-inch long,
slender, cylindrical white roots and is typically
ready for eating in tk days, while Cherry Belle
radish has rounded red roots that are usually
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
about 1 inch in diameter, and can be harvested
Simply put, plant taxonomy is the science that
for eating in tk days. Although these two radish
identifies and classifies plants into categories
types differ in certain horticultural characterisaccording to how closely they are related and
tics, they still belong to the same species and can
how many traits they share in common. Each
breed with one another.
of the categories provides
Cherry Belle and White
useful information, but the
Icicle are radish cultivars,
main taxonomic focus for
but are most often referred
seed savers is on having
to as varieties. Although
a basic understanding of
the terms variety and
family, genus, species, and
cultivar are often used as
variety.
synonyms for one another,
A species, considered
botanically speaking, a
the most basic, elemental
variety is a plant that has
unit of taxonomic classifinaturally evolved to have
cation, is generally defined
distinct characteristics in
as a group of organisms
its form, whereas a cultivar
that are able to interbreed
(or cultivated variety) has
and produce fertile offbeen bred or selected by
spring. Taxonomists group
humans to have desirable
plants into hierarchical
Vegetable plants from which we collect
traits, such as curly leaves,
levels of classification
seed are angiosperms, flowering plants
red-rounded roots, or a
according to their simiknown for their covered seeds, with the
resistance to a particular
larities and evolutionary
cover of the seed being a fruit. Within this
larger classification, plant families, such as
disease.
history. Closely related spethe Apiaceae family which includes fennel,
Individuals of the
cies are classified together
depicted above, share many similarities in
same species share a
within a genus; genera (the
their flowers and fruits, but do not share as
plural of genus) that are
scientific, or botanical,
much in common as a genus or species.
closely related are classified
name. The first part is the

o understand the life of a plant, and the

nature of how seed is produced, requires
a basic knowledge of how plants are classified and named, their botanical parts, and the
role that these elements play in sexual reproduction and the formation of a seed. This knowledge,
beginning with how different plants are related to
one another, provides a seed saver with a newfound ability to observe the processes at work in
the garden and to use this information to collect
seed that can be planted for seasons to come.

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While all of these radishes are of the species

Raphanus sativus, each is a different variety or
cultivar, prized by gardeners for some distinct quality,
such as color, shape or flavor. Most gardeners have
specific cultivars of various vegetables that they plant
in their garden every year, which is often why they
begin to save seeds.

genus name, and the second part is the specific

epithet, or the species descriptor within that
genus. The specific epithet usually adds some
descriptive information about the species, but,
as it is a descriptor that is not unique to that
genus alone, it does not constitute a name if
unassociated with a genus. Properly written,
a species name is italicized, and the genus is
capitalized while the specific epithet is not. For
example Raphanus sativus is the scientific name
for radish. Raphanus is the genus, and sativus
(roughly translated as cultivated or domesticated) is the specific epithet. Some specific
epithets are used across many genera, as they
describe traits or forms that may be common
across species. Cucumis sativus and Lactuca
sativa, the respective scientific names for
cultivated cucumber and lettuce, both share a
specific epithet with radish, yet the three species
themselves are not closely related. Cultivar or
variety names are typically surrounded by single
quotes after the species name (Raphanus sativus
Cherry Belle), but can also be used in conjunction with common names as in the earlier
example of Cherry Belle radishes. Like specific

epithets, a cultivar name may not be unique, but

sometimes it reveals a bit of a varietys history or
functions as a descriptor of some aspect of the
plant. As the interest in heirloom vegetables has
grown over the years, cultivar names are increasingly finding their way on to restaurant menus.
By definition, plants that are in the same species can sexually reproduce with each other, and
understanding this is crucial to the seed saver.
It may come as a surprise to some gardeners
that broccoli and collards are the same species,
Brassica oleracea. Collards were selected for their
edible leaves while broccoli was domesticated,
and is grown, for its edible flower buds. Although
harvested collards and broccoli look quite
different from each other as vegetables, they are
capable of reproducing with each other, which
might not be surprising if one compared their
flowers. And although their offspring would share
genes from both crops, what characteristics these
offspring might share with their parents would be
unpredictable.

The scientific name of okra is Abelmoschus esculentus. The specific

epithet esculentus loosely translates to ripe or delicious, and refers
to the species edible fruits. Scientific names are useful because
they are consistent across all languages.

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woody plants, as well as with a few vegetables

such as Jerusalem artichokes and sweet potatoes. However, relatively few vegetable crops
are primarily reproduced vegetatively. Most
are grown from seed, and for the seed saver, a
general understanding of how a plant flowers and
produces seeds is necessary for the preservation
of coveted varieties of vegetables.

Conversely, it
they then all became
may also come as a
members of the newly
surprise that Rouge
named Brassicaceae
Vif DEtampes
family. Many gardenpumpkins and Winter
ers who remember
Luxury pumpkins
these crops as part of
belong to the same
the original family
genus (Cucurbita), but
still commonly use
are separate species.
the term crucifer
Rouge Vif DEtampes
when speaking of this
pumpkin is a
group of plants. While
Curcurbita maxima
these reclassifications
Although this flower is from a variety of cabbage, it is
cultivar, while Winter
may be frustrating to
indistinguishable from the flowers of other members
of the species Brassica oleracea, including Brussels
Luxury pumpkins are
a gardener who has
sprouts, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and
a variety of Cucurbita
learned the old name
European kale. These crop types are capable of repropepo. Although closely
of a genus or family,
ducing with one another but any offspring from such
related, and referred to
they rarely impact the
crosses would unpredictable as to their appearance.
by the same common
work of a seed saver.
name, these two
pumpkins will not interbreed with each other.
Becoming familiar with the botanical names of
Propagation
plant species is essential to the seed saver as it tells
As most gardeners know, plants can be reproof a relationship between plants in a manner that
duced in more than one way. When a gardener
common names such as collards and broccoli, or
is interested in collecting seed and using this
pumpkin, do not.
seed to grow more plants, the process at play is
Occasionally, the taxonomic classification
known as sexual reproduction because genetic
or name of a collection of plants changes as
material from two parents are being combined to
scientists understanding of
create new offspring in the
the relationships between
form of seeds. These seeds
plants deepens and evolves.
will become plants that
For example, many spehave characteristics of both
cies belonging to the
parents because they share
fpo
Brassicaceae family (a family
their DNA. But many plants
is a collection of genera that
can also be reproduced
are closely related) used to
asexually through vegetabe known as members of the
tive propagation, which
Cruciferae family, named
typically involves taking a
after their characteristic
part of the plant a root,
Common names can prove confuscross-shaped, cruciform,
a leaf, a stem, or a division
ing. Both of these fruits are known as
four-petaled flowers. When
of a plant and inducing
pumpkins, but as they are not from the
scientists found that these
it to develop into a plant of
same species, these two varieties, tk and
plants, which include
its own. These plants will
tk, cannot breed with one another and
vegetables such as kale,
be genetically identical to
produce fertile offspring. For this reason,
broccoli, cabbage and
their parent and this process
knowledge of a plants botanical name is
of use to the seed saver in understanding
cauliflower, were part of a
is used in the propagation
which
plants
may
cross
or
interbreed.
broader family of plants,
of many perennial and

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Flowers
Many gardeners consider flowers as things of
beauty, much more than as a sum of their botanical parts, but in the life of a plant, the role of a
flower is anything but decorative. A flower is the
seed and fruit producing structure within a plant.
Within the structure of flowers there are male
and female reproductive parts that allow a plant
to create offspring in the form of seeds.
Flowers, botanically defined most simply as
the reproductive organs of angiosperm plants,
provide a useful tool for understanding how readily a species will reproduce and what is needed
for it to succeed in making it through the various
stages of sexual reproduction in plants: pollination, fertilization, fruit and seed set.
The female reproductive organ or the female
part of a flower is known as the pistil. The pistil is
comprised of three parts, the ovary, the style, and
the stigma. The stigma is the receptive surface at
the top of the pistil that receives the pollen from
the male parts of a flower, and it is connected to
the ovary by means of a tubular style. The ovary
houses the ovules, which contain egg cells and
will develop into seeds if fertilized. The ovary
itself matures into a fruit upon fertilization.
The male reproductive organ of the flower
is called the stamen. The stamen is made up of
the anther and the filament. Pollen grains, which
supply the sperm cells for the fertilization of the
ovules, are produced in and released from the
anther, which is presented on the end of a long,
protruding stalk, or filament.
The flower also has petals and sepals, perhaps
the most recognizable parts of a flower. The
sepals such as the small green modified leaves

that surround a rose bud before it opensprotect

the flower bud during development, while the
petals can play a role in reproduction by attracting pollinators with their patterning and color.
While these parts can encourage the reproductive process, they are considered accessory
parts and are not needed specifically for sexual
reproduction. However, for seasoned seed savers,
petals can often hold clues as to how a specific
plant approaches pollination.
Not all flowers are created equally and what
type of flowers a plant has impacts how it can
reproduce. Botanically, a perfect flowerwhich
is also called a bisexual flower-- must have both
female and male reproductive parts, the pistil
and stamen, in one flower. An imperfect flower
is unisexual, and is commonly referred to as
either a female flower or male flower. Plants that
have both unisexual female flowers and unisexual
male flowers on one plant are known as monoecious (this term derives from the Latin for one
household, meaning male and female flowers
live on the same plant). Corn is an example of a
monoecious crop plant, where the male flowers

A perfect flower,
such as that of
peppers, has
both male and
female flower
parts. The blue
anthers of this
flower surround
the stigma,
which has a
sticky surface
that captures
pollen grains as
part of the fertilization process.

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mating
Systems
Watching a honeybee alighting on a flower or a hummingbird
floating in front of a blossom, foraging for nectar or pollen,
is one of those moments that takes a gardener away from the
everyday tasks of weeding and cultivating, and reminds us of
the special relationship between plants and their pollinators.
By delving more deeply into this universe and understanding
the anatomy of a flower and the method by which a species
is pollinated, seed savers gain insight into the various mating
systems of some of their favorite species and cultivars.

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MAST E R C L ASS

hand-pollination of squash
Four species of squash are normally grown as
garden vegetables. They share the same pollination mechanisms and floral anatomy, and
respond to the same process of hand-pollination.
Although squash plants bloom continuously over the course of the growing season,
each individual flower opens for just one day,
and hand-pollination requires some planning
and attention to timing to ensure success.
Hand-pollinating squash plants occurs on two
consecutive days beginning in the late afternoon when flowers that are just about to open
are identified and secured shut, and completed
the next morning when the flowers are pollinated
manually.
Identifying flowers that are about to open
takes some practice, but is relatively straightforward. When in bud, the squash blossoms are
greenish yellow or pale creamy-yellow in color.
On the day before they open the fused petals will
begin to split open at the top and a small seam of
yellow will typically be visible.
Squash plants are monoecious, and both
male and female flowers need to be secured shut.
Female flowers are easily identified by visible ovaries, which resemble a small squash, located just
below their blossoms; the flowers without ovaries
are male. The male flowers, which provide the
pollen, should be secured shut with flagging
ribbon, tape, clothespins, or any other material
that will prevent the petals from expanding and
allowing insects access to their reproductive
organs. A flag is often inserted in the ground next
to each of the sealed flowers so that they can be
easily found the next morning amongst all of
the foliage. Follow the same process with female
flowers keeping in mind that care must be take
to leave enough of the petals intact to secure the
blossoms again after hand pollinating. This will
ensure that the seeds produced are the product of
the manually transferred pollen and not from naturally occurring insect pollination that can occur

on the same day after hand-pollination, while the

stigma is still receptive.
The following morning, hand pollination
is carried out during the time of day when the
squash blossoms are normally open. Flowers
can open just after dawn, and remain open until
early afternoon, though the exact timing and
duration is influenced by environmental conditions. The male squash flower, typically borne
on a long peduncle (stalk), should be picked
and brought to the female flower. First open the
male flower and remove the petals of the male
flower entirely, leaving the anthers and pollen
exposed upon the end of the peduncle. Moving
quickly, carefully open the female flower the
goal is to complete the hand pollination process
before any bees intervene and brush the pollen
from the anthers onto the entire surface of the
stigma. The pollen grains are large enough that
they will be visible on the stigma after pollination. Close the female petals up again and tape
them shut, ensuring that there are no openings
that pollinating insects can get through. The
petals will shrivel, and, along with the tape, will
likely fall off after fertilization is complete and
the fruit begins to develop. Tie a ribbon or some
other weather-resistant marker to the stem of the
hand-pollinated flower so the isolated fruit can
be easily identified at harvest.
Hand-pollination can be done using just one
male flower for each female, but some gardeners
choose to transfer pollen from the anthers of two
or three male flowers to the receptive stigma of a
female flower to effectively include more plants
in the reproductive population. If possible,
choose males flowers from a separate plant than
the one bearing the female blossom.
Expect low rates of successful pollinations when
first learning to hand pollinate a species. It is generally a good idea to pollinate at least four times
as many flowers as the number of fruits from
which one wishes to collect seed.

1. In the afternoon, identify male and

female flowers about to open.

2. Secure female blossom closed.

3. Secure male flower closed.

4. Mark location of sealed flowers.

5. The following morning, collect sealed

male flowers from plants and locate
flower to be pollinated.

6. Working quickly, remove petals from the

male flowers and open female blossom.

7. Still working quickly, brush pollen from anthers onto entire

surface of stigma. Pollen grains should be visible.

8. Thoroughly seal pollinated female flower.

Mark flower for seed collection so that the
fruit can be readily identified when mature.

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Lactuca sativa
lett u ce
ranges from the burgundy red leaves of Lolla
Rossa through blue and lime green to the
chartreuse of the butterhead variety Mantilla.
In addition, some varieties have speckled, tinted,
or blushed leaves such as the aptly named
Sanguine Ameliore that has foliage with a splash
of blood red. Leaves range in shape and form
from the smooth, lanceolate leaves of Amish
Deer Tongue and the lacy frilled leaves of Reine
De Glace to the deeply serrated leaves of Green
Oakleaf.
Lettuces are grouped into categories. Looseleaf varieties, sometimes simply called leaf
lettuces, form loose, open heads and the full
spectrum of leaf colors and shapes can be found
among these types. They are also often harvested
young and as cut-and-come-again lettuce crops.
Butterhead, or bibb, lettuces such as Ella Kropf
form small, loose heads with leaves known for
their smooth, buttery texture. Crisphead, or
iceberg, cultivars develop a head of tightly overlapping leaves and romaine, or cos, lettuces are
easily recognized by their thick leaves with large
mid-ribs arranged into tall, upright heads.
A lesser-known member of the species
Lactuca sativa is celtuce, also known as Chinese
lettuce, asparagus lettuce, or celery lettuce.
Grown for its distinctive thick edible stem,
this variety is harvested when its stem is about
1inches thick and is used in stir-fries.
Oilseed lettuce, seldom seen in home gardens, is cultivated for its seeds that are pressed to
extract cooking oil. Oilseed lettuce seeds yield up
to 35% of their weight in oil.

Most gardeners have grown lettuce close to the point that seed can be collected without even
realizing it. As a self-pollinated crop that typically bolts, flowers, and sets seed in one season
without taking over a huge amount of vegetable garden real estate, this is an easy crop for the
first-time seed saver, particularly if one starts with a loose-leaf variety. Many gardeners simply
allow a select few of their plants to set seeds, clean and store what they collect, and, since
lettuce seeds can be viable for up to six
years, plant it out in the years ahead. And
with so many varieties of open-pollinated
Three times actual size

Lactuca sativa
Family:

options from which to choose.

Asteraceae

Lifecycle:

Annual

Crop Types

When growing lettuce for seed,

increase spacing to at least 12 inches (30 cm) on
center
Suggested Spacing:

Other Requirements:

lettuce available, seed savers have many

None

Primarily coveted as an essential ingredient in

salads, most lettuce is grown for its edible leaves
that range in color, shape, and form. Leaf color

Perfect, self-fertile flowers grouped into

inflorescences called heads. Multiple heads are
further arranged in a panicle.

Flower Type:

Pollination:

Self-pollinated (autogamous)

Mating System: Almost entirely self-pollinating; pollination typically occurs before the stigma emerges.

Lettuce is
cross-compatible with wild lettuce (Lactuca serriola),
but the self-pollinating nature of the species makes
this of little concern. Keep wild lettuce weeded
within lettuce beds or plantings.

Additional Cross-pollination Concerns:

Dry, indehiscent, single-seeded fruit

(achene). The fruit acts as a seed for propagation
purposes.

Fruit Type:

Seed Maturity: Seed maturity occurs after market maturity, when the pappus emerges. At maturity, seeds are
readily dispersed by wind.
Screen Sizes: 364

34664 34 inch (1 202 20 mm)

Expected Seed Life:

Isolation Distance
Seed Saving: 1020

(36 m)

feet

Commercial Production:

50 feet (15 m)

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History

6 years
Population Size
For Viable Seeds: 1 plant
For Variety Maintenance:

510 plants

For Genetic Preservation:

20 plants

Thought to have originated in what is present-day Iran and Turkey, archaeological evidence
indicates that lettuce was grown in Egypt more
than 6,000 years ago as an oilseed crop and as an
aphrodisiac. Lettuce gained status as a popular
vegetable in ancient Greece and Rome, and

Tennis Ball lettuce, which was grown by Thomas

Jefferson at Monticello, can be planted in an ornamental border along with Bulls Blood beets and
nasturtiums.

For many gardeners, the sight

of lettuce bolting signals that
its leaves have turned bitter and
unpalatable but these flower
stalks serve a reminder to seed
savers of an impending harvest
of ripened seed.

a 2,000 year-old Roman recipe calls for using

lettuce to make a dish fairly recognizable to present-day salad eaters, a collection of leaves dressed
with herbs, oil, vinegar and pepper.
Growing Lettuce for Seed

A self-pollinating annual with minimal isolation

requirements, most lettuce varieties will flower
and set seed readily in one growing season.
In fact, a moment gardeners typically lament
-- when flower stalks of lettuce emerge and the
leaves turn bitter is the beginning of the seed
production process. These branched flower stalks
may reach 3 feet tall or more, but do not typically require staking. Lettuce plants being grown
for seed should be spaced 15 inches on center.
Lettuce can easily be planted at typical garden
spacing and harvested for eating with several
plants being left to develop into a seed crop.
Leaf lettuces being grown for seed may be lightly
harvested. For the best seed harvest, gardeners
should time sowing so that plants reach full size
prior to flowering (cool temperatures of approximately 60F are ideal for lettuce growth), so that
flowering coincides with a period of warmer temperatures (ideally around 70F). In many northern
parts of the country, this is accomplished with
a typical spring planting, with flowering and

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seed set occurring during the warmer months

of summer, but gardeners in other regions may
find that this is best achieved at the time they
are accustomed to planting their main lettuce
crop--possibly in late summer, fall, or even winter
depending on regional conditions. Leaf lettuce
plants grown for seed probably need to remain in
the garden at least xx days to reach full maturity.
By choosing lettuce varieties suited to different
regions of the country, seed savers can help
ensure successful seed production.
By limiting or eliminating overhead watering
during seed production, a gardener can improve
seed quality. Commercial growers in wet regions
of the country collecting larger crops even
protect their lettuce from rain with a hoophouse
or overhead cover, but for the home seed saver
these techniques are optional.
Flowering, Pollination,

cold temperatures immediately after germination

have all been cited as additional or compounding
influences.
Flowering triggers vary so much from
variety to variety that there is no exact formula
for predicting flowering times, but some general patterns between market classes are fairly
well accepted. Celtuce and loose-leaf types are
typically the earliest flowering, while the heading
types flower laterwith crisphead lettuces typically requiring the longest season to flower. The
flower stalks of tight heading types occasionally
need assistance emerging, which can be done
by cutting an X in the head as it reaches market
maturity or by cracking the head open with a slap
of the hand. Beginner seed savers are advised to
start with a loose-leaf variety, preferably one they
have grown to full size maturity in their garden.
Most varieties of lettuce mature individual seeds
12 to 21 days after fertilization.

Another method
The sequential flowering
allows one to harvest all
pattern in lettuce gives
at once and is used by
rise to a similar pattern
commercial growers.
in seed maturity with
When approximately
seed developing over an
60-75% of the seed heads
extended period on each
are mature, plants are
flower branch. When
pulled up, roots and
the seed feathers, or
all, and transitioned to
produces a light grey
a space where they can
pappus -- tufts of hairs on
continue drying. Plants
each seed that facilitate
are placed on landscape
wind dispersal, the seed
fabric with seeds heads
is mature.
pointed toward center
The fruit and seed
of cloth and then left to
of lettuce are so closely
mature and dry for about
a week prior to cleaning.
interdeveloped that they
are almost indiscernible.
In humid or rainy locales,
this process may be modiThe seed remains in the
fruit at maturityit is
fied by putting plants into
The emerging pappus signals that seed matuactually the single seeded
bags or tubs and bringing
rity is approaching. At full maturity, achenes
fruit (achene) that is
them inside a garage or
will be dispersed by wind currents.
sown. Although the fruits
other protected space.
are indehiscent and do
not break open, seed should be collected before
Cleaning
it is dispersed by wind.
Cleaning methods vary depending on how the
A simple seed gathering technique, useful if
seed was collected and how much chaff is presseeds are being collected from just a few plants, is
ent. If achenes were gathered by shaking plants
to hand harvest individual seed heads and transor grabbing seed heads, there should be relatively
fer into a small bag or container. Provided the
little chaff and cleaning techniques can focus
pappus has formed but not yet fulfilled its seed
on separating the seed from the pappus. Lightly
dispersal function, taking hold of the pappus and
rubbing the clusters together between your hands
picking it along with the seed is an easy method
or against a screen should provide enough force
of hand collection. Each seed head should
to separate the seed and pappus while not damproduce about 15-25 seeds, making this an ideal
aging any seeds. Once separated, the seed lot can
method for a gardener to collect a small quantity
be winnowed, but as the seed is often about the
of seeds for home use, and more can be collected
same weight as the pappus, this is not always the
easily as other seedheads on the plant continue to
most successful separation technique. Screening
mature over the coming weeks.
can prove quite effective at separating seed.
Another technique involves bending fruiting
While lettuce is a crop often suggested for beginbranches into a paper bag, and gently shaking
ner seed savers because of the ease of triggering
to dislodge seeds. This process is slightly more
seed production and the ease of collection, it is
efficient and can be started when about one third
one of the more challenging to clean. But, if the
of the seed heads are mature and can be repeated
seed is for personal use, and was disease free and
every week or two until the desired amount of
thoroughly dried, storing an imperfectly cleaned
seed has been collected.
lot is likely not to prove detrimental.
Harvest

and Seed Set

Because the perfect flowers of lettuce have fused

anthers that shed their pollen in towards the
stigma, they are almost completely self-pollinating. Like other members of its Asteraceae family,
what appears to be a single
flower on a lettuce plant is
actually a composite flower. 15
to 25 individual flowers, known
as florets, are arranged into an
inflorescence known as a head;
each floret opens for just one
day, and usually just for a few
hours. If fertilized, each floret
has the ability to produce a
single seed and given that there
are numerous heads on each
plant, which can flower successively over a period of 40 days
or more, a single lettuce plant
can produce a thousand seeds
For many gardeners, the sight of
if properly harvested. Bolting,
lettuce bolting signals that its leaves
the setting of a flower stalk, can
have turned bitter and unpalatbe triggered by increasing day
able but these flower stalks serve
a reminder to seed savers of an
length, but high temperatures,
impending harvest of ripened seed.
moisture stress, and exposure to

16
The seed garden

SSE_blad.indd 16-17

Variety Maintenance

When growing lettuce for seed, a separation

of ten feet between varieties is recommended
primarily to prevent any unwanted crossing that
may occur as a result of flowers from adjacent
plants rubbing against each other, but given the
short flowering time of individual blooms and
the shape of the flower, home gardeners may
choose to reduce this recommended distance if
seed is being collected for personal use. Although
gardeners have been known to harvest seeds from
just one or two plants, they should attempt to harvest seeds from at least 5 plants for personal use;
with the optimum population size for the genetic
preservation of a healthy variety being 20 plants.
As isolation distances are minimal, there is little
to no need for controlled pollination.
Off-type and especially weak or diseased
plants should be rogued before seed production
and collection, and lettuce crops may be checked
for head type and shape, leaf type, leaf color,
and texture. Some traits to consider for variety
improvement include early vigor, color and leaf
form, flavor, head type, disease and pest resistance, and bolt resistance.

Lac tu c a sativa 17

9/19/14 2:29 PM