This is me, in all my gardening glory (hmmm…) holding up the biggest turnip-gone-to-seed-space-hog ever! Never did I think that one turnip would get so incredibly big! Well, not the actual turnip, but all the foliage that went along with it!
Of all the seeds we’re attempting to save this year from over-wintered veggies (turnips, beets, carrots, kale and radishes), the turnips were the first to be ready! Who knew the process would take so long?! Certainly not me! I noticed a few days ago that some of the seed pods were finally dry.
Upon further investigation, I also noticed about a billion aphids. Gross. Definitely time to pull it up, harvest the seeds that were ready and throw the rest to the chickens for a yummy, protein filled snack! I did, however, thank all the ladybugs for trying to keep up with the aphids before I moved them to other plants 😉
I’d guess that only 5-10% of the pods were dry and ready to be harvested, but that small percentage gave us hundreds and hundreds of seeds! Soon, I’ll do a germination test and see how they fair. If they do well, I’ll plant some later this summer and see how they do as a fall crop.
Are you saving seeds this season? I’d love to hear about your experiences!
I was googling baby spinach so I could find out when to harvest the seed and found your pic. I’m guessing I never really had baby spinach at all, but some turnip greens (they were commercial seeds). Exact same flower and pod, even down to the gorgeous haven for ladybugs (I’d broken off aphid infected tips and thrown in the garbage before I saw the bugs, so I fetched the aphids back out and made a ladybug home for a day or two).
Guess I’ll wait for at least some of the pods to dry before I harvest. Thanks.
Kerri
Hi Kerri! I’m so glad you found my space and solved your mystery! I’ve planted things that turned out to be something other than I intended many times! Silly seeds, you never really know how they’ll turn out!
That’s pretty cool. I don’t harvest seeds, but I’m all in favor of it. How I long for chickens.
I let broccoli, mustard, bok choy, lettuce, basil, thyme, green onions, chives, radishes, sunflowers, kabacha, canary melon, fairy pumpkins go to seed. The cool thing about it was all the honey bees that enjoyed the blossoms. That was really the turning point for me and now we have our own Warre’ hive and thriving honey bees!
Wow that is a lot growth and seed pods, when you look at it the plant has feed many, aphids,ladybugs and chickens……and then plenty of seeds for the next feed.
I try to let one healthy plant of each crop go to seed so far i have collected spinach,silver beet,lettuce,carrot,parsley,chives and red onions.
I was thinking the same thing! Natures cycles are pretty amazing!
Great variety of seed saving happening over there! How wonderful!
I saved a lot more seeds last year than this. I did save some chilli seed, bean seed and some lettuce seed but that has been about it. I keep getting impatient to move in new plants so as soon as something finishes I tend to move it on.
I hear you!I left a small strip in each raised bed in the front yard…right along the edge of the bed…the idea was that, no matter how big the going-to-seed madness got, I could train it over the side of the bed. It’s worked pretty well and has allowed to plant to new crops around the old ones (just not too close so as to not disturb their roots when I pull the old stuff).
That foliage is all from ONE turnip! DANG! What did you feed that thing? LOL
Ha! Yep…it’s all from one single turnip! Crazy right?
Good job!! I have never tried to harvest my own vegetable seeds but then I prior to this year I didn’t have heirlooms.
I have tried with some flowers and met with moderate success. I am sure I am doing something wrong…haha
I’m learning as I go. Last year the Lemon Cucumber seeds I saved didn’t do very well, but the Yellow Taxi Tomato seeds I saved did great! I plan to just keep trying with different veggies and see what happens 🙂