Buying seed every year is a dependency, and saving your own closes the loop and gradually gives you varieties suited to your land.
Why save seed
The book explains that growers who rely on their own crops need a steady supply of seed, and that buying it each year is a dependency most off-gridders eventually want to remove. Seed saving closes the food-production loop and, over time, produces varieties adapted to your soil and climate.
Choose the right seed
- Open-pollinated and heirloom varieties are suitable for saving, because their seed grows plants like the parent.
- Hybrid seed does not reliably reproduce the parent's characteristics. It can grow, but results are inconsistent.
The easiest crops to begin with
The book names tomatoes, beans, peas and lettuce as the easiest for beginners, because these plants self-pollinate before the flower opens and need no special isolation to avoid cross-pollination. Squash, maize (corn) and many other crops cross-pollinate freely and need isolation, so leave them until you have more experience.
A basic routine
- Choose your healthiest plants of open-pollinated varieties.
- Let seeds ripen fully on the plant, then collect them.
- Dry them thoroughly in a warm, airy place away from direct sun.
- Label them with variety and year.
- Store them cool, dry and dark, and check them before sowing.
The drying and storage steps are general good practice rather than something the book specifies, so check guidance for each crop you save.
Fit seed saving into the plan
Saving seed works best alongside a garden you can manage (planning a survival garden) and with crops you will actually grow each year (choosing crops). Over several seasons, your saved seed becomes better adapted to your plot.
Seed saving is one part of the Survival Garden guide. For the whole self-reliant growing cycle, see The Off-Grid Survival Manual.