Charles, I just wanted to share my experience of No Dig carrots with your other suscribers. My plot is on heavy clay and my fellow holders informed me I'd have no luck growing them. I sowed seed on to my No Dig beds remembering you saying they would germinate in the compost, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Fast forward a few months and I have AMAZING carrots, most of which are straight too. Can't wait to have a peek at the parsnips. Thanks Charles. X
May I please ask you sir, or Ms Midgley- am not sure who else can pose this question to locally. I seed save and am wondering about diversifying. What I am wondering is - I grow Lakota squash for an example and have found identical looking seeds from another woman nearby who also grows and sells her extras. Is it wise to buy her Lakota squash seeds and mix them with what I have stored? Does it have a value to do that to strengthen the plants? I live up at 9,000 feet and depend on rain and some gray water. She lives around 6,500 and waters on the grid. I grow in horse compost and sand and she grows in loam, potting soil, and and cow compost. Am wondering if there is a value to pooling the same type of plant's seeds from various sources if identification is positive. Or if that isn't a good idea.... I thought it might give my crops some diverse information to work with in terms of acclimation in the plants the seeds came from. Am happy to share seeds in exchange for help with this answer. I also grow native fruit trees am happy to share.
Also just a share, I switched out my cyndrical beets for what is called red mangel beets. They are a livestock crop most like sugar beets but have a profusion of tasty greens that can be partial harvested about like spinach without harm to the root. And those red mangel beets are huge! 10-20 lbs! And taste wonderful. Am in the process of saving for dehydrator trays to make chips because there is so much beet! They also save well. So though it is room underground that is being taken due to them being as wide as they are long on occasion, I just wanted to mention those. Can plant half to 1/4 the amount of seeds as any other type of beet and get many many more pounds due to the length of the root. Was excited to find them. My space is at a premium so thought would try them and am impressed at both the root size and flavor, store ability, and the wonderful taste and texture of the greens which are plentiful. Not just for pigs! : )
Tahnks Vee K that is interesting. I have grown those mangelwurzel beets for cows, have to admit I did not try to eat them! So yes, good idea for maximising yield.
Love this, thanks for the tips. I spend countless hours with a cardboard box in front of me picking at seeds while I relax in front of the tv in the evenings.
I grow Coriander for the seed, and often forget to put some into my seed stash and have to raid my spice cupboard in the spring. Peas and beans hang from my clothes line. Paper bags are my best friend semi dry pods dry safely ready for me to sift through at my leisure.
Onions - 1:42 (biannual) Peas & Beans - 2:53 (and again at 4:40 and 7:20) Coriander / Cilantro - 3:40 (n.b. he didn't mention it but carrots are also biannual) Lettuce - 9:30 (over-wintered) French beans - 11:31 Tomatoes - 13:25 Drying and storage - 16:15 Garlic - 17:30 Potatoes - 18:16 (one year only)
Last of summer Charles! Thank you for a great 2017. I did amazing things, things i never imagined i could thanks to you and with your wisdom. 41 varieties of veg, 8 fruit trees, 5 soft fruit and what a haul! I go into my microfarm and eat strawberries off the vine most mornings. after 2 seasons no dig, i am confident that i could feed myself exclusively from my small garden. so happy😄
Farmer Jones you are doing well! As well as the food, growing gives a sense of fulfilment, and connectedness. You have all three. I hope your neighbours are noticing and following.
Thanks for all the love witch you are putting on the videos for us! I found you 3 days ago here, and I can't stop to watch video after video!!! I'm super thankfull!!! I'm Bulgarian follower! Good bless you!
Amazing. I always heard from people in my family, that pea seeds have to dry at the plant and otherwise wont germinate and wont be plantable. I dont have a lot of gardening knowledge yet, but my logical mind (im a system engineer) said to me, that it has to be possible also without that. So I am trying this since 3 days. Since we just got back from italy with a full bag of peas to eat (got them from my grandma very tasty) I told my family to save all the peas in a pea pod, where the peas are hard to eat or if the pod is already yellow and you can feel the hard peas. So sibce these dont really taste that juicy and sweet and are on theyre way to dry, I thought thats a win win situation. Seeing this video gives me the confirmation, that this really works, since you said you did this a lot and it worked for you. Thanks to you I will now even improve it, and let the peas dry on some newspaper in a sunny dry place so I will have better results (that I didnt think of, makes very much sense since heat and no moisture in the air dryes things) thank you very much I am excited to see the results when I will be able to plant them. (Probably I will have to wait until next year. We are in switzerland and the weather is probably not the best to grow a lot of things but it should manage with peas)
Charles you made a very valid point about planting your own seeds that have come from a crop in your climate because the more I think about it, it makes perfect sense to pass the genetics on to the next seed of the previous climate for a better yield.
Thank you so much for your wonderful advice. I had saved my seed from my Sun Gold tomatoes from last year, and have raised 10 small plants in my greenhouse this year. I can now dispose of those and buy some. You have saved me from great disappointment! Jan
Your channel is such a valuable resource. Thanks so much for putting out these videos. I'm sure you're changing so many lives. Can't wait to apply all the things I'm learning from you.
This is so fitting. My roommate planted onions last year and has since abandoned the garden. I have taken over and want to harvest the onion seeds to replant. Cheers to another great video.
Finally I have enough growing space to get more serious about seed saving. Thank you for the informative video, which I expect to re-watch several times ;-)
Definitely adds another layer of interest and satisfaction to growing vegies. Important point about the seeds being adapted to your garden's climate. Nice one Charles
That was an eye-opener re the red onion! How instructive. Will try. Seeing how things are done makes such a difference. Also it's about the plants and not about the person in your videos. Thanks again for a clear explanation and showing of how to go about , in this case, saving seed.
Thank you, Charles. I loved the suggestion to share seed saving with friends. I hope to find enough friends to add seed sharing to this falls festivities.
Great video! Now I feel guilty because the only seed I've ever saved is coriander. And that's such an easy one to save. The flowers are amazing. Thanks!
So happy that I found you here on TH-cam. Just subbed. I'm just a small urban gardener. I'm disabled now after working in healthcare for 22 years and can't do as much as I'd like. Finding your books have helped me so much. I grow in four 4x4 raised beds and containers. Gleaning information from your books has helped my production so much. It's been wonderful. Having plenty to eat during the season and canning or dehydrating extras. (Plus sharing with family and neighbors.) I even grew regular potatoes and sweet potatoes too this year in very large plastic tubs. I wish I was able to do more. But it makes me happy, gives me good clean produce and saves me money. Thank you so very much. I'm very grateful to those willing to share their knowledge in this forum. It truly breeds an amazing sense of community. Thank you and continued blessings! ~Lisa
I kept back seeds from my first ever french and runner beans when I started growing vegetables for the first time last year, without any knowledge of if it would even work, just used my instincts, and after watching this I realise that I did it correctly... my next set of runner and french beans are growing from last years seed as we speak. Growing your own is truly amazing, especially when you can recycle in this way.
Nice work Charles, Your Garden looks amazingly manicured as usual and your demeanor is delightful, Thank You for your gardening expertise! looking forward to your next video! God Bless You and Yours!
Ended up saving some squash seeds by pure dumb luck/accident. Basically, where I live, a trailer park for lack of a better term (technically, it is one, if on the small size), a past tenant had set up a raised garden bed between my place and theirs, until they moved out, but left the garden bed. Next tenant came, and was in the process of growing some squash, when they had to leave. This year, I decided to grow a garden in it - helps that the current tenant is my aunt - and while cutting down the weeds, I found 3 good sized squashes, which had survived the winter. So, I broke them open, noticed that the seeds looked good, so I scattered them throughout the bed, mowed down the rest of the weeds, added 400+pounds (180+ Kilograms) of garden soil/potting soil/compost/manure/perlite/vermiculite/ect, scattered hay mulch on top, put in some tomatoes and peppers, and some geraniums,and the squash seeds grew as well - got 4 good plants, and a number of smaller ones I moved in an attempt to give them space.
Ha - aside from the money spent on soil/ectera, which I got on discount during the winter, the whole thing was free - squash seeds, 5 tomato plants, 14 peppers, and some nice geraniums, which were going to get tossed out soon anyways - they are doing fairly well. As for the dirt and such - $76 and that was a savings of $200, easily.
Brilliant, informative video. I have managed to purchase mostly heirloom seeds and will try to follow your instructions on saving those seeds. Thank you for more great tips.
Another delightful gem of a video. My garden (and compost heap!) is the best ever this year, thanks to knowledge gleaned from your videos and books. I have saved the easier seeds up 'til this year (runner & French beans, peas...) but this season will be expanding my seed saving. Thank you for sharing the best techniques. And your calm nature is a tonic right now in the midst of all the turbulence... When I turn to one of your videos, and then the garden, all seems well.
Great timing with the youtube recommendation for a change. I am currently trying to ferment tomato seeds that I got from a coworker. Hope all goes well.
Hi Charles, Saving seeds made simple, just like all you other methods, literally coming down to the basics, nothing complicated about it! Though we do save some seeds on the farm, this video is spurring me on to save many many more of my own seeds. It is quite impressive that you have been saving the garlic for 17 years!
Thank you so much for this helpful tutorial. So far, I’ve stashed away bokchoy, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and marigold seeds. I’m going to be saving some purple beans as well, when they dry. 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱
Such interesting information and amazing videos. I watch your videos on a daily basis not not for learning but also it’s so relaxing to watch your beautiful garden farm with all the different variations of vegetables and flowers. Thanks to you I will attempt to save some seeds this year and now I know thanks to you that I can’t save hybrid seeds. Happy gardening and wish you best of health
So, so good. I too have saved seeds this year and I’m really interested to see how they germinate compared to bought ones. I love anything that can grow for free and your videos give me so much inspiration so please don’t stop
Great, precise and conclusive video. Thank you buddy. Your vids are so easy to follow. Nice to hear everything and see everything without background music or faffing. Real educational.
Yet again fantastic video.So informative.I have been binge watching your videos as spring is creeping in! Can't wait for this year's veg garden with your pointers.
Saving your own seed does result in very high germination rates. Most of my home germinated climbing cobra french beans germinated - so handing round the excess seedlings to the neighbours. Love this channel.
I can imagine allot of seed sellers are against this, I remember seeing a chilli plant for sale in B&Q with a label saying it was illegal to propagate from the plant. I can't imagine they can really do anything about it providing you're not selling the plants they bred.
Have been successfully saving seed for several years. The leeks always had white flowers, but then the year after I had grown some decorative purple flowered alliums in the flower bed the leeks produced flowers in various shades from white to deep purple. When planted still produced good leeks and several seasons of seed continues to do so with their varied flower colours.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig thanks Charles, I can send you some seeds if you wish. Also to mention that last year I planted Courgettes, Uchiki Kuri and Crown Prince in fairy close proximity, so they may well have hybridised. I saved seed from the Crown Prince and they germinated first and are growing more vigorously than purchased seeds. Interesting to see what is the outcome! Such hybridization must have occurred accidentally many times in the long history of agriculture.
Great video. I have done same process in my video with seeds saving tips for peppers, tomato and other vegetables. Thanks for tips and teaching as always!!
Hi Charles, have had an allotment for two seasons now and have decided to experiment with the "no dig" system on a number of beds that have been set out. I think the hardest part will be the procurement of enough Compost and mulch to sustain their needs. I must admit I do get a good deal of satisfaction "double Digging", especially how it all shapes up to those who insist on using a rotivater! And a bit of weeding didn't hurt anybody. But I like the idea and I'm going to give it a go. Best Wishes
Saved about 250 seeds from my biggest Red Kuri winter squash this spring as I made soup from the stored veg. That is almost enough to supply the entire village! I also made Long Green Maraicher cucumber seeds last year which germinated 100% this spring. LGM for those that do not know will produce fruit outdoors. I grow them in an airpot with sticks to guide them vertically, but they do grow happily in soil too, apparently. My home made tomato seeds from 2014 are still producing unbelievable plants in 2019 so as you say, this is a great choice for home gardeners. French climbing beans and dwarf beans are my favourites to save: the former can be left on the plants to mature until late September on the same set of sticks as runner beans, whereas the latter, you can still plant out Winter Radish after harvesting seeds snd get a crop in January.
How to create homemade compost. How how to save seeds. Some people think this is easy .. until they try it themselves. These are skills that one should be proud of and boasted about, rather than knowing all the latest footballer/cricket statistics. Thanks for helping us, Charles.
Hello. First I wanted to thank you for so freely sharing your knowledge and experience with us. It has been a huge boon to my family. Starting with everything I didn't know about propagation (thank you, I have watched all 3 propagation videos multiple times), to multi-sowing, and your methods of no till gardening. I have so many questions that I don't know where to start really, so I will pick 2. The first is not relevant to this video, but it is something that has been bugging me. For years and years and years I have tilled my garden every spring before planting, and then tilling in a good layer of compost in the autumn. I wanted to move over to the no-dig method. My husband is resistant to the idea, the tilling is pretty much the only thing he does in the garden and it makes him feel involved. So this year I would like to convert half of my garden to no-dig, and compare the results over the next couple of years to win him over. Is there anything I have to do to the beds? They are all already freshly tilled for the spring. Do I need to walk them flat? Should I just start using a no dig method with them and layering on mulch and compost as needed? I would greatly appreciate any advice you have for converting a traditional till garden to no dig. My second question is about saving seeds from biennials such as onions, cabbage, and garlic. I saw in the beginning of the video that you had a lovely onion that you wanted to save for the next year for seeds. How do you do that? Do you pull out your plants as usual and save some for later? Should I start a new bed that I transplant my largest healthiest plants into for seed saving? I would love to learn more about your methods on that and what I need to do. It has always been a dream of mine to be completely food self-sufficient except for flour, salt, baking soda, and coffee. I would love so much to hear from you, and be able to learn more. Even if all you send me is a link to the video that contains the information I am asking about. Thank you so much again for freely sharing your knowledge, experience, wit, and wisdom. Your calm, easy way of explaining things has given me a lot to listen to while washing my dishes and folding the laundry.
Kassandra I like your curiosity and motivation. Pleased to help with washing up :) Yes simply stop tilling, lay compost on top and continue like that. It's as easy as it sounds, with weeds lessening each year. Perhaps your husband would enjoy turning a compost heap. Seeds from biennials is not so easy and you need say 6-8 of each vegetable, for cross pollination, best see a Seed Saving book and my video on the subject.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you. The few books I've read that talk about seed saving usually say to have a separate plot for biennial plants. The issue I have with that is if the plot is separate from my main garden, then i'm stuck with whatever grows in the smaller seed garden, instead of the range of options from my larger garden. I want to save seeds from the best and the healthiest. We have a line of compost stalls along the back fence. family and neighbors will save their kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, and leaves for us to throw in it. We've been growing out own compost for five years now and I am very very pleased with the results. We have a couple local goat and cow farmers that are happy to let us haul off a truckload (pickup truck, not a big dump-truck) of manure every now and then to add to them as well. Mike always groans when I tell him we need to turn the compost. I think he likes playing with big power tools :) Do you ever let summer sowings of carrots or potatoes just sit in the ground until spring? I live in USA planting zone 6b. I will often let my carrots and potatoes that are ripe in the autumn just sit in the garden over the winter and pull them out in the spring. The potatoes seem to handle that just fine, and the carrots are usually much sweeter than their summer harvested counterparts.
Interesting points. Just on leaving root vegetables in the ground, I don't because of wanting to make new plantings, plus slugs may eat them, and it's easier/quicker to have veg in store.
Wonderful video Charles. I've been saving Tom Thumb bib lettuce for a few years. I lost the saved seed this year and bought two packets from a U S grower. I had no luck with the germination. My own seed had always germinated so easily. Luckily I found an old flower stock and was able to grow a few plants which I will safe for seed next.
Thanks Tim and yes there is a lot of old seed being sold, a pity as it discourages gardeners because they blame themselves, but we can see the difference
Thanks for all your videos, Charles. Between your no-dig method and the square-foot method the productivity of my garden is rocketing, even this late in the season, and in Scotland. I'd love to see some more on the subject of seed saving if you have the resources and time. Keep up the good work.
How encouraging, even up near the Arctic circle :) not really! We are stretched for time and Edward goes to Edinburgh Uni in September. We have a lovely resource base of films to release and shall look at Seed Saving again next summer, time permitting.
Drats! I didn't think of saving potatoes for seed next year. I had some lovely ones grow from eyes I had cut off & dried from organic spuds we bought. They looked like Kestrel. Oh well...so much to learn. Next time I will know what to do. Thanks again, great video.
Awesome Charles! Love your videos and always sharing on South African Expat Seed Sharing club based in California. I have come to the habit of planting the exact same kind of tomato in a bed and in conjunction with no dig gardening I'm always letting the strongest volunteer come up. I'm in somewhat cool bay area weather so early risers are always welcome and thus far they have acclimated genetically so well to their patch of earth that it's a constant battle to thin them out but it's fruit is also getting better. That said I also practice the Berkeley method of composting making sure I cook all other seeds and pathogens out. Seed saving completes such a beautiful circle and empower us as growers. Looking forward to the next video! Greetings from sunny California!
That sounds impressive, a good idea for the cool microclimate you have, very through. I like California though it's the only state I have visited. Thanks for your appreciation.
Thank you for making these wonderful videos! They are extremely helpful. God bless you for your gifts you share. Sending great admiration from Super South Texas. 😎
Hi Charles from Arkansas, I’ve got several things still out in our garden but I’m getting excited about starting plants in there seed trays. There under grow lights not ready for the outside yet but I’m ready though. Looking forward to much great fun this year. Always enjoy your videos. God blessing to you. (Old guy from Arkansas)
I just rub the tomato seeds between two paper towels to get the "jelly" off the seeds. I always forget about the tomato seeds in water for weeks and they either start germinating and/or rot, so the paper towel technique just works better for me. 😛 haven't really saved seeds from much else so far, but will definitely start now, thanks for an(other) informative video! ❤
Thanks for sharing that Lemonie and it is the simplest way. I have found mostly that germination is better after fermenting the seeds a little. Have fun with seed saving.
All your videos are so helpful and it is nice that you time them well too. I've found a new-to-me variety of French bean (Carminat) that is awesome and hopefully it will work well to save the seed (as it was a rather expensive splurge purchase!). When you were discussing the lettuce seed I hoped you'd also discuss cucumber seed saving too. I've had difficulty saving tomato seed in past, it seemed to 'ferment' instead of just get to the point of breaking down that outer coating. But still, it will be fun to try again this year with your good information. Thank you!
This was awesome, thank you. I've done beans before, a beautiful black and white bean that I forget the name of, but I've been hesitant to branch out from that. Thank you, I'm going to get brave.
Thank you again sir! I heard about the ‘fermentation’ thing, and I didn’t know if it was true. But you covered that one! I’m new to seed saving and really keen to get fully into it, with all the most popular vegetables, grown in Northern Alberta Canada, for a great locally, hardy vegetable seed stock! Cheers❤️
Thank you for a very for a very down to earth video which I could understand. I probably should have said introductory lesson, but that would take away the joy I had viewing and learning.
Amazingly wonderful. Before your videos, I did not know that digging released carbon. That is a game changer. I will have to dig holes for new hollies (privacy screen in the city). I'm growing flowers from seeds this fall and have already put down cardboard.
With tomato plants, my wife saves seed differently. She simply takes a ripe tomato and slices it thinly as if for a sandwich and lays the slices on paper kitchen towel on a west facing kitchen window sill. When they have dried, she just wraps up the kitchen towel and puts it in brown paper envelopes until spring. Then she cuts the seed from the paper (the flesh has gone by then) and sows them a few at a time. Don't know what germination is, but they turn out well and there are always far more than we need so we supply friends and relations with lovely stocky, healthy plants. She started to do this with a particular variety bought from a supermarket and which we could not find any commercial seed for and they are much better than the ones you can buy seed for. We did not know if they were F1 or open pollinated, but they turned out well, so O.P. they must be. It is great fun to experiment like this and of course saves money. Hope this may be of interest to you and maybe some subscribers here. Best regards. Graham.
Seed saving and Plant organization is the stuff the gardeners didn't tell you about before you started. So now i have chaos in my heated room with alot of seeds germinating and no greenhouse to put them in yet! Scary thought!
Hi Charles, Just watching your videos after eating too much turkey. I like the use of those hopelessly weak blue mushroom trays to keep seed in. They are not much use for anything else.
Good video and I save seed from all the plans you mentioned however for some reason most of my runner beans and broad beans rotted. Not sure why but I suspect the weather. When saving lettuce seed I just pull off the heads dry and save then hole and then just break then when planting. Tomato seed no messing around I just slice then squeeze out the seed onto a bit of wood and it drys as is and is ready for storage.
Thank you Charles, I enjoyed your talk about saving seeds. About keeping egg-sized potatoes for the next season: I am in New Zealand and have tried this a couple of times. The potato plants started off well but after a few weeks of seeing green leaves above the soil the plants stopped growing and wasted away which I found quite scary. Maybe the providers of the seed potatoes do something different where you are, I don't know. But I will try again with Maori potatoes, Waiporoporo in this case. It will be interesting to see what happens. Thanks for your o so enjoyable video!
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Charles, I just wanted to share my experience of No Dig carrots with your other suscribers. My plot is on heavy clay and my fellow holders informed me I'd have no luck growing them.
I sowed seed on to my No Dig beds remembering you saying they would germinate in the compost, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
Fast forward a few months and I have AMAZING carrots, most of which are straight too.
Can't wait to have a peek at the parsnips.
Thanks Charles. X
Ah Fiona that is great to hear, well done and I expect your fellow plot holder's are having a good look.
Fiona Midgley, good to know. Thank you.
May I please ask you sir, or Ms Midgley- am not sure who else can pose this question to locally. I seed save and am wondering about diversifying. What I am wondering is - I grow Lakota squash for an example and have found identical looking seeds from another woman nearby who also grows and sells her extras. Is it wise to buy her Lakota squash seeds and mix them with what I have stored? Does it have a value to do that to strengthen the plants? I live up at 9,000 feet and depend on rain and some gray water. She lives around 6,500 and waters on the grid. I grow in horse compost and sand and she grows in loam, potting soil, and and cow compost. Am wondering if there is a value to pooling the same type of plant's seeds from various sources if identification is positive. Or if that isn't a good idea.... I thought it might give my crops some diverse information to work with in terms of acclimation in the plants the seeds came from. Am happy to share seeds in exchange for help with this answer. I also grow native fruit trees am happy to share.
Also just a share, I switched out my cyndrical beets for what is called red mangel beets. They are a livestock crop most like sugar beets but have a profusion of tasty greens that can be partial harvested about like spinach without harm to the root. And those red mangel beets are huge! 10-20 lbs! And taste wonderful. Am in the process of saving for dehydrator trays to make chips because there is so much beet! They also save well. So though it is room underground that is being taken due to them being as wide as they are long on occasion, I just wanted to mention those. Can plant half to 1/4 the amount of seeds as any other type of beet and get many many more pounds due to the length of the root. Was excited to find them. My space is at a premium so thought would try them and am impressed at both the root size and flavor, store ability, and the wonderful taste and texture of the greens which are plentiful. Not just for pigs! : )
Tahnks Vee K that is interesting. I have grown those mangelwurzel beets for cows, have to admit I did not try to eat them! So yes, good idea for maximising yield.
I'm pausing, rewinding, and replaying to take notes! So much to learn from a great teacher 😍
I agree! Mr. Dowding is a gentleman gardener.
And he’s straight too so that’s great
Love this, thanks for the tips. I spend countless hours with a cardboard box in front of me picking at seeds while I relax in front of the tv in the evenings.
I grow Coriander for the seed, and often forget to put some into my seed stash and have to raid my spice cupboard in the spring. Peas and beans hang from my clothes line. Paper bags are my best friend semi dry pods dry safely ready for me to sift through at my leisure.
Excellent, seedy evenings :)
Onions - 1:42 (biannual)
Peas & Beans - 2:53 (and again at 4:40 and 7:20)
Coriander / Cilantro - 3:40 (n.b. he didn't mention it but carrots are also biannual)
Lettuce - 9:30 (over-wintered)
French beans - 11:31
Tomatoes - 13:25
Drying and storage - 16:15
Garlic - 17:30
Potatoes - 18:16 (one year only)
Thank you
ThankYou from Wisconsin, 🇺🇸
Your gardening video's are among the best. You are very well spoken, and you can tell your truely love gardening
joe carrigan thanks Joe
Agree.
Last of summer Charles! Thank you for a great 2017. I did amazing things, things i never imagined i could thanks to you and with your wisdom. 41 varieties of veg, 8 fruit trees, 5 soft fruit and what a haul! I go into my microfarm and eat strawberries off the vine most mornings. after 2 seasons no dig, i am confident that i could feed myself exclusively from my small garden. so happy😄
Farmer Jones you are doing well!
As well as the food, growing gives a sense of fulfilment, and connectedness.
You have all three.
I hope your neighbours are noticing and following.
Thanks Charles for ALL your articles. I never feel I have wasted my time and have gardened most of my 68 yrs. Blessings
Thanks I appreciate that, hate wasting time too 😀!
Aw man! You're killing it with these videos. Thank you so much.
Thankyou, I think you will like the next one, fifth summer, in 2-3 weeks.
I store my seed potatoes in the fridge in egg cartons so they make it to spring...works like a charm!
TY for the tip!
Thanks for all the love witch you are putting on the videos for us! I found you 3 days ago here, and I can't stop to watch video after video!!! I'm super thankfull!!!
I'm Bulgarian follower! Good bless you!
So glad you like them Bilyana
Amazing. I always heard from people in my family, that pea seeds have to dry at the plant and otherwise wont germinate and wont be plantable. I dont have a lot of gardening knowledge yet, but my logical mind (im a system engineer) said to me, that it has to be possible also without that. So I am trying this since 3 days. Since we just got back from italy with a full bag of peas to eat (got them from my grandma very tasty) I told my family to save all the peas in a pea pod, where the peas are hard to eat or if the pod is already yellow and you can feel the hard peas. So sibce these dont really taste that juicy and sweet and are on theyre way to dry, I thought thats a win win situation. Seeing this video gives me the confirmation, that this really works, since you said you did this a lot and it worked for you. Thanks to you I will now even improve it, and let the peas dry on some newspaper in a sunny dry place so I will have better results (that I didnt think of, makes very much sense since heat and no moisture in the air dryes things) thank you very much I am excited to see the results when I will be able to plant them. (Probably I will have to wait until next year. We are in switzerland and the weather is probably not the best to grow a lot of things but it should manage with peas)
Good luck with this, but the peas must be already quite hard when you pick the pod
Charles you made a very valid point about planting your own seeds that have come from a crop in your climate because the more I think about it,
it makes perfect sense to pass the genetics on to the next seed of the previous climate for a better yield.
Thanks and yes the difference is impressive
So glad I found your channel. I’m inspired to save seeds from my harvest. They will be more acclimated to my desert environment in Las Vegas.
Thanks Patti, a good plan
Cheers Charles, you're videos are always excellent and informative, not to mention v professionally made!
Thanks Thomas and Edward is happy to hear that
I feel so smart and positive after this. Thank you
Thank you so much for your wonderful advice. I had saved my seed from my Sun Gold tomatoes from last year, and have raised 10 small plants in my greenhouse this year. I can now dispose of those and buy some. You have saved me from great disappointment!
Jan
Ah yes Jan, that was the best course of action!
Your channel is such a valuable resource. Thanks so much for putting out these videos. I'm sure you're changing so many lives. Can't wait to apply all the things I'm learning from you.
Thanks and that is a nice thought to be helping people a lot
Charles, you're my gardening guru. Thanks for all your hard work in sharing your knowledge with us.
Nice of you to say
This is so fitting. My roommate planted onions last year and has since abandoned the garden. I have taken over and want to harvest the onion seeds to replant.
Cheers to another great video.
Thanks and may your seeds grow well
And harvesting seeds is fun to do with family: I remember doing it with my grand-parents when I was a child :-)
Finally I have enough growing space to get more serious about seed saving. Thank you for the informative video, which I expect to re-watch several times ;-)
Seed saving is my new favorite gardening thing. Thank you.
Definitely adds another layer of interest and satisfaction to growing vegies. Important point about the seeds being adapted to your garden's climate. Nice one Charles
That was an eye-opener re the red onion! How instructive. Will try. Seeing how things are done makes such a difference. Also it's about the plants and not about the person in your videos. Thanks again for a clear explanation and showing of how to go about , in this case, saving seed.
Thanks Maud, have fun with seed saving.
Just found your content an I have to say that this is incredible. You are a fantastic teacher
Hey thankyou snowypirate
Thank you, Charles. I loved the suggestion to share seed saving with friends. I hope to find enough friends to add seed sharing to this falls festivities.
I can always count on your videos when I have a gardening question. You’re the best, from zone 7 in No.Virginia.
Thankyou Rafa.
Great video! Now I feel guilty because the only seed I've ever saved is coriander. And that's such an easy one to save. The flowers are amazing. Thanks!
Thanks Charles that was great information, as with all your videos I am always learning something more.
The quality and content of your Videos is getting better each time. Once again a very useful topic expertly presented.
Thankyou MancEngineer
@@CharlesDowding1nodig do you have any advice for bees and feeding them
So happy that I found you here on TH-cam. Just subbed. I'm just a small urban gardener. I'm disabled now after working in healthcare for 22 years and can't do as much as I'd like. Finding your books have helped me so much. I grow in four 4x4 raised beds and containers. Gleaning information from your books has helped my production so much. It's been wonderful. Having plenty to eat during the season and canning or dehydrating extras. (Plus sharing with family and neighbors.) I even grew regular potatoes and sweet potatoes too this year in very large plastic tubs. I wish I was able to do more. But it makes me happy, gives me good clean produce and saves me money. Thank you so very much. I'm very grateful to those willing to share their knowledge in this forum. It truly breeds an amazing sense of community. Thank you and continued blessings! ~Lisa
Thanks so much Lisa, I am so pleased you have loads of harvests and feel empowered through growing.
I like the sense of community too!
I kept back seeds from my first ever french and runner beans when I started growing vegetables for the first time last year, without any knowledge of if it would even work, just used my instincts, and after watching this I realise that I did it correctly... my next set of runner and french beans are growing from last years seed as we speak. Growing your own is truly amazing, especially when you can recycle in this way.
That is awesome!
Nice work Charles, Your Garden looks amazingly manicured as usual and your demeanor is delightful, Thank You for your gardening expertise! looking forward to your next video! God Bless You and Yours!
Hey nice to hear Paw Paw, thanks
Ended up saving some squash seeds by pure dumb luck/accident. Basically, where I live, a trailer park for lack of a better term (technically, it is one, if on the small size), a past tenant had set up a raised garden bed between my place and theirs, until they moved out, but left the garden bed. Next tenant came, and was in the process of growing some squash, when they had to leave. This year, I decided to grow a garden in it - helps that the current tenant is my aunt - and while cutting down the weeds, I found 3 good sized squashes, which had survived the winter. So, I broke them open, noticed that the seeds looked good, so I scattered them throughout the bed, mowed down the rest of the weeds, added 400+pounds (180+ Kilograms) of garden soil/potting soil/compost/manure/perlite/vermiculite/ect, scattered hay mulch on top, put in some tomatoes and peppers, and some geraniums,and the squash seeds grew as well - got 4 good plants, and a number of smaller ones I moved in an attempt to give them space.
Nice story, you made the most of it!
Ha - aside from the money spent on soil/ectera, which I got on discount during the winter, the whole thing was free - squash seeds, 5 tomato plants, 14 peppers, and some nice geraniums, which were going to get tossed out soon anyways - they are doing fairly well. As for the dirt and such - $76 and that was a savings of $200, easily.
Ive saved chili pepper seeds and marigold seeds. And am currently growing those seeds. Great advice here Charles!
A priceless skill to develop. Many thanks Charles. Really enjoying the positive vibes from your vids 🇮🇪
Brilliant, informative video. I have managed to purchase mostly heirloom seeds and will try to follow your instructions on saving those seeds. Thank you for more great tips.
Another delightful gem of a video. My garden (and compost heap!) is the best ever this year, thanks to knowledge gleaned from your videos and books. I have saved the easier seeds up 'til this year (runner & French beans, peas...) but this season will be expanding my seed saving. Thank you for sharing the best techniques. And your calm nature is a tonic right now in the midst of all the turbulence... When I turn to one of your videos, and then the garden, all seems well.
Lovely to hear and thankyou
Great timing with the youtube recommendation for a change. I am currently trying to ferment tomato seeds that I got from a coworker. Hope all goes well.
A great share on saving seeds....I'm a seed saver who love planting things but never having enough space haha....Thanks!
Yes space...
Thank you Charles, another work of art in the collection
Hi Charles, Saving seeds made simple, just like all you other methods, literally coming down to the basics, nothing complicated about it! Though we do save some seeds on the farm, this video is spurring me on to save many many more of my own seeds. It is quite impressive that you have been saving the garlic for 17 years!
So nice of you Anil.
This year was best ever garlic!
Thank you so much for this helpful tutorial. So far, I’ve stashed away bokchoy, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and marigold seeds. I’m going to be saving some purple beans as well, when they dry. 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱
Nice to hear
Such interesting information and amazing videos. I watch your videos on a daily basis not not for learning but also it’s so relaxing to watch your beautiful garden farm with all the different variations of vegetables and flowers. Thanks to you I will attempt to save some seeds this year and now I know thanks to you that I can’t save hybrid seeds. Happy gardening and wish you best of health
Nice to hear Salwa and go well with the seed saving :)
So, so good. I too have saved seeds this year and I’m really interested to see how they germinate compared to bought ones. I love anything that can grow for free and your videos give me so much inspiration so please don’t stop
Thanks Susan, it's not so much to save money, more for the quality you can't buy
You have a lovely smile. :) Thank you for your wonderful videos.
Thank you for all your videos! Such a blessing❤️
Great Video! Seeing some of the flowers reminded me I forgot to collect them, off to the garden
Great, precise and conclusive video. Thank you buddy. Your vids are so easy to follow. Nice to hear everything and see everything without background music or faffing. Real educational.
Thanks Hacga I appreciate that
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Gary if you'd like Charles Dowding. How's the growing going this year?
Yes, i must agree you are a wonderful teacher.
Thanks
Your instruction is so important, especially in these times! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!! I have learned so much from you!!!!
Yet again fantastic video.So informative.I have been binge watching your videos as spring is creeping in! Can't wait for this year's veg garden with your pointers.
Saving your own seed does result in very high germination rates. Most of my home germinated climbing cobra french beans germinated - so handing round the excess seedlings to the neighbours. Love this channel.
Thanks for this Alex and good to hear
The best seed collecting video Ive seen yet
Thankyou
I can imagine allot of seed sellers are against this, I remember seeing a chilli plant for sale in B&Q with a label saying it was illegal to propagate from the plant. I can't imagine they can really do anything about it providing you're not selling the plants they bred.
Lei è un grande. Grazie per tutto quello che condivide.
Have been successfully saving seed for several years.
The leeks always had white flowers, but then the year after I had grown some decorative purple flowered alliums in the flower bed the leeks produced flowers in various shades from white to deep purple.
When planted still produced good leeks and several seasons of seed continues to do so with their varied flower colours.
Helpful comment Richard, and interesting!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig thanks Charles, I can send you some seeds if you wish.
Also to mention that last year I planted Courgettes, Uchiki Kuri and Crown Prince in fairy close proximity, so they may well have hybridised.
I saved seed from the Crown Prince and they germinated first and are growing more vigorously than purchased seeds. Interesting to see what is the outcome!
Such hybridization must have occurred accidentally many times in the long history of agriculture.
Great video. I have done same process in my video with seeds saving tips for peppers, tomato and other vegetables. Thanks for tips and teaching as always!!
Thank you for making the world a better place. Aloha.
Aloha!! Love that
Just found your video and I’m glad I did 😊
I begin to do that this morning with lettuce because the seed is so EXPENSIVE this year with the pandemic
Thank you to partage your connaissance
Hi Charles, have had an allotment for two seasons now and have decided to experiment with the "no dig" system on a number of beds that have been set out. I think the hardest part will be the procurement of enough Compost and mulch to sustain their needs. I must admit I do get a good deal of satisfaction "double Digging", especially how it all shapes up to those who insist on using a rotivater! And a bit of weeding didn't hurt anybody. But I like the idea and I'm going to give it a go. Best Wishes
Enjoy that, scrounge organic matter and two allotments will produce a lot of food + your worms will be able to work harder for you
Great video, lots of good advice! Your garden looks beautiful! Cheers
Thanks Primitive OG.
Awesome cinematography and content.
Glad you like it
Saved about 250 seeds from my biggest Red Kuri winter squash this spring as I made soup from the stored veg. That is almost enough to supply the entire village!
I also made Long Green Maraicher cucumber seeds last year which germinated 100% this spring. LGM for those that do not know will produce fruit outdoors. I grow them in an airpot with sticks to guide them vertically, but they do grow happily in soil too, apparently.
My home made tomato seeds from 2014 are still producing unbelievable plants in 2019 so as you say, this is a great choice for home gardeners.
French climbing beans and dwarf beans are my favourites to save: the former can be left on the plants to mature until late September on the same set of sticks as runner beans, whereas the latter, you can still plant out Winter Radish after harvesting seeds snd get a crop in January.
Rhys you are now a veteran seed saver, as well as no digger! Nice work.
How to create homemade compost. How how to save seeds. Some people think this is easy .. until they try it themselves. These are skills that one should be proud of and boasted about, rather than knowing all the latest footballer/cricket statistics. Thanks for helping us, Charles.
So right Ted, is why I called my new book and course Skills :) charlesdowding.co.uk/product/skills-for-growing-online-course/
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks, that looks fantastic!
Hello. First I wanted to thank you for so freely sharing your knowledge and experience with us. It has been a huge boon to my family. Starting with everything I didn't know about propagation (thank you, I have watched all 3 propagation videos multiple times), to multi-sowing, and your methods of no till gardening.
I have so many questions that I don't know where to start really, so I will pick 2. The first is not relevant to this video, but it is something that has been bugging me. For years and years and years I have tilled my garden every spring before planting, and then tilling in a good layer of compost in the autumn. I wanted to move over to the no-dig method. My husband is resistant to the idea, the tilling is pretty much the only thing he does in the garden and it makes him feel involved. So this year I would like to convert half of my garden to no-dig, and compare the results over the next couple of years to win him over.
Is there anything I have to do to the beds? They are all already freshly tilled for the spring. Do I need to walk them flat? Should I just start using a no dig method with them and layering on mulch and compost as needed? I would greatly appreciate any advice you have for converting a traditional till garden to no dig.
My second question is about saving seeds from biennials such as onions, cabbage, and garlic. I saw in the beginning of the video that you had a lovely onion that you wanted to save for the next year for seeds. How do you do that? Do you pull out your plants as usual and save some for later? Should I start a new bed that I transplant my largest healthiest plants into for seed saving? I would love to learn more about your methods on that and what I need to do. It has always been a dream of mine to be completely food self-sufficient except for flour, salt, baking soda, and coffee.
I would love so much to hear from you, and be able to learn more. Even if all you send me is a link to the video that contains the information I am asking about.
Thank you so much again for freely sharing your knowledge, experience, wit, and wisdom. Your calm, easy way of explaining things has given me a lot to listen to while washing my dishes and folding the laundry.
Kassandra I like your curiosity and motivation. Pleased to help with washing up :)
Yes simply stop tilling, lay compost on top and continue like that. It's as easy as it sounds, with weeds lessening each year. Perhaps your husband would enjoy turning a compost heap.
Seeds from biennials is not so easy and you need say 6-8 of each vegetable, for cross pollination, best see a Seed Saving book and my video on the subject.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig
Thank you. The few books I've read that talk about seed saving usually say to have a separate plot for biennial plants. The issue I have with that is if the plot is separate from my main garden, then i'm stuck with whatever grows in the smaller seed garden, instead of the range of options from my larger garden. I want to save seeds from the best and the healthiest.
We have a line of compost stalls along the back fence. family and neighbors will save their kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, and leaves for us to throw in it. We've been growing out own compost for five years now and I am very very pleased with the results. We have a couple local goat and cow farmers that are happy to let us haul off a truckload (pickup truck, not a big dump-truck) of manure every now and then to add to them as well. Mike always groans when I tell him we need to turn the compost. I think he likes playing with big power tools :)
Do you ever let summer sowings of carrots or potatoes just sit in the ground until spring? I live in USA planting zone 6b. I will often let my carrots and potatoes that are ripe in the autumn just sit in the garden over the winter and pull them out in the spring. The potatoes seem to handle that just fine, and the carrots are usually much sweeter than their summer harvested counterparts.
Interesting points.
Just on leaving root vegetables in the ground, I don't because of wanting to make new plantings, plus slugs may eat them, and it's easier/quicker to have veg in store.
Wonderful video Charles. I've been saving Tom Thumb bib lettuce for a few years. I lost the saved seed this year and bought two packets from a U S grower. I had no luck with the germination. My own seed had always germinated so easily. Luckily I found an old flower stock and was able to grow a few plants which I will safe for seed next.
Thanks Tim and yes there is a lot of old seed being sold, a pity as it discourages gardeners because they blame themselves, but we can see the difference
Thanks for all your videos, Charles. Between your no-dig method and the square-foot method the productivity of my garden is rocketing, even this late in the season, and in Scotland.
I'd love to see some more on the subject of seed saving if you have the resources and time.
Keep up the good work.
How encouraging, even up near the Arctic circle :) not really!
We are stretched for time and Edward goes to Edinburgh Uni in September. We have a lovely resource base of films to release and shall look at Seed Saving again next summer, time permitting.
Drats! I didn't think of saving potatoes for seed next year. I had some lovely ones grow from eyes I had cut off & dried from organic spuds we bought. They looked like Kestrel. Oh well...so much to learn. Next time I will know what to do. Thanks again, great video.
Another great video, thanks Charles👍
Another nice video Charles. I was just wondering about this very topic the other week, so great timing as well. Thank you!
Thanks Benjamin
Love the first 1.5min! Excited for the rest of the vid 💜
Awesome Charles! Love your videos and always sharing on South African Expat Seed Sharing club based in California. I have come to the habit of planting the exact same kind of tomato in a bed and in conjunction with no dig gardening I'm always letting the strongest volunteer come up. I'm in somewhat cool bay area weather so early risers are always welcome and thus far they have acclimated genetically so well to their patch of earth that it's a constant battle to thin them out but it's fruit is also getting better. That said I also practice the Berkeley method of composting making sure I cook all other seeds and pathogens out. Seed saving completes such a beautiful circle and empower us as growers. Looking forward to the next video! Greetings from sunny California!
That sounds impressive, a good idea for the cool microclimate you have, very through.
I like California though it's the only state I have visited.
Thanks for your appreciation.
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience.
Great video on saving seeds.
Thank you for making these wonderful videos! They are extremely helpful. God bless you for your gifts you share. Sending great admiration from Super South Texas. 😎
Glad you like them! Super S Texas sounds delightful :)
Charlie your gardening are amazing, I love garden and I hope learning from you ,thanks!
Nice of you to say Nicky
Hi Charles from Arkansas, I’ve got several things still out in our garden but I’m getting excited about starting plants in there seed trays. There under grow lights not ready for the outside yet but I’m ready though. Looking forward to much great fun this year. Always enjoy your videos. God blessing to you. (Old guy from Arkansas)
That is lovely to hear Steve, stay young!
I just rub the tomato seeds between two paper towels to get the "jelly" off the seeds. I always forget about the tomato seeds in water for weeks and they either start germinating and/or rot, so the paper towel technique just works better for me. 😛 haven't really saved seeds from much else so far, but will definitely start now, thanks for an(other) informative video! ❤
Thanks for sharing that Lemonie and it is the simplest way. I have found mostly that germination is better after fermenting the seeds a little. Have fun with seed saving.
I do the same thing (rubbing the jelly of the seeds). Germination has always been 100%.
Vital information right here!
Excellent idea and very impressive towards gardening :-)
All your videos are so helpful and it is nice that you time them well too. I've found a new-to-me variety of French bean (Carminat) that is awesome and hopefully it will work well to save the seed (as it was a rather expensive splurge purchase!). When you were discussing the lettuce seed I hoped you'd also discuss cucumber seed saving too. I've had difficulty saving tomato seed in past, it seemed to 'ferment' instead of just get to the point of breaking down that outer coating. But still, it will be fun to try again this year with your good information. Thank you!
Sounds good Molly, sorry I missed cucumber!
Great information on seed savings 👏
Amazing facts. I'm in awe of you.
You always help me immediately! Thanks alot for this !!!!!!!
This was awesome, thank you. I've done beans before, a beautiful black and white bean that I forget the name of, but I've been hesitant to branch out from that. Thank you, I'm going to get brave.
Great!
Excellent, very informative, thank you! :)
Always good to hear and learn from you. 🌳
Thanks Gerry
Thanks for making this video, nice garden 🐝
Much more better than great video!
Thank you!
Thank you again sir! I heard about the ‘fermentation’ thing, and I didn’t know if it was true. But you covered that one! I’m new to seed saving and really keen to get fully into it, with all the most popular vegetables, grown in Northern Alberta Canada, for a great locally, hardy vegetable seed stock! Cheers❤️
Glad it was helpful and I wish you success
Thank you for a very for a very down to earth video which I could understand. I probably should have said introductory lesson, but that would take away the joy I had viewing and learning.
That is nice!
Great content, great production value
Thanks Will
Amazingly wonderful. Before your videos, I did not know that digging released carbon. That is a game changer. I will have to dig holes for new hollies (privacy screen in the city). I'm growing flowers from seeds this fall and have already put down cardboard.
🌺
With tomato plants, my wife saves seed differently. She simply takes a ripe tomato and slices it thinly as if for a sandwich and lays the slices on paper kitchen towel on a west facing kitchen window sill. When they have dried, she just wraps up the kitchen towel and puts it in brown paper envelopes until spring. Then she cuts the seed from the paper (the flesh has gone by then) and sows them a few at a time. Don't know what germination is, but they turn out well and there are always far more than we need so we supply friends and relations with lovely stocky, healthy plants. She started to do this with a particular variety bought from a supermarket and which we could not find any commercial seed for and they are much better than the ones you can buy seed for. We did not know if they were F1 or open pollinated, but they turned out well, so O.P. they must be. It is great fun to experiment like this and of course saves money. Hope this may be of interest to you and maybe some subscribers here. Best regards. Graham.
A great process and fine result, thanks for sharing
Seed saving and Plant organization is the stuff the gardeners didn't tell you about before you started. So now i have chaos in my heated room with alot of seeds germinating and no greenhouse to put them in yet! Scary thought!
Go steady!
I have nt sown anything yet :)
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Now you tell me! 2 weeks too late :D
@@honeyy79 The dates are all here and free charlesdowding.co.uk/sowing-timeline-for-vegetables/
Hi Charles, Just watching your videos after eating too much turkey. I like the use of those hopelessly weak blue mushroom trays to keep seed in. They are not much use for anything else.
Good video and I save seed from all the plans you mentioned however for some reason most of my runner beans and broad beans rotted. Not sure why but I suspect the weather. When saving lettuce seed I just pull off the heads dry and save then hole and then just break then when planting. Tomato seed no messing around I just slice then squeeze out the seed onto a bit of wood and it drys as is and is ready for storage.
Great video....thank you for sharing
Thank you Charles, I enjoyed your talk about saving seeds. About keeping egg-sized potatoes for the next season: I am in New Zealand and have tried this a couple of times. The potato plants started off well but after a few weeks of seeing green leaves above the soil the plants stopped growing and wasted away which I found quite scary. Maybe the providers of the seed potatoes do something different where you are, I don't know. But I will try again with Maori potatoes, Waiporoporo in this case. It will be interesting to see what happens. Thanks for your o so enjoyable video!
How strange and I wish you success this spring Maud