This week in my garden plot at the Fenton Community Garden it was dry and hot -- a real Indian Summer for us. I only had time to go over and throw some water and harvest more okra and cherry tomatoes.Rain is finally in the forecast. So, today I ran over to collect the lettuce seeds, I had let several lettuces bolt (go to flower and form seedheads) over the summer in hopes of getting a good crop of fresh lettuce seeds for next year.
After hosting our annual Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchanges for several years now, the one thing I have learned is that lettuce seed must by fresh - preferably just a year old - in order for good germination.
I pulled up all the bolted plants, shook the soil off their roots, and put them upside down in brown paper bags. I'll let them dry out a bit more in my sunroom, then give the bags a few good shakes to collect as many of the tiny seeds as possible.
Pictured at top are the lettuce seeds from one of the lettuce plants and you can see how small they are -- I hope to have many to share at the Seed Exchanges.
I only wish now that I had marked which lettuce was which variety with a ribbon or twist-tie or something. I definitely had two kinds that I personally preferred in my salads. Ah well, now I know for next year.
Are you saving seeds from any of your edible plants this year?
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