I’m also curious about your geriatric collards. Have they set seed each year, or did they bolt but survive?
If the lable wasn’t pre-paid, that would’ve hurdled me too much to send in seeds.
Being able to send in seeds anytime is GAME CHANGING!
Since Deer, Rabbits & Squirrels ate most of my Seeds/Plants in the garden. I won’t be able to send in home-grown seeds (Despite me really trying & wanting to). Meaning I can only send in Grocery Store Seed if that’s okay? Don’t worry, I organized everything by species & There is plenty of diversity from grocery stores, In particular lots of Asian/Peruvian/Mexican/Indian Beans, Melons, Squash, Pepers, Corn, Herbs & Spices.
I also do wild foraging & would have some seeds to spare.
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With the risk of derailing this thread further (the topic just being too interesting for me to resist commenting on). The great thing about time-use research is we don’t have to think how much work medieval peasants had to do. The research says people in Medieval times worked less than an office or factory worker today. In Europe, as much as a third of the year was filled with holidays where the peasantry didn’t have to work. (The puritan reaction changed that and so on). There’s a great chapter about this topic in Graeber and Wengrow’s Dawn of Everything (chapter four).
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I don’t have dear or squirrels, but any bird flying by my garden knows it can get a snack…and they do!..my thoughts are that we stay with heirloom seed of a known origin or that we have produced directly from the garden.
There are many unknowns collecting grocery store seeds. So many vegetables are F1 hybrids to stay away from, as far as growing, and could introduce
GMO genes. My understanding is that we are staying close to known seed sources, organic, and sharing seed grown from our gardens. With growing out a swarm or a grex, the bonus is to get observations of the growing season. Observations to include insect pressure, disease, flavor, harvest volume and seed collecting along with soil considerations. For me, planting with a variety of organic seed starts with heirlooms and known non GMO origins. My focus stays with growing and getting good viable seeds from my garden.
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@VeggieSavage While I appreciate the desire to contribute and willingness to spend hard-earned money on seeds for the seed share project, I’m not sure I agree with directly adding grocery store seeds to the GTS mixes. I would probably grow them out first to check for viability and their ability to bear seed. I think that grocery store stock does not have to pass the more rigorous standards of seed stock requiring minimum germination rates, etc. It probably makes sense to also avoid seeds of crops that are likely to have been genetically modified. As @Kimzy said, we want to avoid introducing lab genes into our seed pools.
What wild seeds are you foraging? It might be nice for GTS to offer seed mixes of edible wild plants like lamb’s quarters, sow thistle, pigweed, etc.
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So, are you thinking that it’s best to grow out grocery store seeds (of species that are known to not have GMO versions available at this time) for a season, and then contribute seeds you’ve saved yourself? That seems like a good idea, primarily because then you can report on what the plants were like, and what their appealing traits and challenges have been for you.
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Yes, that is what I’m thinking. I like the idea of getting seeds from the grocery store because it’s possible to buy a good amount cheaply for a variety of uses. A summer cover crop of grocery store beans comes to mind. But I would feel uncomfortable sending in grocery store seeds that I hadn’t grown out and saved seeds from.
Regarding email newsletters, some of you here will know that we’ve sent out 3 emails so far on growing squash with the plan to mail out at least 2 or 3 more, to get gardeners in the mindset of saving seeds. I know for many of you, it’s already a reflex to save seeds, but not everyone is there yet. Does anyone here have ideas about what could go into an email that might help someone get to the point of instinctively saving seeds? You all made great points about too many things going on. Maybe the emails need to be much shorter?
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Yeah, the grocery store is a great source for ground cover seeds! And anything that turns out to thrive far more than everything else, I intend to save the seeds from separately and promote those to “put them right on the outside of my garden beds so they can get as big and productive as they want without me walking on them.” 
Today was actually the day I saved seeds from a lot of my winter ground covers, which are mostly all dry and dead now. Remarkably, some of the daikon radishes still have some green and aren’t done maturing their seed pods yet. In an unirrigated space, in June, in Utah. That’s remarkable drought tolerance! Love those big, fat roots. 
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Yes hence my motivation to Research the exciting Unknowns. I’ve even planted Grocery Store Squash Seeds, they grew vigorously before the deer ate them.
Don’t worry, I can guarantee MOST (Like 95%) Grocery Store Seeds aren’t GMO because they don’t sell GMO Fruits directly to consumer like that (It’s in processed foods like Chips, Ketchup, Tomato Sauces, Cakes, Corn Starch, etc). Plus Grocery Stores carry so many Heirloom Squash during fall, infact the same exact varieties you could buy in a heirloom seed company like bakercreek (Which funny story, almost sold GMO Purple Tomatoes bred by norfolk).
I would rather grow them if I could. Hence Why I started Ninja Gardening on Land I don’t own. But if you really don’t want me to send 100% Confirmed non gmo seeds from Grocery Store I won’t.
I foraged Lambsquater seeds from Concrete City Blocks & From Potting Soil but also Shiso from Forrest. Here are wild seeds I could contribute
- Black Raspberries (Rubus occidentalis)
- Wineberries (Rubus phoenicolasuis)
- Persimmons (Diospyros virginiana)
- Mulberries (Morus alba)
- Juneberry (Amelanchier spp.)
- Small Wild Grape (Vitis spp.)
- Shiso (Perilla frutecens)
- Toilet Paper Mint (Stachys byzantina)
- Car Tires Bee-Balm Mint (Monarda spp.)
- Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
- Sweet Cicely (Osmoriza longistylis)
- Lambsquaters (Chenopodium album)
- Red Amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus complex)
- Garlic Mustard (Allaria petiolata)
- Garlic Pennycress (Thlaspi alliaceum)
- American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
- Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
- Feral Barley from woods (Hordeum vulgare)
- Feral Tomatoes from Parking Lot (Solanum lycopersicum)
- Russian Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
- Multiple Species of MAPLE (Acer negundo, Acer rubrum, Acer nigrum, etc)
- Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
- Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
- Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellata)
- Silverberry (Eleagnus pungens)
- Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
- Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
- Winged Sumac (Rhus copallina)
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
- Multiflora Rosehips that taste like Candy (Rosa multiflora)
- Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Noted, as far as I know my grocery store doesn’t sell GMO Squash, Melons, Vulgaris Beans, Vigna Beans, etc.
Speaking of which here’s a list of Seeds I saved from Grocery store that I Gaurentee aren’t GMO (Some are genuine Landraces (In the GTS Sense) because no Commercial Varieties exists). If you’d like I could Contribute these
- Carnival/Acorn Squash (Cucurbita pepo)
- Delicata Squash (Cucurbita pepo)
- Kabocha Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Turban Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Italian Marina Di Chioggia Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- French Worty Galeux D’Eysines Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Flat White Bore Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Bluedoll Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Pink Porcelain Doll Squash (Cucurbita maxima)
- Honeynut Squash (Cucurbita maxima x moschata INTERSPECIES CROSS)
- Butternut Squash (Cucurbita moschata)
- White Seed Fig-Leaf Gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia)
- Sugar Kiss Melon (Cucumis melo)
- Dino Egg Melon (Cucumis melo)
- White Apple Melon (Cucumis melo)
- Indian Dosokai Melon (Cucumis melo)
- Goldenberry (Physalis peruviana)
- Indian Kashmiri Mild Hot Pepper (Capsicum annum)
- Mexican Guajilo Mild Hot Pepper (Capsicum annum)
- Mexican Red Costeño Hot Pepper (Capsicum annum)
- Mexican Poblano/Ancho Hot Pepper (Capsicum annum)
- Peruvian Ají Amarillo Hot Pepper (Capsicum baccantum)
- Peruvian Ají Panca Hot Pepper (Capsicum baccantum)
- Yellow & Red Manzano Pepper (Capsicum pubescens)
- Indian Takmaria/Sabja Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica)
- Indian Falsa (Grewia asiatica)
- White Butterfly Popcorn (Zea mays var. everta)
- Yellow Butterfly Popcorn (Zea mays var. everta)
- Yellow Mushroom Popcorn (Zea mays var. everta)
- Chulpe Cornnut (Zea mays var. amylacea)
- Cancha Cornnut (Zea mays var. amylacea)
- Carguay Cornnut (Zea mays var. amylacea)
- Peruvian Giant White Cuzco Corn (Zea mays var. amylacea)
- Peruvian Purple corn Maiz morado (Zea mays var. amylacea)
- Yellow Mayacoba Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
- Nepal Speckled Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris or lunatus)
- Black Eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata)
- African Bambara Beans LANDRACE (Vigna subterranea)
- Indian & Korean Green Mung Beans (Vigna radiata)
- Urad Beans (Vigna mungo)
- Moth Beans (Vigna acontifolia)
- Nepal Rice Beans Landrace (Vigna umbellata)
- Nepal Speckled Rice Beans Landrace (Vigna umbellata)
- Nepal White, Brown & Black Soybeans (Glycine max)
- Black Bean with Green Kernel (Glycine max)
- Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan)
- White Hyacinth Bean (Lablab purpurens)
- Nepal Wild Field Pea (Pisum sativum)
- Indian Yellow Pea (Pisum sativum)
- Big White Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
- Nepal Small & Round White Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
- Indian Brown Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
- Indian Green Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
- Green Lentils (Lens culinaris)
- French Lentils (Lens culinaris)
- Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
- Indian Kallonji/Black seed (Nigella sativa)
- Indian Kala Jeera/True Black Cumin (Elwendia persica)
- Indian Earthnut/Shah jeera Black Cumin (Bunium bulbocastanum)
- Indian Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
- Indian Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum)
- Indian Ajwain Seed (Trachyspermum ammi)
- Indian Radhuni Seed (Trachyspermum roxburghianum)
- Indian Dill (Anethum graveolens*)
- Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
- Celery (Apium graveolens)
- Jujubi (Ziziphus jujuba)
- Golden Kiwi (Actinida deliciosa)
- Kiwi Berry (Actinida arguta)
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That’s exactly what I was planning on doing. Most (If Not all) Grocery Store seeds aren’t GMO. GMO Seeds are expensive & They don’t want the average gardener to grow them. I can gaurentee they wouldn’t risk it plus like you said, most of the seeds I save don’t even have a GMO Version aviable.
If it weren’t for grocery store, I would’ve never planted a single seed because I couldn’t risk loosing seeds I only have a few for.
Seed saving is simply just not trowing away seeds. I don’t think there is a simpler way to explain it. That’s about as instinctive as it can get.
I still think a simple 3 step with pictures can get the point across because most new gardeners (Like I was myself & Still kind of am) have a fear of messing something up hence the over-complication of seed saving. Terms like F1 Hybrid, GMO & Pure Heirloom hault the seed saving process so I would just not use them.
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Those are very impressive lists of seeds. Please let us know how they do in your garden. We may end up leaving it to each steward to decide what to accept into their mix. In any case, I love your enthusiasm for this project and your offer to share so much with us. Thank you.
You’re right, the simpler the explanation, the better. I’ll see what I can come up with for seed saving.
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I will but as of now, most plants got eaten by deer & seeds by Squirrels. I started pre-germinating or sowing half-rotten seeds to deter squirrels from digging & it WORKED! Apparently Rotten Germinating squash seeds taste nasty to them.
I think that’s the best way to do it. Hopefully I can become a seed steward too once I get land of my own.
If you need help, I would be happy to write seed saving guides & Id Guides for species. Since I had no land to garden (It’s a blessing in disguise), I’ve been researching Plants for 5 years non-stop. I’ve learned how to save so many seeds with confidence
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As far as grocery story seed, I’d prefer not to include it. Anyone can go to the store and get such seeds for a few dollars; if we are taking all this trouble to ship seed back and forth across the country, package it, etc. it should be something that is different and hard to obtain.
By contrast, wild-gathered seeds are much more interesting!
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First off I’d like to apologize for not sending my seeds back last year, and at some point I’m going to mail you a crap ton of seeds from last year and this year. Life has just been crazy hectic for me.
Secondly in my experience expecting random people on the internet to send seeds back is it likely not going to go great, so perhaps seed contracts etc would be a better route. Being so busy, and needing to always be generating income, It’s really hard for me to justify the labor and time involved in growing seeds to contribute, and I feel like I’m someone who is extremely passionate about landrace plant breeding. Your average Joe will be excited for a month or two and then move on.
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Speaking as someone who’s grown for a contract before, I can say that it introduces a lot of stress and fear into gardening. The pressure to not get a crop failure is HUGE, and sometimes bad weather just happens. Or a variety just isn’t suitable to your climate. I don’t think it’s wise to put that kind of pressure on people. When it feels like “failure is not an option” in a creative work (such as gardening), it turns joy into misery.
I believe we check a box when ordering seeds that says something like, “I agree to not pamper the seeds and to return seeds back that I save,” right? I think that’s about the right level of “making people agree to do something” that is needed. The expectation is clearly stated, so the only real issue is likely to be that most people are busy, forgetful, procrastinatory, or have crop failures. Three of those four things can be solved with gentle, polite reminders, and a little extra patience. I think being open to receiving seeds year-round is a terrific example of patience.
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Hmm… I don’t know if everyone has International Grocery Stores like Lotte, H-mart, Indian Bazarr, etc in their area that sell Rare Fruits.
For example, It’s hard to find Dosokai Melon Seeds online but easy to buy them at lotte. Or Rare Thai melons (Which I can’t find online to buy) but they sell them international Grocery Stores. OR Bambara Beans, you ain’t gonna find that at a Regular American Grocery Store. OR Cornuts, SO MANY VARITIES like Chulpe & Cuzco Corn. I would love for the GTS Community to play around with those genetics. Sending In Grocery Store Pinto Beans wouldn’t do much so I understand.
Yes & No, just depends on what seeds were gathering. Everyone lives in different areas thus has different species or genetics to pull from which MAKES IT SUPER INTERESTING! But also everyone has different International grocery stores in their area right? Think about the seeds you could get that I can’t & Vice Versa.
Is this why Grocery Store seeds aren’t allowed? I still really want to send in Valuable Diversity as I don’t think everyone on GTS has access to International Grocery Stores (Maybe it could be a fun Peer to Peer trade?). It’s fun to see how the seeds I saved grew in other peoples garden.
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Agreed. Recently I tried to join a book club for the first time. I love reading, I was super excited about the prospect of making like-minded friends, and this month’s book looked intriguing. Yet, as soon as I got the book onto my Kindle, I procrastinated and stalled until the date of the meeting passed and the opportunity was missed. My main interest was not in discovering new books, but in making friends, so the prerequisite of reading the book before the meeting made the endeavor go from “something exciting to do” to “a chore that must be done,” and that killed the drive (though I shall try again next month!). I think with landracing, the “exciting thing to do” is the growing of crops and being part of a like-minded community; saving and returning the seed is “a chore that must be done.” If we were to introduce a more formal contract, those of us that are more sensitive to “chores that must be done” will definitely fold at a higher rate. Blanket coercion is not the way.
At the same time, it’s a fact that some people DO appreciate more pressure. I can’t speak much to this because it’s not me, but maybe there’s some way to offer different incentives to differently-motivated people. (Duly noted that “incentive,” often extrinsic, isn’t necessarily interchangeable with “motivation,” often intrinsic). Personally, getting first pick of the seeds next year is hella motivating to me. Gimme all the seeds! It’s all I need. But maybe others would appreciate a different incentive. Could ask the community, “What tangible reward, if any, would personally motivate you to return seeds?” I know there was a question similar to it in the seed questionnaire, but it was framed differently, without mentioning a reward. Perhaps some people would love a small group virtual session invite with a community celebrity. Perhaps others would be tickled to have their name in a contributor list visible here on the forum (while others wouldn’t; I’d suggest it be optional).
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Maybe we could set up something separate for grocery store seeds? I might personally be interested in grocery story seeds, even though I don’t think they are a great fit for the main GTS grexes. Maybe a project where people share, grow and document the interesting things they find at grocery stores or farmer’s markets? And then offspring of these experiments could be contributed to the GTS. Sort of like how the USDA seed bank seeds are being used; people are growing them out, and their descendants will end up in the grexes.
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I would love to do that, but will there be enough people interested to have it separate? If there isn’t enough interest, maybe it becomes a peer to peer trade? Although is it fair to say no grocery store seeds from any species, or are some species okay? Like for example Grocery Stores just happen to sell True Heirlooms like Italian Marina Di Chioggia Squash (Cucurbita maxima) & French Worty Galeux D’Eysines Squash (Cucurbita maxima). There’s 100% no CMS or GMO Risk in those.
I would DOUBLE love to do that! Should we make a separate page for that here or should I make one on reddit? Or even better turn it into a blog where we all can contribute kind of like how specialty produce does it with their app? Just some ideas.
However since I’m Ninja Gardening on land I don’t own, if Deer eat everything, the only seeds I will be able to send in are Directly From Grocery Store. Of course I’m selecting the best tasting & Most Ripest fruits to save seeds from.
DM me, perhaps we could trade if your interested.
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Yea that extra stress aint worth the extra squeeze. I think the right attitude is, if Gardening only yields Stress, Worry, Fear, & Anxiety, your doing it wrong.
That’s a good inexpensive idea!
I don’t know about this idea. I don’t think it should be tied to only seed contributors. I like everyone being able to join in & Listen.
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