A Seed Saver's Garden

[jbosmith]

Fyi

 

[Zeedman]

i was trying to think of a trait of a plant that affects seed saving (to get a bit back on track here in this thread too ) that makes it harder for seed growers and harvesting but for a plant the other extreme would be a trait they'd like because it helps disperse their seeds further and faster.

Soybeans can shatter too. The tendency to do so varies between varieties & is influenced by conditions, but I've had a few cases where a lot of seed was expelled. And the beaks on some of those lima beans are sharp, they've drawn blood from me more than once.

To disperse and/or protect:

Thorns
Oily or irritating sap, hairs, or surfaces
Seeds which cling to flesh, fur, or clothing
Unpleasant taste or odor
Tendency to rot quickly
Toxicity
Tough, protective membranes around seeds
Falling on ground when ripe (where rodents can find them)
Fruits with hard, indigestible seeds (to pass through a bird or animal intact)
Attractiveness to ants or wasps

 

[flowerbug]

Soybeans can shatter too. The tendency to do so varies between varieties & is influenced by conditions, but I've had a few cases where a lot of seed was expelled. And the beaks on some of those lima beans are sharp, they've drawn blood from me more than once.

To disperse and/or protect:

Thorns
Oily or irritating sap, hairs, or surfaces
Seeds which cling to flesh, fur, or clothing
Unpleasant taste or odor
Tendency to rot quickly
Toxicity
Tough, protective membranes around seeds
Falling on ground when ripe (where rodents can find them)
Fruits with hard, indigestible seeds (to pass through a bird or animal intact)
Attractiveness to ants or wasps

exploding pods...

and yes, i've shed plenty of blood from Lima bean spines. sometimes you just grab one wrong. i often do not like to pick beans and wear gloves so it's my own fault too but i just like the tactile part of things and so want to feel what is going on.

 

[jbosmith]

exploding pods...

Do you folks have Jewelweed? That stuff is a champion at exploding pods! I spent a lot of my childhood in the woods poking those things. In hindsight I was their biggest ally! Beans in general remind me of them when the pods dry and shatter, especially the ones that curl up. They just aren't as good at it

Jewelweed

www.fs.fed.us

Clingy weed seeds and I are less friendly, though I've certainly unintentionally done my share of dispersing those too. Grr.

My favorite is when a defense turns into a dispersal method because humans came along and started farming things that hurt so good. Hot peppers and marijuana for example.

 

[ducks4you]

I LOVE to watch burdock seeds burning in my firepit.

 

[Zeedman]

I LOVE to watch burdock seeds burning in my firepit.

Good thing those don't explode...

 

[ducks4you]

Not YET!!

 

[heirloomgal]

View attachment 46019
Fyi

Thank you so much @jbosmith , this is interesting news!

 

[heirloomgal]

Soybeans can shatter too. The tendency to do so varies between varieties & is influenced by conditions, but I've had a few cases where a lot of seed was expelled. And the beaks on some of those lima beans are sharp, they've drawn blood from me more than once.

To disperse and/or protect:

Thorns
Oily or irritating sap, hairs, or surfaces
Seeds which cling to flesh, fur, or clothing
Unpleasant taste or odor
Tendency to rot quickly
Toxicity
Tough, protective membranes around seeds
Falling on ground when ripe (where rodents can find them)
Fruits with hard, indigestible seeds (to pass through a bird or animal intact)
Attractiveness to ants or wasps

This is a part of plants & seed culture that I find quite fascinating. There was a book I once tracked down and wanted to buy that was all about the survival adaptations of seeds, as well as plants. In the shuffle of life I lost the info I had written down, but it might be something worth finding for some winter reading. Listened to Seeds of Hope (audiobook) by J. Goodall a few years ago and quite enjoyed it.

Some of those on your list I've read about, but the tendency to rot quickly is new to me. Is this so predatory animals have less of an opportunity to eat the seeds inside the fruit/vegetable? Attractiveness to ants or wasps I'm guessing is to also keep predators away, or possibly help with pollination?

Years ago I had a suspicion DD was allergic to eggs, and I consulted with a specialist in that field. He told me that 99% of allergies to eggs, which is one of the top 6 allergens, is not to the yolk but to the surrounding gel. If people remove the white matter and eat only the egg yolk they probably won't experience much immune response. I found that interesting, but from a plant point of view it made sense to me. It is sort of like a little chicken 'seed'.

Another plant topic that intrigues me is the current discussions re: pollinators. As a seed saver, I'd like not to have much of that around in terms of seed purity. (I don't tend to anyway as I seldom see crosses.) I see some sites saying 75% of what's on a dinner plate requires pollinators. Yet, it seems to me aside from the squash and cucumber families, I don't see how this could be true. The majority of veggies are self pollinating. It seems fruits are the main group of food plants affected. I've looked at a few studies and it actually seems very little of our food, aside from fruits, and perhaps some nuts, require pollinators. It is a bit of a riddle to me.

 

[heirloomgal]

Do you folks have Jewelweed? That stuff is a champion at exploding pods! I spent a lot of my childhood in the woods poking those things. In hindsight I was their biggest ally! Beans in general remind me of them when the pods dry and shatter, especially the ones that curl up. They just aren't as good at it

Jewelweed

www.fs.fed.us

Clingy weed seeds and I are less friendly, though I've certainly unintentionally done my share of dispersing those too. Grr.

My favorite is when a defense turns into a dispersal method because humans came along and started farming things that hurt so good. Hot peppers and marijuana for example.

Didn't someone have a song about that? John Cougar Mellencamp maybe?