book for PDF - John Snow International Europe

Propagation and plantingIf you want to grow vegetables all year round you need to sow seedlingsin specially prepared soil in a nursery or seedbed. By protecting seedlingsfrom wind, rain, sun and pests you will have higher production. Plant afew vegetable seeds every 3-4 weeks. Keep seedlings of different stagesin the nursery so that you can replace those harvested with matureseedlings. Sell any extra seedlings you produce.Saving seedsSeeds are very expensive to buy. You can collect and store your ownseed. Let some of your vegetables go to seed. Collect seed from themost productive, healthy plants. Avoid hybrid plants as the seed youcollect from these crops may not give reliable results. Buy openpollinatedvarieties.Collection and storageFor plants which produce pods (such as peas andbeans) or other dried seed (such as onions, beetroot,spinach, rape, tsunga and cabbage) wait until theseeds have dried on the plant before harvesting.These seeds can be stored for many months. Placethe dried seed in paper envelopes and seal them indry, insect-proof containers such as a coffee jar.Place some ash and dried herbs such as lavender inthe jar to repel pests.For fruit crops and fruit trees such as gooseberry, tomato, pepper,pawpaw or tree tomato, harvest the fresh fruit then remove and cleanthe seed. Plant this seed as soon as possible as it does not store well.Share and exchange seed and seedlings with your neighbours.41