Your 2025 Garden

....2025 is coming to an end...so I hope 2026 I will have some vegetables grown in my garden.

We have been having excessive and prolong rain so everything is rotten, especially tomatoes, they do not like too much water.
We've not had rain in 23 days. I lost my watermelons, and newly-planted fall crops.
 
Pulled one Purple Viking potato plant.
20250904_175320.jpg
 
I've been saving tomato seeds for a few years. I think that seeds from plants have grown in my garden are better suited for growing in my garden.
That works if the original plants were open pollinated and not hybrids. If they were hybrids, you will not get the same plants from the seeds.
 
I like to save seeds on OP plants as well. I do think it helps adapt them to your area climate and soil.

I've been saving Black Krim tomato seeds for about 7 years or more.

Sieva Butterbeans for about 20 years.

Many flower types.

I grow collards from seed that has been in DH's family for over 2 generations. All were grown in this county all these years. My FIL gave these to me about 25 years ago. He has passed away. We are at least the 3rd generation to grow them. No one else in the family seems interested in doing this so I feel the need to carry this on. I don't know who will continue after I'm gone.

I have these collard plants gowing out now ready to put in my fall garden. Every time I grow these I think about all those before me who grew these same collards and saved seed so they would have fresh greens to eat for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
I like to save seeds on OP plants as well. I do think it helps adapt them to your area climate and soil.

I've been saving Black Krim tomato seeds for about 7 years or more.

Sieva Butterbeans for about 20 years.

Many flower types.

I grow collards from seed that has been in DH's family for over 2 generations. All were grown in this county all these years. My FIL gave these to me about 25 years ago. He has passed away. We are at least the 3rd generation to grow them. No one else in the family seems interested in doing this so I feel the need to carry this on. I don't know who will continue after I'm gone.

I have these collard plants gowing out now ready to put in my fall garden. Every time I grow these I think about all those before me who grew these same collards and saved seed so they would have fresh greens to eat for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
That`s awesome! I breed heirloom tomatoes as a hobby. I have come up with some very good varieties that are now open pollinated as I have grown them for at least 15 years! I worry when i`m gone my varieties will be lost! I would like to see others enjoy them as much as our family does! think I am going to send some seeds to MI gardener to see if he is interested! 😊
 
If you're concerned, contact seed savers or similar organizations and see if they're willing or able to help.

Realize that once they are out of your hands you have no control, but from my perspective it's worth it to preserve these old and sometimes ancient varieties.

An alternative would be a seed trading post on this site.
 
And yes, you can plant hybrids. Statistically about a quarter will be the hybrid variety, which you can then stabilize into an op variety, but you may find something you like even more. With the inbreeding depression removed or reduced by a generation of hybridization, it is possible thst you'll get something better that either of the (usually heirloom) parents or the hybrid.
 

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