lettuce, greens, herbs, grains

Zone: Annual down to zone 2

Pollination: Pollinated by insects. Different varieties will cross with one another. This is usually prevented by planting different dill varieties at different times, so flowers do not bloom during the same period.

Isolation Distance: 200 - 1500 meters

Propagation: By seed

Seed Starting: Dill is direct sowed into prepared garden beds after last frost. Cover seeds lightly. Seeds will germinate in 7-10 days at 10C to 23C. 

Seed Viability: 5 years

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 6-80

Seed Collecting:  Dill is one of the easiest to save seeds from! Once the flower umbrelles have died back, the stalks can be cut down and tied hanging upside down to finish drying. A bucket or tarp can be placed underneath to catch any falling seeds. Seeds are very easily removed from the plant stalk by rubbing or pulling the seeds off. Winnow or screen out the chaff.

Zones: Annual down to zone 2

Pollination: Pollinated by insects

Isolation Distance: 200 meters

Propagation: By seeds

Seed Starting: Seeds are started in spring indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost, or by directly seeding into prepared garden beds after risk of frost has passed. Sow 1/4" deep. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days at 10C-30C. Transplant seedlings into garden after frost has passed and plant 3-4" for food production, or 2-3" apart for seed saving

Seed Viability: 5 years

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 12-50

Seed Collecting: Cilantro is quick to bolt. Do not save seeds from the cilantro plants that bolt excessively early. Cilantro produces umbrelle-type flowers. Once flowers die back, round seeds will form over the next 4-6 weeks. Green seeds turn brown as they dry. Once 50% of seeds are ripe and turning brown, the entire plant can be cut down at base and hung upside down to dry until main stem is competely brown and dry. Place a tarp or blanket under to catch falling seeds as they come off the plant quite easily once dry. Removing seeds from chaff is quite easy, run through series of sieves removing larger stems from seeds. Winnow out loose chaff.

Zones: Perennial to zone 3 with extra winter protection

Pollination: Pollinated by insects.

Isolation Distance: Isolate from other types of sage by 1/4" mile. Usually isolation isn't too much of a concern, as most sage grown is just "common sage" 

Propagation: By seeds or cuttings

Seed Starting: Seeds are started in early spring indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Sow into flats 1/4" deep. Germination happens in 2-3 weeks at 18-21C. Seedlings are transplanted into garden or pots after all risk of frost has passed. Plant 12" apart for seed saving.

Seed Viability: 2-3 years

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 6-20

Seed Collecting: Remove plants that do not display favorable characteristics. Allow plants to go to seed. Once flowers have died back, it takes another 4-6 weeks for seeds to mature. Once stalks start to dry back, the stalks can be cut off and placed into a paper bag to allow to further dry down. Seeds will very easily fall from seed pods. For more stubborn seeds, thresh lightly to dislodge. Run through a series of sieves to remove larger chaff. Winnow to remove smaller chaff.

Zones: Annual down to zone 2

Pollination: Self-Pollinating. All of the florets on the head open on the same day, usually in the morning. Flowers stay open for 30 minutes to several hours. Bees and other flying insects will visit the flowers and may cross-pollinate different varieties. Some growers claim that lettuce will not cross-pollinate at all, while others claim a 5% cross-pollination rate when planted side-by-side.

Isolation Distance: 12 feet or use caging when flowers are open

Propagation: By seeds

Seed Starting: Seeds are started in early spring indoors or by directly seeding into prepared garden beds. Lettuce makes a great winter milk jug sowing candidate. Sow onto surface of soil and cover very lightly. Germination happens in 2-10 days at 15C-21C. Transplant into garden mid-May. Space 4" - 8" apart. Lettuce will tolerate some light frost.

Seed Viability: 2-5 years

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 6-20

Seed Collecting: Remove lettuce plants that do not display favorable characteristics. Don't harvest seeds from the first lettuce to bolt, as these are undesirable traits. Lettuce seeds need an additional 6 weeks after when the lettuce would be regularly harvested. You may need to sow the seeds indoors to get a head start to allow for full maturity of seeds. Seeds can be harvested when the flowers have died back and the fluff is visible and seeds are dry. The whole flower stalk can be cut and placed into a paper bag to further dry down. Of all seeds, lettuce seeds are known to be one of the most difficult and time consuming to clean.

Zones: Perennial to zone 2

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Seed Saving Level: Easy

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Seed Collecting: 

Zones: Annual down to zone 2

Pollination: Self-Pollinating. Perfect flowers.

Isolation Distance: 3-10 meters (10+ feet)

Propagation: By seeds

Seed Starting: Seeds are started by directly seeding into prepared garden beds.

Seed Viability: 2-5 years

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 15-80

Seed Collecting: