[ti:How to Collect and Save Vegetable Seeds for Next Year] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]Many of the vegetables we grow in our gardens [00:04.20]produce seeds, which can grow into plants [00:08.81]if harvested and stored correctly. [00:12.52]Late summer is the perfect time to start collecting them, [00:18.14]reports Associated Press gardening expert Jessica Damiano. [00:24.17]She warns upfront about the importance of the fruit you choose for seeds. [00:32.60]Make sure the seeds are from plants that are heirloom, [00:37.35]or open-pollinated, kinds. [00:41.24]These are plants in their original forms. [00:45.00]Their seeds will produce plants with the same qualities as their parents. [00:52.00]Hybridized plants usually produce the vegetables sold in big food stores. [00:58.43]They are created by breeding two or more different kinds of plants [01:04.35]to capture the best qualities of each. [01:09.08]Attempting to grow seeds from hybrids will not lead to happy harvesting, however. [01:15.91]The resulting plants will not have the expected qualities [01:21.15]but instead carry the genes of just one of its parents. [01:26.88]And, it is impossible to identify which parent that will be. [01:33.40]For this reason, it is best not to grow seeds from store-bought food. [01:40.40]Many plants become cross-pollinated in the garden. [01:45.20]Pollinators, other insects, [01:47.75]animals and wind spread pollen from one plant to another. [01:53.43]To ensure the seeds you collect will grow into plants [01:58.16]that match their parents, give them space! [02:02.60]Place different kinds of the same crop as far apart as possible [02:08.56]when planting a home garden. [02:11.92]To avoid cross-pollination surprises, [02:16.06]plant only one kind of each vegetable from which to harvest seeds. [02:23.60]If you want to save tomato seeds, for example, [02:27.42]grow only one kind of tomato in your garden. [02:31.71]If that feels too limiting, go ahead and experiment. [02:37.84]Choose heirloom plants so the risks from cross-pollination are reduced. [02:45.08]The plants will be fine even if they are not what you expected. [02:50.84]Store seeds in a cool, dry place in a covered glass jar [02:56.43]or paper envelope away from ripening fruit. [03:01.09]The temporary addition of a drying element to the jar [03:06.34]will remove any remaining wetness. [03:10.84]But remove it after a few days to avoid over-drying. [03:17.00]Here is how to collect and save seeds from some common homegrown crops. [03:24.24]At the end of the growing season, [03:27.33]lettuce plants will grow a flower that will develop seed heads. [03:33.16]The process is called bolting and the seed heads are called a puff. [03:40.16]When the puff is dry, remove the stem. [03:44.48]Put the puff in a paper bag, close the bag and shake. [03:50.08]The seeds will come off the flower and fall to the bottom of the bag. [03:57.44]Basil seeds are tiny, [03:59.78]so separating them from the small flower is a slow and careful process. [04:07.44]When plants bolt at the end of the season, [04:10.83]permit flowers to remain until they fade completely. [04:17.72]Clip them off and place them in a sieve. [04:21.59]Then use your fingers to push them against the bottom of the sieve. [04:29.16]Beet and carrot plants produce seeds only in their second year, [04:34.37]after a period of cold storage. [04:37.72]In areas with cold winters, [04:41.32]simply leave plants in the ground over winter. [04:45.54]In warm climates, you have to create "winter" indoors: [04:51.82]At the end of the first season, cut the plants down to 5 centimeters. [04:59.76]Carefully dig up roots, and store them in a refrigerator or other cool place. [05:07.44]Replant them outdoors the following spring. [05:12.28]When the leaves of second-year beet plants turn brown, [05:16.80]remove the seed stalk from the top of the plant [05:20.46]and place it in a paper bag. [05:24.08]Store in a cool, dry place for at least two weeks, [05:30.08]then give the bag a good shake to separate the seeds. [05:34.99]Pour them onto a plate and blow on them to separate the chaff. [05:42.08]Let second-year carrot flowers dry on the plant, cut them off, [05:48.76]and dry them further in a paper bag for a week or two. [05:54.03]Then treat them in the same way as beets. [05:59.16]Choose the best-looking pepper from your healthiest plant [06:03.98]and let it remain on the plant until it is overripe and wrinkled. [06:10.58]Slice it in half and remove the seeds. [06:14.69]Throw away any that are discolored or otherwise undesirable. [06:22.00]Spread seeds in a single level on thick paper [06:27.00]and let them dry in a warm place. [06:31.56]Do not put them in direct sunlight. [06:35.27]Shake the seeds around from time to time to ensure even drying. [06:43.04]The process should take about a week. [06:46.39]Permit an eggplant to over-ripen on the plant [06:51.59]until it becomes hard and wrinkled, and loses its shine and color. [06:58.64]Cut it open, remove its seeds and place them in a bowl of water. [07:05.26]Stir the water to wash off anything that might be sticking to them. [07:10.74]Then use a cloth to dry the seeds gently. [07:16.20]Leave the seeds on a piece of cloth, shaking them a little every day, [07:21.22]until completely dry. [07:24.72]This can take several weeks. [07:28.65]Green beans can produce a lot during the season. [07:33.13]To get seeds, leave developing pods on one plant [07:38.69]until they are completely dried and brown. [07:42.79]Next, cut the pods off the plant [07:46.74]and place them in a cool, dark spot to dry further. [07:52.56]Later, remove the seeds and spread them on cloth. [07:57.72]Let them harden there for a few days. [08:01.20]I'm Dorothy Gundy. And I'm Caty Weaver. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM