Video: How to Save Squash Seeds
In 2021, Utopian Seed Project and Communal Studios received a grant from Southern SARE to create a Southeast Seed video series. The project traveled across 12 states and interviewed over 50 farmers, community gardeners, seed savers, seed growers, and seed advocates. The footage was weaved together to tell the story and seed saving of six southern crops: corn, okra, southern peas, collards, sweet potatoes, and squash.
Thanks to Two Seeds in a Pod for sponsoring the squash episode:
How To Save squash seeds
How To Save Squash Seeds explores seed saving, seed growing and seed heritage in the Southeast USA. Interviews with farmers and growers across the south tell a story of seed heritage deeper than any one variety. Take a deep dive into saving squash to learn both the technical side of saving seeds and the reasons why it’s so important.
Cucurbita spp. represents five domesticated edible squash species that can be grown in North America. There are many squash types that range in color, size, shape and taste. They also vary in Southern adaptation, with many regional heirlooms suited to the southeast.
LIFE CYCLE: Annual
SPACING: Same as when grown for produce
POLLINATION: Monoecious flowers (separate male and female flowers on same plant)
ISOLATION DISTANCE: 800 feet – ½ mile, Can be isolated by species
SEED LIFE: 6 years
POPULATION SIZE:Viable seed: 1 plant |Variety Maintenance: 5-10 plants | Genetic Preservation: 25 plants
SCREEN SIZE: Wet processed, use sieve
SEED BORNE DISEASES: Fusarium crown and foot rot, scab, fusarium wilt, squash mosaic virus, gummy stem blight, bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, bacterial fruit blotch
This video features:
Jon Jackson, Comfort Farms, Georgia
Mehmet Oztan, Two Seeds in a Pod, West Virginia
Haylene Green aka The Garden Queen, West End Community Garden and Nursery, Georgia
Nate Kleinman, The Experimental Farm Network
Ira Wallace, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Virginia
Bobby Wilson, Metro Urban Atlanta Farm, Georgia
Edmund Frost, Commonwealth Seed Growers, Virginia
Joe Durando, Possum Hollow Farm, Florida
Megan Allen-Lazaro, Care of the Earth Community Farm, Tennessee
Amyrose Foll, Virginia Free Farm, Virginia
Thanks to our video series sponsors:
In 2021 The Utopian Seed Project and Communal Studios received a grant from Southern SARE to create a Southeast Seed video series. The project traveled across 12 states and interviewed over 50 farmers, community gardeners, seed savers, seed growers and seed advocates. The footage was weaved together to tell the story and seed saving of six southern crops: corn, okra, southern peas, collards, sweet potatoes and squash.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS21-351. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.