Seed Saving Guide

Pleasant Valley Garden · Lowell, MI · Zone 5b

Per-variety guides for saving seeds from what you're actually growing. Tap any variety for step-by-step instructions, cross-pollination info, and tips.

Quick Reference

Category	Varieties	Verdict
Easy wins	All 5 tomatoes, potatoes, basil, luffa, muncher cucumber	Save!
Worth saving	OP peppers (accept 5-15% crosses), watermelons, radish	Caution
Landrace project	All cantaloupes/melons — crossing is intentional, save from best performers	Save!
Don't bother	Megatron Jalapeno (F1), Ambrosia (F1), store-bought peppers	Skip

Cross-Pollination Cheat Sheet

Key rule: Species cross, genera don't. Cantaloupes cross with honeydew (same species), but NEVER with watermelon or cucumber (different species).

Species	Your Varieties	Crosses?
Cucumis melo	Minnesota Midget, Honey Rock, Noir des Carmes, Edisto 47, Hale's Best, Charentais, G1, Sweet Delight	YES
Citrullus lanatus	Leelanau Sweetglo, Tendersweet, Charleston Gray	YES
Cucumis sativus	Muncher (only one!)	No
Capsicum annuum	Pumpkin Jalapeno, King of the North, Anaheim, Alma Paprika, Etrada	5-15%
Solanum lycopersicum	Cherokee Purple, Oxheart, Brandywine, Sheboygan, Roma	No

Tomatoes — Self-pollinating, easiest to save

Peppers — Mostly self-pollinating, 5-15% cross risk

Pumpkin Jalapeno

OP Medium

King of the North

OP 1934 Medium

New Mexico Anaheim

OP Heirloom Medium

Alma Paprika

OP Heirloom Medium

Etrada Bell

Unconfirmed Medium

Cantaloupes & Melons — All cross freely (same row!)

Landrace breeding project: All these Cucumis melo varieties cross freely via bees — and that's the goal. G1 and Ambrosia F1 are saved seed from previous years. By growing diverse genetics together and saving seed from the best performers each year, you're developing a melon adapted to this specific garden's soil, climate, and conditions. Save from the tastiest, earliest, most vigorous plants.

Minnesota Midget

OP Heirloom Hard

Honey Rock

OP 1933 Hard

Noir des Carmes

OP 1700s Hard

Edisto 47

OP 1964 Hard

Hale's Best

OP 1920s Hard

Charentais

OP French Hard

G1 Saved Seed

Garden Cross Easy

Watermelons — Cross with each other, NOT with cantaloupes

Leelanau Sweetglo

OP Michigan Medium

Tendersweet

OP Heirloom Medium

Charleston Gray

OP 1954 Medium

Other Crops

Muncher Cucumber

OP Easy

Luffa

OP Easy

Basil

OP Easy

Potatoes

Save Tubers Easy

Radish

OP Medium

General Seed Saving Tips

Select wisely: Save from your best, healthiest, most typical plants — not just the biggest fruit. Mark them early with ribbon so you don't eat them.
Dry completely: Seeds should snap, not bend. 1-2 weeks on a plate in a warm, dry spot.
Store smart: Paper envelopes inside a sealed jar with a silica gel packet. Cool, dark, dry place.
Label everything: Variety name, date saved, any notes about the parent plant.
Save from multiple plants: 6+ plants if possible, to maintain genetic diversity.
Refresh periodically: For potatoes, buy certified seed every 3-4 years to reset disease pressure.

Seed viability: Tomatoes 4-6 yr · Peppers 2-4 yr · Melons/Cucumbers 4-6 yr · Basil 3-5 yr · Radish 4-5 yr · Onion 1-2 yr

Seed Saving Guide

Quick Reference

Cross-Pollination Cheat Sheet

Tomatoes — Self-pollinating, easiest to save

Cherokee Purple

Oxheart

Brandywine

Sheboygan

Roma VF

Peppers — Mostly self-pollinating, 5-15% cross risk

Pumpkin Jalapeno

King of the North

New Mexico Anaheim

Alma Paprika

Etrada Bell

Cantaloupes & Melons — All cross freely (same row!)

Minnesota Midget

Honey Rock

Noir des Carmes

Edisto 47

Hale's Best

Charentais

G1 Saved Seed

Watermelons — Cross with each other, NOT with cantaloupes

Leelanau Sweetglo

Tendersweet

Charleston Gray

Other Crops

Muncher Cucumber

Luffa

Basil

Potatoes

Radish

General Seed Saving Tips