Hi, Any seed that is not hybrid whether heirloom or not(some plants can be brand new and not a hybrid) can be saved and will come true to type. Cross pollination depends a lot on the type of plant. Here's an explanation of of squash that I wrote before: Cross pollination happens when you grow two squash of the same species. An example is Acorn Squash, Zucchini and the little ornamental gourds(not real gourds like a birdhouse gourd) are all Cucurbita pepo. They will cross. They will not cross with other species. Like a Hubbard squash, Cucurbita maxima, will not cross with a Cucurbita pepo type squash. So when growing squash as long as the second name does not match, you can grow different types without worry of crossing if you wish to save seed. And squash do not cross with melons or cukes. You only have to worry about cukes crossing with cukes and melons crossing with melons. So you can grow multiple squash/pumpkin/gourds as long as the latin second names do not match. If the latin second names match, you need 1/2 mile between varieties to keep them pure. Most things that have a lot of insect visitation, need 1/2 mile or so. For saving for yourself, you can go a bit less and chances are you will still be ok. I hope I made sense. If not please ask more questions. Remy

The only stone fruit seeds I save come from my Indian Blood peaches. These I keep w/a moist paper towel in a ziplock bag in the fridge until the following spring. I have planted them directly in the ground, but it frequently takes two years for them to sprout. My experience is that the refrigerated pits sprout pretty quickly once they start getting warm. I left close to a gallon of pits in my garage over the winter once only to suddenly find a forest growing in the bag come spring. Every blessed one of those pits sprouted. Brook

I think you should start small and easy to see how you like the additional work. I think you ask a very good question so here's why I grow certain things: - tomatoes, like everyone else, plus I discovered oven drying paste tomatoes is a great way to preserve. They take up less room in the freezer. Plus I found a curried cherry tomato recipe that makes an excellent sauce similar to chili sauce. I like it on breakfast sandwiches. You might find you love salsa but it's not something we eat much of. - peppers: I grow a wide variety since I found a local grower who has an amazing selection. We love peppers. To freeze, just stem, seed and cut in slices. Stick in a freezer bag. Last year I discovered a recipe for roasted red pepper soup. Yum! - herbs: you'll use more fresh herbs if they are right outside your door. Start with the familiar ones. - summer squash: easy to grow and the abundance always launches my zucchini recipe frenzy...everything from pickles to cookies, to side dishes. My DIL makes zucchini relish. - bush beans: I have found the filet type is my husband's favorite. He likes young, tender beans. I do not preserve them so I don't plant a lot. - sugar snap peas: one of our first fresh vegetables here in NH. Expensive in the store. Tastier grown at home. - strawberries: we all love them. I don't grow enough to freeze. - blueberries: I'm just starting out. It might have been smarter just to go to PYO places. Very easy to freeze. - spinach: This may become my favorite garden crop. We have to sow it early (like now) to get a good crop. Last year we had a very mild winter and my August planted spinach wintered over. I think I picked some for salad in March. This is in the category of wonderful things from the garden that are possible even in March in NH. - beets: boy, we love beets and beet greens. I still have some in the frig from last fall. (I think they're still ok.) I'm experimenting with cold storage. I had some in the garage for part of the winter. - lettuce: I'm real iffy on this. First, finding a flavor I like and one that doesn't go bitter. There is so much the average growing book doesn't tell you. I think I need to be more careful about which ones to grow at different times of the season. - winter squash: the bugs did in most of my crop last year but I've found two varieties that are fantastic keepers. This means I can stick squash in the basement all winter and still have some in March. No freezing. No canning. To me, this is an ideal vegetable if you have the room. - parsnips: another vegetable that improves with over-wintering in the garden so we can eat fresh as soon as the ground thaws enough for digging. - kale: my husband hates it. I love it. I brown bag my lunches so I'll grow a little bit for salads and sneak some into occasional soups. - cucumbers are ho hum for us. I really liked a particular variety, poona kheara, but my husband is not a big salad eater and hates pickles. - I also love rhubarb but my husband hates it. The asparagus bed would be wonderful if I hadn't botched starting it in the first place. Probably not good if you have limited space. We do not grow corn because of critter problems. It's much easier to buy at the local farmstand. onions: we eat a lot of onions but I haven't learned the knack of growing a decent sized onion. I should grow lots of scallions because I use them a lot. What I have found is that an abundance forces me to find new ways to use something. I try not to grow too much of anything but I'm always surprised. I thought tarragon flavored sugar snap pickles were wonderful but nobody else did. It is so much fun in summer to pick a fresh pepper for our grilled hamburgers. This past winter I have learned to make my own pizza dough so this summer I will make and can pizza sauce, trying to duplicate our favorite brand (Muir Glen). Happy Gardening!

Hunter, describe how you are germinating the seeds. Inside/Outside?--If inside, you need to use bottom heating (assuming your house is climate-controlled and not sweltering). This time of year, I find better results by just putting them outside in a sunny spot (just watch the moisture). May be hot as h!& for us, but most palm seeds need soil temperatures of high heat (90 F plus) to trigger germination. I once had some Traveler's palm seed that I tried to sprout in the house in the Winter (not using bottom heating but at room temp--70's). They did nothing. Come summer, and I took the pot the seeds were in and chucked it into the vegetable garden, In a few weeks, under a baking June sun, little Traveler's palms were sprouting in the garden.