The Organic Seed Grower: A Farmer's Guide to Vegetable Seed Production

729 Pages·2012·22.7 MB·English

by  John Navazio

PRAISE FOR THE ORGANIC SEED
GROWER “JOHN NAVAZIO HAS
WRITTEN A FANTASTIC GUIDE FOR
ORGANIC SEED BREEDERS AND
PRODUCERS. HE HAS TAKEN ORGANIC
SEED PRODUCTION TO A HIGHER
LEVEL WITH EXTENSIVE
INFORMATION ON SELECTION,
GENETIC INTEGRITY, ISOLATION
DISTANCES, AND SEEDBORNE
DISEASES. ALTHOUGH HIS FOCUS IS ON
PLANT BREEDERS AND COMMERCIAL
GROWERS, MUCH OF THE
INFORMATION IS ALSO APPLICABLE
TO SMALL-SCALE FARMS PRODUCING
SEED FOR ON-SITE USE.”
—SUZANNE ASHWORTH, author of Seed to Seed “John Navazio has made a
keystone contribution to the future of the grassroots organic seed movement. The
Organic Seed Grower is a fundamental resource for the preservation and
improvement of agricultural biodiversity. It is an essential guide to high-quality,
organic seed production: well grounded in fundamental principles, brimming
with practical techniques, thorough in coverage, and remarkably well organized,
accessible, and readable.”
—JEFF MCCORMACK, PhD, founder of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
“With The Organic Seed Grower, well-respected plant breeder and seed expert
Dr. John Navazio has written the definitive book on organic vegetable seed
production. Encyclopedic, yet well written and approachable, this seminal work
deserves a place in every grower’s library. From the organic farmer seeking a
comprehensive reference, to the family farmer who wants to learn how to
guarantee access to a favorite variety, to the progressive seed saver committed to
success—all will find this book an indispensable guide and Navazio a trusted
partner in organic seed improvement.”
—JIM GERRITSEN, president, Organic Seed Growers
and Trade Association (OSGATA) “There is nothing more important right now
than growing and saving seeds—that most essential aspect of life. While we
may have all done this once upon a time, we have mostly lost these skills to
private industry or urbanization. Until now. John Navazio reveals all the
techniques and tricks, some simple and some complex, that he’s learned only
after decades of careful observation and practice. Incredible photos help tell the
story of life that seeds represent. The Organic Seed Grower is what we need to
take back community control of seeds from those who have taken it from us.”
—TOM STEARNS, president, High Mowing Organic Seeds
The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
(SARE) program is a USDA competitive grants program, and
grant funds have supported the writing, editing, and production
of this book. Northeast SARE invests in projects like this one to
improve the understanding and adoption of sustainable farming
techniques. SARE defines sustainable farming as profitable,
environmentally sound, and good for communities.
There are four SARE regions that serve the United States and
the Island Protectorates. The Northeast SARE region is made
up of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
To learn more about SARE and the grant offerings in each of
the four SARE regions, go to www.sare.org.

Copyright © 2012 by John Navazio.
All rights reserved.

All photographs © Scott Vlaun unless otherwise credited.

No part of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form by any means without permission in
writing from the publisher.

Project Manager: Patricia Stone
Developmental Editor: Ben Watson
Copy Editor: Laura Jorstad
Proofreader: Eileen M. Clawson
Indexer: Margaret Holloway
Designer: Melissa Jacobson

Printed in the United States of America First printing November, 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 12 13 14 15 16

Our Commitment to Green Publishing Chelsea Green sees publishing as a tool for cultural change and
ecological stewardship. We strive to align our book manufacturing practices with our editorial mission and
to reduce the impact of our business enterprise in the environment. We print our books and catalogs on
chlorine-free recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks whenever possible. This book may cost slightly
more because it was printed on paper that contains recycled fiber, and we hope you’ll agree that it’s worth
it. Chelsea Green is a member of the Green Press Initiative (www.greenpressinitiative.org), a nonprofit
coalition of publishers, manufacturers, and authors working to protect the world’s endangered forests and
conserve natural resources. The Organic Seed Grower was printed on paper supplied by QuadGraphics that
contains at least 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Navazio, John.
The organic seed grower : a farmer's guide to vegetable seed production / John Navazio.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-933392-77-6 (hardcover)—ISBN 978-1-60358-452-4 (ebook) 1. Vegetables—Seeds. 2.
Vegetables—Propagation. 3. Vegetables—Organic farming.
4. Organic farming. 5. Seed technology. I. Title.

SB324.75.N38 2013
635—dc23
2012034338
Chelsea Green Publishing
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
[phone]
www.chelseagreen.com
1. Cover
2. Contents
3. Introduction
4. Acknowledgments
5. Part 1
6. 1. A Short History of Agricultural Seed
7. 2. Reproductive Biology of Crop Plants
8. 3. Understanding Biennial Seed Crops
9. Part 2
10. 4. Alliaceae
11. Leek
12. Onion
13. 5. Amaranthaceae
14. Garden Beet
15. Spinach
16. Swiss Chard
17. 6. Apiaceae
18. Carrot
19. Celery & Celeriac
20. Cilantro
21. Parsley
22. Parsnip
23. 7. Asteraceae
24. Chicory
25. Endive & Escarole
26. Lettuce
27. 8. Brassicaceae
28. The Cole Crops
29. Mustard Greens
30. Radish
31. Rutabaga & Siberian Kale
32. Turnip & Asian Greens
33. 9. Cucurbitaceae
34. Cucumber
35. Melon
36. Squash
37. Watermelon
38. 10. Fabaceae
39. Common Bean
40. Edamame
41. Fava Bean
42. Garden Pea
43. Lima Bean
44. Runner Bean
45. 11. Poaceae (Sweet Corn)
46. 12. Solanaceae
47. Eggplant
48. Pepper
49. Tomato
50. Part 3
51. 13. Isolation Distances for Maintaining Varietal Integrity
52. 14. Maintaining Adequate Population Size
53. 15. Seed Crop Climates
54. 16. Seedborne Diseases
55. 17. Stockseed Basics
56. About the Author
57. More Books by Chelsea Green
– Introduction –