This summer was scorching hot — with temperatures reaching record highs in some areas of the country. One Instagram gardener has a warning for those trying to harvest seeds for next year — make sure you know what they're supposed to look like.
The scoop
Instagrammer Anglea Judd (@growing.in.the.garden) posts gardening tips and tricks on her page.
She has an important tip for harvesting seeds this year — the record-high temperatures may have affected seed growth, and your plants may not have fully developed their seeds.
Her reel uses an artichoke plant as an example. She explains that this was her biggest artichoke this season but shows that the seeds from it are very small.
To the untrained eye, they may seem acceptable, but when Judd pulls out her seed harvest from a previous season, it's clear by the size and shape that her seeds from this year won't cut it. Her seeds from this year barely resembled what they were supposed to look like because they were so underdeveloped.
Planting unhealthy seeds will result in a weak crop for the next year, and consequently, a poor seed collection.
"It's important to know what the seeds are supposed to look like, that way you can ensure that you're saving high quality seeds that will give you high quality plants," Judd explained.
How it's helping
High-quality plants, whether they're flowers or fruits and veggies, have a number of benefits for your health and your wallet.
Having any sort of garden is likely to make your property more appealing when you go to sell it, as outdoor aesthetics can make a significant first impression. Plus, growing your own fruits and veggies leaves you with a convenient, healthy snack. And it's cheaper than buying them at the grocery store.
Plus, setting yourself up for a successful healthy garden can make an impressively positive impact on the environment.
In the grocery store, produce is often packaged using an excessive amount of plastic. This eventually ends up contributing to the 40 million tons of plastic that gets thrown away in America each year.
Not only that but produce needs to travel from a farm to the grocery store and then to your house. By the time you get it, it could already be a few days old. As a result, it won't last as long as produce fresh from the garden, so you'll have to eat it up or throw it out.
Approximately one-third of all food in America is thrown in the garbage, so eating straight from your garden means that you'll save money and help to cut down on food waste.
What everyone's saying
Instagram users were happy to hear about the hack and ensure that their gardens were set up for success.
"Good to know! [That's] also why it's so important to save extra when they're good," wrote one user.
Another added, "Super interesting! There's so much to learn in seed saving."
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