Have you ever wondered how to save seeds for next year from this year’s harvest? It was something that farmers used to do many years ago, and in some areas, it is no longer practiced. You may have heard the term “gone to seed” before. It means that the plant is ready to be harvested for seeds. Seeds are pretty easy to come by and can be rather inexpensive. Some gardeners will consider it a waste of time to save seeds when you can just go buy them for a couple of dollars.
Gardeners saved seeds to save money, but it was also done to continue growing a certain variety of vegetables and in some cases flowers.
Saving seeds don’t require much more effort at the end of the season. You will be an expert in a few short steps!
This post is all about how to save seeds for a bountiful garden next year.
So, it’s the end of the growing season and you want to try saving seeds just for fun or you are trying to preserve a particular plant species. Before moving on, understand that it is illegal to save seeds if you have signed a contract to grow genetically modified plants. Find out more here.
Wet vs. Dry Seeds
The first thing you have to do is determine if you are harvesting wet seeds or dry seeds. This concept is pretty simple. Wet seeds come from fleshy crops like tomatoes and cucumbers whereas dry seeds come from flowers like zinnias and vegetables like beans. The only difference is that you will have to physically remove the wet seeds from the crop, rinse, and let them dry for a couple of days. Dry seeds come directly from the pod.
Storage Prep
Prepping for seed storage is pretty simple. You need seed storage envelopes and Mason jars (optional). You will use the envelopes to collect the seeds. Some gardeners place the envelope inside of the Mason jar and seal it. This is totally up to you. However, you will need to store it in a cool, dry area. This method will typically preserve the seeds for 2 years. However, you can store your seeds in the freezer (in your envelopes). If you choose the freezer method, be sure to label your seeds and include the date you put them in the freezer. If you want to know how long your seeds last in the freezer (or in general) check out this article.
Collecting Seeds
Collecting the seeds is easy. If you are collecting wet seeds, you will physically remove the seeds from the fleshy skin and let them air dry. You can use a fan to speed up this process.
If you are collecting dry seeds, remove the seeds from the pods. If you are collecting seeds from a flower, you want to make sure the flower is completely dry. Snip the dry stem, and shake the stem onto a dry paper towel or any white surface so you can see the seeds fall from the pods.
Once you have collected the seeds, insert them into an envelope, label, and store them for next year.
Now that you know how to save your seeds, you can start planning for next year’s growing season.
