Intro to Seed Saving

Do you want to save seeds from this year’s garden? Seed saving is easier than you might think! It just takes a little time to gather the seeds and a little space to process them. Follow the links throughout this introductory article to learn more.

Tomato Seeds
Tomatoes are a popular seed-saving choice and a good place to start. For tomato seeds, you will need a pint sized canning jar (with its ring) and a piece of paper towel large enough to cover the top. You will also want to have a sharp knife, a spoon, a fork, and a cutting board. Finally, you’ll need a  paper towel for drying, labeling paper, and an envelope to store your dry seeds.

The process starts while your tomatoes are still growing on the vine. Choose the tomato that you want to save seeds from and remember no to pick it. It will need to  continue to grow till it is just past its ripened state  before you cut it off the vine. The next steps are to cut it in half, scoop out the insides into the pint jar and add water until it is half to two thirds full. Using the fork, mash/puree the seed mixture in the jar till it is all separated. Swirl the jar to see if the mix is even. Put the paper towel over the top and fasten it in place with the ring. Let the jar sit on your kitchen counter where you can watch it and swirl it at least once a day for the first two to three days. Let it sit then until it develops a fuzzy moldy looking top. Then add a little more water, swirl, and then let it sit for a minute or so, so the heavy viable seeds settle to the bottom. You can use the fork to lift out and dispose of the slime from the top. Add water, swirl, and let it sit again, then pour off the top mixture leaving the seeds on the bottom. You may have to do this several times until clear water and seeds on the bottom are all that remain. Then pour off the water and dump the seeds on your drying towel. Once they are dry, place them in a labeled and dated envelope and store them in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant them next season.

Pepper Seeds
Peppers (Bell, Jalapeno, Poblano, Anaheim, etc.) are another popular seed-saving choice. Just as described above, you want to choose the pepper that you like and want to grow again next year. Cut the pepper open so you can remove the seeds. Put the seeds on a paper towel to dry. Make sure you label your seeds. When they are dry, usually in a couple weeks, soak them in water for a day or so. The seeds that sink to the bottom are your most viable seeds, these are the ones you want to save.

Tomatoes and peppers are a great place to start, but you can save seeds from all of your favorite plants, with a little research. Seed Sowing and Seed Saving, written by Carole Turner, is a good book on how to save seeds and plant them. Also consider your local University of Idaho County Extension Office, your local library, and your favorite bookstore.

 

The advantage of saving seeds from your garden is that you know they grow well in the microclimate of your garden. You also save money and get the satisfaction of being self-sufficient. Seed-saving year after year is called Landrace seed saving and planting. If you have extra seeds, share with your friends or join a local seed bank. 

Seed Saving 101: Saving seeds for yourself and others

Have you wanted to start saving seeds from your favorite plants? Seed saving is easier than you think. All it takes is a little time to gather and then the space to process and store the seeds. Follow the links throughout the the text to learn more as we progress through this short introductory article.

For starters we are going to use the ever tasteful and all time favorite, tomato, as our introductory example.

Items you will need, a pint jar with its ring and a piece of paper towel large enough to cover the top, sharp knife, spoon, fork and cutting board. Later items needed, paper towel for drying, labeling paper and an envelope to store your dry seeds.

First you will need to decide which tomato on the vine you want to save seeds from. Make sure everyone at home knows which ones they are. Let it continue to grow till it is just past ripe before you cut it off of the vine. Put it on the cutting board and cut it in half, scooping out the insides where the seed are. You can eat the rest, just sans seeds.

Put these seeds in the pint jar and fill it with water till it is half to two thirds full. Using the fork, mash/puree the seed mixture in the jar till it is all separated. Swirl the jar to see if all of the mix is even. Put the paper towel over the top and fasten in place with the ring. Let the jar sit on your kitchen counter where you can watch it and swirl it at least once a day for the first two to three days. Let it sit then till it develops a fuzzy moldy looking top. Now comes the fun part. Add a little more water and swirl, then let sit for a minute or so, so the heavy viable seeds settle to the bottom. You can use the fork to lift out and dispose of the slime off of the top. Add water again and swirl and let sit, then pour off the top mixture leaving the seeds on the bottom. You may have to do this several times till all you have left is clear water and seeds on the bottom. Pour off the water and dump the seeds on your drying towel.

Remember to label and date these right from the start, especially if you have more than one batch going at the same time.

Now, let's take a quick look at how to save seeds from a few types of peppers. Bell , Jalapeno, Poblano and Anaheim Peppers will be featured as the example. Here again, you want to pick the pepper that you like and want to grow again next year. Cut the pepper open so you can remove the seeds. Put the seeds on a paper towel to dry. Make sure you label your seeds. When they are dry, usually in a couple weeks, soak them in water for a day or so. The seeds that sink to the bottom are your most viable seeds, these are the ones you want to save.

You can save seeds from all of your favorite plants, with a little extra research and reading.

There you go, you are saving seeds from your garden that are suited to the micro-climate of your garden. When you do this again next year with your favorite plants and on and on, this is called Landrace seed saving and planting. If you have extra seeds, share with your friends or join a local Seed Bank.

This book is a good resource material book on how to save seeds and plant them.

Other resources are your local U of I county Extension office, the local library, your favorite bookstore and your favorite online shop.

Happy Seed Saving and Gardening.