Sasha CampbellSaving vegetable seeds is a simple way to save money and keep growing plants you enjoy. You can collect seeds from your garden, dry them, and store them for another growing season.
Tomatoes, beans, peas, and peppers are good choices for new seed savers. Their flowers often pollinate themselves. This means the saved seeds are more likely to produce plants like the parent plants.
Cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash, and corn can be harder. These crops may cross with compatible varieties growing nearby. The fruit on the current plant may look normal. However, plants grown from its seeds may produce different fruit.
The following tips will show you how to save vegetable seeds for next year or longer.
How to Save Vegetable Seeds for Next Year
1. Choose Open-Pollinated Varieties
Start with open-pollinated seeds when possible. These seeds can grow into plants that are much like the parent plants.
Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated varieties that people have saved and passed down for many years. However, not every open-pollinated variety is an heirloom.
Check the seed packet or plant label before saving seeds. Look for words such as “open-pollinated” or “heirloom.”
Avoid saving seeds from plants marked “hybrid” or “F1” if you want the new plants to stay true to type. Hybrid seeds may grow, but their plants can look, grow, or taste different from the parent.
Open-pollinated plants may also cross with compatible varieties growing nearby. Growing only one variety or keeping compatible varieties apart can lower this risk [1].
2. Grow Enough Plants
Try to save seeds from several healthy plants instead of only one.
Saving seeds from several plants gives you more seeds. It also helps keep the variety strong and healthy.
The number of plants you need depends on the crop. You can save tomato, bean, pea, or pepper seeds from a small garden. Crops such as corn need many plants for good pollination.
Plant corn in a block with several rows instead of one long row. This makes it easier for the wind to move pollen between the plants.
3. Prevent Unwanted Cross-Pollination
Cross-pollination happens when pollen moves from one plant variety to another compatible variety.
Beans, peas, tomatoes, and peppers are often easier for beginners because their flowers usually pollinate themselves. Crossing can still happen, but it is less common.
Bees and other insects can carry pollen between compatible varieties of the same crop species. For example, one cucumber variety may cross with another cucumber variety. Some pumpkins and squash can also cross if they belong to the same species.
Cucumbers do not normally cross with melons, pumpkins, or squash.
Wind can carry corn pollen over a much greater distance. One type of corn can cross with another type growing nearby.
To lower the risk of crossing, you can:
- Grow only one variety of a crop
- Keep compatible varieties far apart
- Grow varieties that flower at different times
- Cover and hand-pollinate selected flowers
Cross-pollination usually does not change the fruit already growing on the plant. It affects the plants that grow from the saved seeds.
Some vining crops depend on bees and other insects for pollination. If you want to keep a variety true to type, you may need to control which flowers receive pollen [2].
4. Save Seeds From Healthy Plants
Choose several strong plants that grew well during the season. Look for plants with good flavor, healthy growth, and other traits you want.
Do not save seeds from weak plants or plants showing signs of disease. Some plant diseases can spread through infected seeds [1].
Saving seeds from the largest fruit does not promise that you will get larger fruit next year. Instead, choose seeds from several healthy plants.
You might select plants that:
- Grew well in your garden
- Produced plenty of food
- Had good flavor
- Handled heat or dry weather well
- Showed fewer signs of disease
Make careful choices over several growing seasons. Over time, this may help you keep the traits that work best in your garden.
5. Wait Until the Seeds Are Fully Mature
Seeds must be fully mature before you collect them. Seeds from young fruit may not sprout.
Some fruits contain mature seeds when the fruit is fully ripe. These include tomatoes, ripe peppers, melons, and watermelons.
Green peppers may contain young seeds. Let peppers reach their full ripe color before saving the seeds.
For pumpkins and winter squash, leave the mature fruit in a dry place for two or three weeks before removing the seeds. This gives the seeds more time to finish developing.
Other crops must remain on the plant much longer than crops picked for eating.
A cucumber for eating is still young. A cucumber grown for seed should stay on the vine until it becomes large, yellow, and soft.
Bean and pea pods should become brown, dry, and brittle. The seeds may rattle inside the pods when they are ready.
Lettuce plants must flower before they produce seeds. Wait until the seed heads become dry and fluffy.
Carrots, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and onions are harder for beginners. These crops are often biennial. This means they usually grow leaves or roots during the first season and produce seeds during the second season.
6. Harvest Seeds the Right Way
Seed crops can be divided into two main groups: dry-seeded crops and wet-seeded crops.
Dry-Seeded Crops
Dry-seeded crops include:
- Beans
- Peas
- Lettuce
- Okra
- Corn
- Radishes
Allow the pods, husks, or seed heads to mature and begin drying on the plant.
Collect them before the pods burst open or the seeds fall to the ground. If heavy rain is coming, you can harvest mature pods or seed heads and finish drying them indoors.
Place them in a paper bag or spread them on a tray until they are crisp and dry.
Wet-Seeded Crops
Wet-seeded crops have seeds inside moist fruit. These include:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Squash
- Pumpkins
- Melons
- Watermelons
Let the fruit become fully mature before removing the seeds.
Cut open the fruit and scoop out the seeds. Place squash, pumpkin, pepper, melon, and watermelon seeds in a strainer. Rinse away the flesh and remove any seeds that look flat, damaged, or discolored.
Tomato and cucumber seeds have a slippery gel around them. Fermentation can help remove this coating.
7. Clean and Ferment Seeds When Needed
Most dry seeds need only simple cleaning.
Rub or break open the dry pods and seed heads. Remove stems, husks, and other plant pieces.
You can gently blow across the seeds to remove light pieces of plant material. You can also pour the seeds between two containers in front of a fan set on low. This process is called winnowing.
Be careful not to blow away small seeds.
How to Ferment Tomato Seeds
Place the tomato seeds, gel, and a little tomato juice in a small jar. Add a small amount of water if there is not enough liquid.
Leave the jar at room temperature for about two or three days. Do not seal it tightly.
Stir or swirl the mixture once a day. A thin layer of mold may form on top. This is a normal part of fermentation.
When the gel loosens, add water and stir the mixture. Let the seeds settle for a moment. Pour away the floating pulp and rinse the seeds left in the jar.
Remove any seeds that look damaged or discolored. Spread the clean seeds out to dry.
Do not leave tomato seeds in the mixture for too long. They may begin to sprout.
You can also ferment cucumber seeds for a short time to help remove their slippery coating.
8. Dry Seeds Before Storing Them
Seeds must be completely dry before storage. Moist seeds can rot or grow mold.
Spread clean seeds in a thin layer on a coffee filter, paper plate, fine screen, or another dry surface.
Avoid using paper towels for wet seeds because the seeds may stick to the paper.
Keep the seeds in a dry room with good airflow. Protect them from direct sunlight, heaters, ovens, and high heat.
Turn or stir large seeds each day so that all sides can dry.
Drying may take one to three weeks. Large seeds and seeds dried in humid areas may need more time.
One simple way to check a large seed is to bend it. A dry bean seed should break or crack instead of bending. Never bite a seed to test it.
9. Label and Store the Seeds Properly
Label each batch as soon as you collect it. It is easy to mix up seeds while cleaning and drying them.
Write down:
- The crop
- The variety
- The harvest date
- The place where it grew
- Any useful notes about the plant
Place completely dry seeds in paper packets or envelopes. Then put the packets inside an airtight jar or moisture-proof container.
You can add a fresh silica gel packet to help control moisture.
Store the container in a cool, dark, and dry place. A refrigerator can work well if the seeds are dry and sealed in an airtight container.
Cool temperatures and low moisture can help seeds remain usable for a longer time [3].
Very dry seeds can also be frozen for long-term storage. However, home freezing may not be needed if you plan to use the seeds within a few years.
When you remove cold seeds from a refrigerator or freezer, leave the container closed until it reaches room temperature. This helps stop water from forming on the cold seeds.
10. Test Older Seeds Before Planting
Test older seeds before planting a large area.
Place 10 seeds on a damp paper towel. Fold the towel over the seeds and place it inside a plastic bag or covered container.
Keep the towel damp, but do not soak it. Place it at the right temperature for that type of seed.
Check the seeds each day. Many vegetable seeds sprout within 5 to 10 days. Peppers, carrots, parsley, parsnips, and some other crops may take two or three weeks.
Count how many seeds sprout.
If 8 out of 10 seeds sprout, the germination rate is about 80%. If only 4 out of 10 sprout, the rate is about 40%.
You can plant older seeds more heavily if only some of them sprout. However, replacing them may give you better results.
How Long Do Saved Vegetable Seeds Last?
Many vegetable seeds remain usable for several years when kept cool, dark, and dry. However, their storage life can vary.
Fresh, well-dried seeds may last longer than seeds collected too early or stored in a humid place. As seeds get older, fewer of them may sprout.
The following times are rough estimates for seeds kept under good storage conditions [3]:
- Tomato: 4 years
- Pepper: 2 years
- Cucumber: 5 years
- Squash: 4 years
- Pumpkin: 4 years
- Watermelon: 4 years
- Melon: 5 years
- Beans: 3 years
- Peas: 3 years
- Broccoli: 3 years
- Cabbage: 4 years
- Cauliflower: 4 years
- Kale: 4 years
- Carrot: 3 years
- Beet: 4 years
- Radish: 4 years
- Lettuce: 1 year
- Spinach: 3 years
- Corn: 2 years
- Onion: 1 year
- Parsnip: 1 year
- Okra: 2 years
These times are only estimates. Some seeds may remain usable for longer. Storage conditions, seed quality, and the vegetable variety can all affect how long seeds last.
Always test older seeds if you are unsure whether they will grow.
Can You Save Seeds From Grocery Store Vegetables?
Seeds from grocery-store vegetables may grow, but the results are not always reliable.
The vegetable may have come from a hybrid plant. It may also have crossed with another compatible variety. The new plant may produce fruit that looks or tastes different.
Some grocery-store produce is picked before the seeds become mature. Green peppers and cucumbers sold for eating often contain seeds that are not ready to grow.
Produce may also come from a climate very different from yours. Even if the seeds grow, the plants may not perform well in your area.
For better results, save seeds from known open-pollinated plants in your own garden.
Where to Buy Quality Seeds
If you do not want to save your own seeds, buy them from a trusted seed company.
SeedsNow and Seed Needs offer vegetable, herb, flower, heirloom, and open-pollinated seeds.
If you want certified organic seeds, read the description for each variety before buying. Do not assume that every seed sold by a company is organic.
Takeaway
Saving vegetable seeds takes a little time, but it can lower your gardening costs. It also lets you keep growing varieties that perform well in your garden.
Start with easy crops such as tomatoes, beans, peas, and peppers. Choose open-pollinated plants, collect fully mature seeds, dry them well, and store them in a cool place.
Label every batch and test older seeds before planting. With good care, many vegetable seeds can remain useful for several years.
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