There are a few things to know about properly saving your seeds for the long term. Below are some tips for beginners. You’ll learn to store those valuable seeds for planting next year and beyond.
1. Choose Open-Pollinated Varieties
Open-pollinated varieties cross-pollinate with plants of the same variety. The seeds produced by these cross-pollinated plants are very similar to the parent plant [1].
So, by choosing open-pollinated seeds over hybrids, you will have seeds to cultivate that are of the same high quality as the parent plants.
Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated varieties that are at least 50 years old. You can preserve these seeds for replanting year after year.
2. Grow Enough Plants
Some plants may not produce as many seeds. So grow enough of your favorite crop variety to have enough for food and seed-saving purposes.
3. Collect Mature Seeds
Gather seeds from crops when fully mature, usually at the end of the growing season.
Lettuce may begin to bolt, and ripe tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables will be past their best.
Bean seeds should be hard, and their pods should be dry and brittle. Some pods may even start to open on their own.
Also, allow the fruits to ripen fully before scooping out the seeds.
4. Save Seeds from the Best Plants
When saving vegetable seeds for replanting, collect seeds from the best plants. Choose from the healthiest and do not save any from disease-infested plants.
This method is similar to a process of natural selection, whereby if you want bigger fruits, you collect seeds from the biggest and best of one year’s crop.
Repeat so you can continue producing healthy crops year after year.
5. Harvest the Right Way
Depending on the crop, there are two methods for harvesting seeds: dry or wet.
Test dry-seeded crops like beans, corn, barley, cauliflower, or bok choy by the pod, capsule, or seed-head condition.
If the outer covering is brown and crumbly or ready to pop for peas and beans, it’s a good bet that it’s time to collect the seeds. Allow the pods to dry out completely.
Wet-seeded crops contain the seeds within the moist flesh of the fruit. Examples are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, pumpkins, and watermelons.
With wet seeds, you’ll need to leave some fruits to overripen. Next, squeeze or press the seeds from the flesh, wash them off, and dry them.
6. Thoroughly Clean Them
Most dry seeds, including some vegetables, flowers, herbs, and beans, need minimal cleaning.
Winnowing removes chaff from grains and flower heads. You can toss it between containers to blow away the husks. However, rolling or rubbing the chaff can also work.
Cut the fresh fruit and remove the surrounding pulpy gel. Next, extract and wash the seeds, or let them stand in water until the gel comes off naturally.
You’ll then carefully remove the floating gel and the few floating seeds. Pour off the water and keep the seeds that remain at the bottom. Finally, dry them on paper towels.
7. Dry Before Storing
Ensure the seeds are dry before storing. Choose a well-ventilated room and spread the seeds out, leaving gaps between them so the air can reach each one.
You can place them on paper towels, plates, baking sheets, or anything that allows enough space for the seeds to spread thinly. However, do not use paper towels if the seeds are wet, as they will stick to the paper.
It’s even better to place them on a screen mesh, as the air will reach both the top and bottom.
To properly dry seeds for next year, let them rest for about a week in the open. Next, gently stir them and allow them another 2 to 3 weeks to dry properly for storage.
8. Store Properly
To preserve seeds for planting, they must be appropriately dried and stored.
Collect the dried seeds and put them in seed packets with identifying labels. Use moisture-absorbing packets if possible.
Next, put the packets in mason jars or sealed containers like Tupperware and store them in a dark, dry, cool place.
You can also store them in your refrigerator, but most gardeners prefer to keep them in a dry, cool area.
We believe freezing seeds for next year and beyond may be the best long-term storage method. If done correctly, freezing will not kill or harm dry seeds.
Pack the dried seeds in sealed glass jars or airtight containers and freeze them. When defrosting, leave the containers to thaw slowly at room temperature for at least a day.
9. Put on Your Labels
Mark the date harvested on the packets. Also, keep the packets in separate, marked boxes or containers with the correct labels so you do not get confused later.
You can buy labels, markers, or a seed-saving kit.
10. Test Seeds for Germination Before Planting
Use some kitchen paper towels for this process.
Lightly wet the sheets and loosely wrap as many seeds as possible. Leave them for about a week. Ensure that you keep them moist and warm during this period.
Germination speed depends on the seed and the environment’s temperature. The warmer the area, the faster the germination will be.
Germination usually takes about 1 to 2 weeks; however, some seeds may take longer.
Seed Viability
How long seeds last and are still viable will require trial and error.
It generally depends on the condition of the seeds and whether they are appropriately stored. Most annual flower seeds last 2 to 3 years, and perennials last a little longer.
It’s best to replace vegetable seeds every two years. Some, like tomatoes, cucumbers, brassicas, and squash, can last four to five years.
Where to Buy Quality Seeds
If you do not wish to go through the DIY process of saving your garden seeds for next season, the best place to buy vegetable seeds is from organic retailers such as SeedsNow. They are one of the best online organic heirloom seed companies.
Takeaway
Collecting and saving vegetable seeds for your organic backyard garden can be a laborious chore. However, the pleasure and money-saving benefits ultimately make the effort rewarding.
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