The Basics of Seed Saving
Filed Under: Do It Yourself, Organic Gardening on October 6, 2009
If you garden, as I do, sooner or later you’ll start thinking about how to save seeds from your harvest for use next year. Then the year after. Then after that. It’s possible to keep a near-perpetual store of seeds for crops year after year. In fact, many farmers, until only recently, would save 2-3 years of seeds and always have them on hand. This was before the advent of modern, large-scale seed farms that supply thousands of buyers with next year’s crop seeds.
Savings seeds is not rocket science and requires only a few basic pieces of knowledge and just a bit of skill. Most of seed saving happens with the coming of fall harvests and the early onset of cold weather. This is when seed crops–those left to grow and finish out their process, rather than getting harvested early, ripen and begin to rot.
The three things you’ll need to know to save seeds are:
- Is the plant in question a self-pollinating variety?
- Do the fruits (seed-bearing containers) require full maturity before harvest for seeds?
- The best process for acquiring, processing, and storing the seeds from that particular plant type.
Quite often, these are basically the same for most of the plants you’ll be growing and want to save seeds from. Each question’s answer will vary from plant-to-plant, but overall you’ll see trends in how this process works. Then it’s just a matter of knowing which ones to use with which type of plant.
For instance, common self-pollinating garden plants include beans, lettuce, peas and tomatoes. Common garden plants that require isolation or separation and will need your assistance to ensure pollination include corn, cucumber, muskmelons, spinach, and squash plants. Finally, common varieties that require more than one year to breed and create seeds for harvest include beets, cabbages, carrots, onions, and turnips.
Nearly all varieties of garden plans will likely need to reach full maturity for the best chance of getting seeds that can be stored and used. Tomatoes are one common exception, though even with them the older the better. All plants will have to fully flower before seeds are mature enough, but this usually happens before seeds are even produced anyway.
The best process for acquiring and processing the seeds varies by plant type. Some are more complex than others, but most can be done with simple tools and patience.
Storing seeds is almost always the same. A cool, dry, dark place where the seeds are kept and allowed to (nominally) breathe without getting moisture is best. A basement, insulated garage, or the back of the pantry will work. Freezing is usually not a good idea and your root cellar is likely too moist to keep seeds properly. Many seeds will “choke” (die) if they are not given oxygen, however, so sealed containers are usually out of the question.
For a great overview of seed saving for common vegetables, visit the International Seed Saving Institute. I highly recommend Bill McDorman’s book Basic Seed Saving which is available on their site. Especially if you are in the mountain west.
