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Some horticultural experts discourage the home gardener from saving seeds because the product may not be what you hoped for and because they think it is too complicated for you.

What I have discovered is that it is not hard. The most effective seed saving depends on some planning and a little knowledge. The best results may take a few years, but can yield the hardiest and tastiest vegetables custom designed to your yard and taste buds.

Reasons to save vegetable seeds:

  • It’s fun and challenging.
  • To save money.
  • To help the world by saving more varieties to maintain greater genetic diversity.
  • To protect heirloom varieties from becoming extinct. 
  • If you like the flavor of a specific variety of vegetable.
  • Some vegetable varieties grow stronger and healthier in my yard.
  • Save my heritage – it’s the variety my grandma used to grow.
  • The seed is hard to find or no longer available from seed companies.
  • To share seeds with my family, friends and community.
  • To be self-reliant.

Some basic guidelines:

  • Don’t save seeds from hybrid vegetables because they will not produce a plant or fruit with all the same characteristics as the mother plant. A saved seed from a hybrid tomato will produce a tomato; just not exactly like the hybrid parent. 
  • More reliable seeds to save will come from open-pollinated, heirloom varieties, or self-pollinated plants. Open-pollinated seeds are pollinated by other plants of the same variety so it produces an almost identical plant. Open-pollinated plants that are grown for more than 50 years are considered heirlooms. Self-pollinating plants include: tomato, beans, peas, green pepper and egg plant.
  • When you plan to save seeds that are not self-pollinated, plant only one variety of that vegetable to reduce the risk of cross-pollination. For example, if you want to save Black Beauty zucchini squash seeds, plant only that variety of squash. Squash can cross-pollinate within a half-mile. Some peppers can cross-pollinate within 500 feet. Therefore, planting for seed saving requires some planning.
  • Select seeds only from healthy plants.
  • Select the best looking vegetable from the plant and do not harvest it to eat, but allow it to mature on the plant.

There are different seed saving techniques based on the type of vegetable. Some vegetables produce dry seeds (i.e., beans) and some produce wet seeds (i.e., tomatoes).

Beans, peas and okra: Allow pods to thoroughly mature on the plant. Pods will turn brown. Harvest the pods and dry them for 1-2 weeks. Shell and store them in a paper bag. Some people say it is best to store okra in the pods and remove the seeds right before planting.

Tomatoes: Allow fruit to ripen on the vine. Two ways to save seeds include:

  • Pick fruit and cut it open. Place seed and gel in a wire strainer, rinse out the jelly-like material. Keep rinsing until seed is clean, spread on paper to dry.
  • Fermentation method: cut the tomato and squeeze the pulp into a bowl, add a little water, let it ferment at room temperature 2-4 days, stirring occasionally. When the seeds settle to the bottom; pour off pulp, rinse seeds and spread on paper to dry.

Peppers: Leave on plant until red. Harvest pepper, cut pod in half, and scrape the seed onto a piece of paper. Spread on paper to dry.

Cucumbers: Leave on vine until fruit turns golden yellow. Harvest and cut lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds. Place seeds in water, let them ferment in water a few days, discard any floating seeds, rinse seeds, and spread on paper to dry.

Squash: Leave on vine until outer coating becomes hard. Cut squash open, scoop out seeds and rinse until all pulp is removed. Spread on paper to dry.

Remember to label all seed containers with plant name and date. The seeds must be properly dried; too dry and the seed is ruined, but too moist and the seed can mold. Place dry seeds in a paper envelope and put in an airtight container. Adding a desiccant package can help reduce moisture. Most seeds can be stored from 2 to 10 years at around 40 degrees in a dark, dry place. Vegetable seeds can be stored frozen to increase storage time. 

After a few years of perfecting your seed saving techniques, you can produce plants uniquely adapted for your garden and your personal preferences.

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