How to save seeds for growing

Choose the right plants

• Save only from open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties. Seed from F1 hybrids does not come true to the parent (Montana State).
• The University of Maryland Extension notes that the easiest seed to save is from annuals that mostly self-pollinate, such as bean, pea, tomato and lettuce (UMD).
• Save from your healthiest, best-flavoured, most disease-free plants, and from several plants rather than one if you can.

Isolation

Self-pollinators can be grown side by side with little concern (Montana State). For home use, UMD gives 10 feet for tomatoes (50 for potato-leaved types), and one source suggests 10 to 20 feet between bean varieties. Insect-pollinated crops such as squash, cucumbers, carrots and brassicas cross readily and need much more care; start with the easy ones.

Collect and dry

• Beans and peas: leave pods on the plant until brown and the seeds rattle, finishing in a cool place if rain threatens (UC).
• Lettuce: collect from the last plant to go to seed, once the yellow flowers have turned into whitish wisps (UC). Squeeze and pull the seed head to release the seed; see lettuce.
• Tomatoes: pick fully ripe fruit of the variety you want.
• Dill and coriander: harvest on a dry day. Coriander seed turns from green balls to cream-tan and then brown; dill seed heads are cut when seeds are darker with a stripe. Cut the heads into a paper bag and dry; then remove chaff (dill, coriander).
• Always dry seed thoroughly for a few days indoors before storing, or mould develops.

Store

Once completely dry, put seed in labelled envelopes (variety and date) inside an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place; a silica gel packet helps. The University of California source says bean and pea seed stored properly should stay viable for about three years.

Test your seed

Before sowing saved or old seed, count out ten, lay them on damp kitchen paper in a closed container somewhere warm and see how many sprout:

Looking for seed to start with?

If you need organic or heirloom seed to begin, organicseedfinder.com lists sources plant by plant.