Seed Saving Tips for Local Adaptability and Less Cost

by Anza Muenchow

[First published in the July/August 2012 Tilth Newsletter]

This time of year, I select the plant varieties whose seeds I want to save. Years ago, I saw how much seeds were costing and how small the seed packets had become. There are a few types of seeds I always choose to save for next year’s plantings.

I plant some hybrid varieties in my garden, but because hybrid seeds do not produce plants the same as the parents, I don’t save these seeds. However, self-pollinating plants like peas and beans are usually easy to save. If I particularly like the quality of one of these crops, I will tag them and allow the pods to fully ripen and dry out.

Letting pods dry on the vine can be difficult if we have a rainy fall because the pods will mold. I pick the pods when they are dry and then place them in a paper bag in a dry place like a hoop house or greenhouse. Always mark the bags with the variety, date and descriptions about growing conditions and perhaps weather. After a few weeks, if the seeds are not dry, they can be dried for a short time in a food dehydrator on a 90° set-ting. The seeds should be stored in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place to save for planting next year.

The heirloom varieties, which pro-duce seeds that are mostly the same as the parent plants, can be easy to save. For ex-ample, peppers are mostly self-pollinating and the seeds last for many years. Let the pepper fruit get fully ripe before picking and collecting the seeds. Another in the Solanacea family, heirloom tomato, is also relatively easy. When you have selected the fully ripe (even overripe) fruits to gather seeds from, squeeze out the pulp into a cup and leave it in a warm place for a few days. Skim off any mold when it forms. After they go through this fermenting process, you can rinse off the good seeds, spread them on a paper plate or napkin and let them dry fully. Again, remember to label everything you are saving with variety and date.

The easiest seeds to save are the open-pollinating, non-hybrid (also called heirloom) annuals. Plants that are not self-pollinated can cross-pollinate, therefore, it is best to grow only one variety of a plant from which you want to save seed that season. If two varieties of spinach bloom near each other, the resultant seed is likely to be a cross between the two. Similarly, all cucurbits (squashes and cucumbers), beets and chard can cross-pollinate.

For seed collecting, my favorite open-pollinated plants include lettuces, arugula, beets, chard, parsley, cilantro and brassicas like mustards, broccoli and radishes. These plants are mostly insect pollinated and are bred to cross-pollinate with little change from generation to generation.

If you want to save some annual plant seeds, this summer, choose your healthiest plants and mark them for saving. You may need to tie them to a tall stake so the wind won’t blow them over and so the seed heads stay off the ground. You may want to limit overhead watering, so perhaps find plants at the ends of your rows to save seed from. Lettuce may cross, but I find I like the varieties of lettuces that grow from those crossed seeds. Arugula, cilantro, mustard and radishes are pretty easy. When seeds are ripe, they usually turn from white to cream colored or light brown to dark brown. You can eat some of the radish pods when they are still green. They are delicious in stir fries but let some dry out and save the seeds.

Beets, chard, cabbage and parsley are biennial, which means the plants produce seeds in the second year after planting. In our climate, it is usually possible to keep these plants alive through the winter and they will flower the next spring. Some gardeners prefer digging out the plants and storing them over the winter in sawdust or sand at 32 to 40 degrees. In the spring, plant them out in a new location to flower and produce their seeds.

Consider keeping good records of your seed saving activities including names, seed source, planting date, and the number of previous generations kept. Perhaps include notes on the plants themselves, including time to maturity, productivity, the size, shape, color and flavor of fruits and any notes on soil, pests, diseases or other growing conditions.

As you would expect, different seeds store for varying periods of time. In general, the bigger the seed and the thicker its skin, the longer it will last.

Just remember that when saving seed, always harvest from the best. Choose from vigorous, disease-free plants with qualities you desire. Enjoy the results of your seeds year after year as the plants adapt to your growing environment.