Start a seed savings bank organization for your family garden with these super helpful seed saving tips for beginners.
SEED SAVING FOR BEGINNERS
WHY SAVE SEEDS?
There are plenty of benefits of seed saving that make this easy homesteading task something that you should be making time for in your already busy lifestyle.
Collect seeds from healthy plants that have already adapted to your local growing conditions that will have better growing results than others. Fresh seeds saved from the previous year will also have a higher germination rate.
By saving seeds and trading with other gardeners, you’ll have access to seeds that may not be commercially accessible. You’ll also be part of a movement that safeguards our food security and protects genetic diversity.
What a radical act you’re participating in just by saving seeds from your garden for next years gardening season!
But seed saving isn’t as easy as it may seem. Make sure to read our tips for general seed saving below as well as specific tips for some of the more popular easy vegetable and flower seeds to save!
Pst. I’ve also created a little handy cheatsheet and printable seed storage envelope to help you take these tips and put them into action quicker for a more productive and happier homestead!
SEED SAVING TIPS
Allowing your vegetable and flower garden to go to seed at the end of summer and during the fall will allow you to save money on seeds, and have stronger and more viable seeds next gardening season.
In order to make your efforts worth while you need to understand a few tips for better success.
Save seeds from open pollinated and heirloom plants. Allow the fruit to ripen completely before saving any seeds to ensure that the seeds are fully mature.
Air dry seeds completely before storing out of direct sunlight.
Store seeds in a cool dark place in a paper bag, airtight container or paper envelope.
When saving your seeds check to see if they are viable before storing.
How do you know if a seed is viable? The easiest way to test if a seed will sprout and grow when planted is to do a water test. Take the seeds and put them in a container of water.
After five minutes, check and see if the seeds float or sink. Seeds that sink are still viable and seeds that float will not sprout.
CUCUMBER SEEDS
Save cucumber seeds by letting the plant ripen on the vine. When the cucumber is enlarged and yellow and the vines are dead it’s time to bring the cucumbers in for seed saving. Let the cucumber ripen inside out of direct sunlight and when it starts to turn soft scoop out the seeds.
Place the mass of seeds and “guts” in a large jar of water, letting the seeds ferment for five days. Then separate and collect the good seeds that collected at the bottom of the bowl.
Rinse seeds in a colander and dry on screens for at least three weeks or until the seed snaps when it’s bent in half.
SAVING TOMATO SEEDS
Saving tomato seeds takes more effort than saving most seeds but is well worth the extra effort. With the large size of tomato varieties out there collect all sorts of heirloom varieties.
To save tomato seeds you’ll need to use the fermentation process. You’ll need clean tomato seeds, a paper plate, paper towel and running water.
To learn more about how to do the fermentation process in three easy steps I suggest reading this post.
ZUCCHINI SEEDS
Just rinse seeds and place on a dry paper towel. Space out the seeds so that they won’t stick to one another. Then place in a cool dry spot for one week, once the seeds are dry store in packet and label for next year.
Save time and shred zucchini for freezing at the same time you save your seeds!
RELATED: HOW TO FREEZE ZUCCHINI
PEAS
Peas are one of the easiest plants to save seeds from. Just let the pods ripen and dry out on the vine then grab the largest peas ( seeds) to dry out indoors.
Dry out indoors where there is good air circulation and out of direct sunlight. Once they are completely dry, label packet and save.
BEANS
Save bean seeds the same as you save peas. Just let the beans ripen and dry out on the vine then grab the largest beans ( seeds) to dry out indoors.
SAVING PUMPKIN SEEDS
If you save any seeds at all this year, you’re most likely going to save pumpkin seeds! Save your pumpkin seeds while carving your pumpkin, making pumpkin puree and roasting pumpkin seeds.
Just rinse seeds and place on a dry paper towel. Space out the seeds so that they won’t stick to one another. Then place in a cool dry spot for one week, once the seeds are dry store in packet and label for next year.
Pst. Don’t save them where a mouse can get them, ask us how we know!
SAVING SUNFLOWER SEEDS
SAVING MARIGOLD SEEDS
Allow seed heads to fade and die. Collect seed heads in a brown paper bag then lay them out for a day or so to air dry. Store marigold seeds in paper envelopes so any additional moisture can escape.
ZINNIA SEEDS
Zinnias are one of the easiest annual flowers to grow as they grow quickly and have lots of blooms. Annual flowers grow for only one season and produce seeds. Once planted, seeds need to be saved as they will not come back the following year.
Save seeds from strong Zinnias plants at the end of the summer season. At this point stop deadheading the zinnias and allow the flowers to develop seeds.
On a dry fall day with little wind, hold a paper bag under each seed head and snip off the seed heads with pruners letting them fall into the bag.
Spread the seed heads and seeds in a single layer in shallow paper box or tray on a table indoors. Allow them to sit for 1-4 weeks to air dry to the point where the plant material is completely dry.
Remove the dried seeds by rolling or gently brushing them with your fingers. Place the seeds paper envelopes labeled with the plant information and date.
SEED SAVING ORGANIZATION
I grabbed this seed box from the dollar store and it’s super cute and cheap but it filled up pretty quick with my seed stash! Before I started making my own envelopes for my seed stash it got a little out of hand!
No matter how you organize your seeds, ultimately the only thing that really matters is that they are stored in a dark, cool and humid area away from fluctuations in temperature at about 40F (4C)
Paper bags, envelopes, and airtight containers work well for seed storage. Just make sure that containers are labelled with the date so that seeds can be rotated!
To help you get organized I highly suggest you use our seed saving envelope packages and store them in a seed shoe box. Use the tutorials below and download the printable and get started today!
Make a seed saving library out of old shoe boxes with this amazing how to tutorial from my friend Amanda.
FREE PRINTABLE SEED ENVELOPE PACKET
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