You’ve probably seen the meme with the guy holding his first homegrown tomato and saying it only cost him $157. Hilarious, right? But if you’re a gardener, you know there’s some truth to it.
Gardening is an investment in seeds, soil, equipment, and time. Unfortunately, like everything else, the cost of growing a garden is, well, growing. Whether it’s a hobby or you’re serious about growing fresh, healthy food, it can get pricey.
I buy a lot of seed for my business, and I’ve noticed that costs are rising sharply. If the seed price stays the same, the number of seeds in each package has been significantly reduced. Ouch. For others, the price has gone up, and the seed quantity has gone down. Double ouch. Gone are the days of thousands of basil seeds in a pack. Sigh.
There is a way to save money on seeds and preserve a piece of your garden in the process – save seeds yourself! You probably have many of the seeds you need for next year’s garden growing right now.
Open-Pollinated for the Win
With harvest season in full swing, it’s the ideal time to gather seeds for next year’s crop. You might not be able to save seeds from every plant you grow, but many popular vegetables, herbs, and flowers are among the most straightforward for seed saving. And, you might never have to buy seeds for those plants again.
A key to successful seed saving is to gather seeds from open-pollinated or heirloom varieties. These plants breed true, which means they will produce plants and fruit identical to the parent.
Hybrid seed, often labeled as such or with an “F1” on the seed packet, does not breed true and will not produce the same plant or fruit as the parent. While the seeds are viable and will germinate, they won’t produce the same results.
A good example is the Sun Gold cherry tomato, a very sweet hybrid variety. Seeds saved from Sun Gold fruits might grow into plants bearing red or yellow fruit and often won’t have the same sweetness as the original Sun Gold hybrid.
Even with open-pollinated varieties, there’s still a risk of cross-pollination by insects. To keep seeds pure, you can choose to grow only one cultivar (for example, Cherokee Purple tomatoes), isolate the plants, or use blossom bags or covers to block insects from transferring pollen.
But unless you’re planning to sell seed or plants grown from the saved seed, don’t fret if insects cross-pollinate some of your blossoms. The resulting seed will produce a delightful surprise plant the next year – that’s how new varieties are created and part of the seed saving fun!
What to Save Seed From
Take a look around your garden, and you’ll undoubtedly find many plants from which you can gather seeds and save a bundle on next year’s seed costs.
Always select the best, fully ripe, and mature fruits or seed heads from healthy, vigorous, and disease-free plants. This ensures healthy, viable seeds. To enhance plant diversity, collect seeds from multiple plants.
For vegetables, the best options are those that are self-pollinating, such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, and peas. Often, pollination occurs before the flowers open, significantly reducing the chance of cross-pollination.
These vegetables are also among the easiest to gather seeds from—whether using a dry or wet seed collection method (more on that later).
Many herbs will self-seed if their flower heads are allowed to dry on the plant. To prevent overpopulation, snip the dry seed heads of chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, and parsley, then shake them into a paper bag or container for collection.
Some of the best pollinator and companion-plant flowers are excellent choices for seed saving. Marigolds, the unassuming star of the garden for their pest-repellent qualities, along with calendula and zinnias, which attract pollinators, need their spent flower heads snipped and then dried thoroughly before removing the seeds. Pretty straightforward.
Plants that produce pods, like beans, peas, and sweet peas, can be left on the vine to become leathery, but they should be picked and placed in a bag before the pods crack open.
One afternoon, after gathering dried sweet-pea pods, I heard a snapping and popping sound coming from the other room. The dried pods burst open, scattering sweet pea seeds across the dining room. I then learned to quickly place pods in a paper bag right after picking!
Processing, Drying, and Storing Seeds
There are two primary methods for saving seed: the wet method, commonly used for seeds in moist environments such as tomatoes, and the dry method, which works best for seeds that naturally dry on or inside the flower or fruit.
Tomato seeds are processed using the wet method, which involves fermenting them to break down the seed’s gelatinous coating that prevents germination. Seeds are scooped into a glass or jar, and water is added. The mixture is allowed to ferment for up to 72 hours— but no longer, as the seeds might begin to germinate.
I ferment tomato seeds for about 48 hours before rinsing them through a small sieve with a strong spray of water. This cleans the seeds and removes any pulp bits. Pat the bottom of the sieve with a towel to absorb excess moisture, then place the seeds on a plate to dry completely before storing.
The best part about this process is that you can save the seeds and enjoy the tomato. So go ahead and pick your biggest and best tomato for seed saving, scoop out the seeds — heck, you don’t even have to use all of the seeds — and enjoy the rest of the tomato in that BLT.
Keep saved seeds away from direct sunlight and heat. They usually dry completely within five days. Make sure to label your seeds throughout the entire process, especially if you’re working with seeds from multiple cultivars.
Ripe pepper seeds can be saved through a dry process by scraping the seeds from the core and allowing them to dry on a plate. It’s important to remember that green peppers are not fully mature, so seeds from them won’t be viable.
Once the seeds are thoroughly dried, place them in envelopes or jars and keep them in a cool, dry area. High humidity and moisture can quickly reduce seed viability. Most seeds, when stored properly, will remain viable for at least two years or more.
Growing it Forward
Saving seeds isn’t just about saving money (though your wallet will thank you). It’s about preserving a piece of this year’s garden for next season. The seeds of that plump, juicy tomato are like tiny time capsules, holding the promise of another abundant harvest. So, scoop out those tomato seeds, snip those seed heads, and prepare to plant a bit of this year’s magic again next spring. Who knows? You might even grow the next great tomato variety right in your backyard!
Leave a Reply