Seed Saving for Beginners

Published on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, by Roxanne Webber / Edit Post

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Seed Saving for Beginners(cont.)

BEANS AND PEAS



  • 1. When you know which plants you are going to save seeds from (see Look Before You Eat!), just let the whole pods dry out and turn brown on the vines with their seeds inside them. “The longer you can leave them on the vine the better,” says Land.


    2. Be aware of the weather—if it gets rainy or wet, you will have to pick the pods and bring them indoors to dry, lest they start to mold or rot. “People will often pick the whole plant and just hang it up,” says Land; if you have space and are planning to save a large amount of seed, this might be a good option for you. Make sure to label the plants or pods so you don’t lose track of the variety. If you left the pods on the vine and they have dried out, open them up, pull the seeds out, and bring the seeds inside to test for dryness.


  • 3. A good way to see if your bean/pea seeds are dry enough is to put one on a cutting board and hit it lightly with a hammer. “It should shatter, not smush,” says Land.


    4. Once the seeds are completely dry, Land suggests sticking them in an airtight container and freezing them for about a week to kill any insect larvae that might have infested them.


  • 5. Remove the seeds from the freezer, stick them in a labeled envelope, and store them in a cool, dark, dry place like a drawer (keeping them out of the sun is very important so they don’t try to sprout). If stored properly, the seeds will last a few years.
    To explore saving seeds from other vegetables and fruits, both Torgrimson and Compost highly recommended picking up the guide Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. It tells you all the specifics for each plant, including timing and how to prepare the seed.

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Roxanne Webber is a senior editor at CHOW.

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POST A COMMENT |4 Comments

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  • You may reuse the plastic dixie cup, the following year. Should hold up well for use, several times. Or you could instead, use paper towel holders cut into four circular lengths, and plant your seeds the same way within them. When your plant becomes ready to transplant, plant the plant and paper towel holder straight into the soil. Split the paper towel holder on two sides, gently, to encourage...+READ

    You may reuse the plastic dixie cup, the following year. Should hold up well for use, several times. Or you could instead, use paper towel holders cut into four circular lengths, and plant your seeds the same way within them. When your plant becomes ready to transplant, plant the plant and paper towel holder straight into the soil. Split the paper towel holder on two sides, gently, to encourage the plants roots to push through. The cardboard, will simply decompose into the soil. No waste.-COLLAPSE

  • Start your seeds indoors. You can grow them in something as simple as a large plastic dixie cup. Prick holes into the the bottom of the cup, add about a 1/3 of the cup with composted manure, and the rest with a rich potting soil. (Some people like to use a seed starting mix, but I have had better results with compost and soil mix.) Add the seeds, lightly cover with another application of soil,...+READ

    Start your seeds indoors. You can grow them in something as simple as a large plastic dixie cup. Prick holes into the the bottom of the cup, add about a 1/3 of the cup with composted manure, and the rest with a rich potting soil. (Some people like to use a seed starting mix, but I have had better results with compost and soil mix.) Add the seeds, lightly cover with another application of soil, just until covered. Mist, with a spray bottle of water, so as to not disturb the seeds. Just until wet. Place in a sunny window, and if you can, supplement with a tube of full spectrum lights. You can make an apparatus to hold the light out of pvc pipe, which is very inexpensive. Tomato's like to dry out for a day or two before watering again. It is better for the plant, if you can water it as it grows, with out getting the foliage too wet. Once the plant has grown and has more that 6 leaves, you may transplant it. It may wilt a bit, but with a bit of watering, and getting the light it needs, it should come back. You may continue to grow the tomato's in a very large pot, if you like. You must meet it's need for light, and let it dry out a day or two before watering. As the plant grows, feed it with more composted manure to meet it's needs. Brush the top of the plant with your hands a few times a day to make certain it becomes a sturdy plant, or let a fan blow lightly on it.-COLLAPSE

  • I have saved seeds from an amazing tomato. It was so delicious, that I want to grow more like it. However, I don't have a clue as to how to do this. The seeds are so fragile. Can anyone offer advice or suggestions? Thanking you in advance, ReBecca

  • The concept of the article is good, but really, tomatoes? Saving tomato seeds is not for beginners, nor is raising tomatoes from seed. For most areas of the country, there just isn't a long enough growning season to raise tomatoes from seed (unless you have plenty of room to start them indoors), and most of us buy starts from local nurseries.
    Lettuce, beans, peas and carrots are all easy to grow...+READ

    The concept of the article is good, but really, tomatoes? Saving tomato seeds is not for beginners, nor is raising tomatoes from seed. For most areas of the country, there just isn't a long enough growning season to raise tomatoes from seed (unless you have plenty of room to start them indoors), and most of us buy starts from local nurseries.
    Lettuce, beans, peas and carrots are all easy to grow vegetables that have easily-collected seeds.
    I'l add that one good source of free envelopes is junk mail and bills--reuse envelopes you get in the mail.
    And trade seeds with friends!-COLLAPSE