SEED SAVING

Onions-Harvest first season when tops begin to dry.  Hang the herbs to dry for 12 days (not in the sun).  Remove dried tops, braid and keep in 32-45 degrees over winder, 40% humidity.  In spring plant best ones for seeds.  Harvest when pods dry.  Will be viable for 3 years.

Garlic-Harvest when tops are partially dried.  Dry for one week before store, but not in sunlight.  Store in paper bags or hang in braided bunches.  Store at 35-40 degrees for 6-8 months in 60% humidity.   Plant individual cloves.

Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts-Dig cabbage carefully and trim roots to 12 inches.  Cover roots with damp sawdust and wrap head in newspaper.  Will keep for 2-4 months at 32-40 degrees with 80-90% humidity.  In early spring cut a shallow “x” in the top of the head for the seed stalk to grow out of.  Stalk will grow 3-4 inches before producing seeds.  Remain viable for 4 years.

Broccoli/Cauliflower- Where it does not go below 28 degrees.  Plant in fall and harvest the following summer.  Will produce seed stalks with yellow flowers.  Short season broccoli produces seeds in one season.  Cannot produce seed in long winter area.  Seeds are viable for five years.

Kale/collards-biennial.  In mild winter regions, harvest small quantities of leaves and over winter plant (usually kale).  Will produce seed second year; 5 ft stalks.  In cold winters, dig plant and store in sand or sawdust at 32-40 degrees for up to 2 months.  Replant in spring.  Viable for 4 years.

Chinese cabbage/Chinese mustard/pak choi.  Biennial, but should produce seed in one season if planted early.  In cold winters, plant dug plants with attached soil in damp sand.  Store at 32-40 degrees for 4 months, 90-95 % humidity.  Dig before first frost and choose largest, healthiest plants.  To get seeds first season, do not harvest all of the inner leaves.  Produce 3 ft. seed stalk.  Seed pods turn tan when they are ready to harvest.  Viable for 5 years.

Turnips-biennial.  In mild climates, plant in the fall and harvest seed the following summer.  In cold climates, overwinter in a root cellar.  Dig before a freeze.  Trim tops to 2 inches.  Store in boxes of sawdust, sand or leaves.  32-40 degrees and 90% humidity.  Or put in pots in a greenhouse until spring.  Early maturing varieties go to seed in one year.  Produces 3 ft. stalk.  Seed pod turns brown.  Viable for 5 years.

Radish.  Grows 3 ft. stalk.  Wait for seed pods to dry.  Pound pods with hammer if they don’t break when rubbed by hand.  Viable for 5 years.

All beets and chard.  Can be overwintered in the garden in mild climates to produce seed the next spring.  Otherwise, overwinter like cabbage.  Cut tops to 2 inches and roots to 6 inches.  Viable for 6 years.

Spinach.  Harvest only outer leaves to produce seed.  Let seeds dry out in sun for a few days.  Use gloves, can be prickly.  Viable for 5 years.

Quinoa.  Annual that needs a long season in order to get seeds.  Cut and hang in dry airy place or put in paper bag to dry.

Chicory, endive, escarole.  Biennial but will produce seed if started very early in season.  Can be overwintered under mulch of dug.  Trimmed to 2 inches and stored in soil or sand at 32-40 degrees.  Withhold water when seed pods form.  Break off entire pods and store them for planting or break pods with a hammer for individual seeds.  Viable for 8 years.

Artichoke.  Reproduced by division.  Perennial.

Sunflower.  Cut head when all petals have fallen off.  Remove seeds when no longer soft or damp.  Put in 1 inch layer in baskets and dry in warm area away from sunlight.  When a shelled seed in two, instead of bending, it is ready for storage.  Viable for 7 years.

Lettuce.  Only harvest outer leaves so the lettuce will go to seed.  Peel the center leaves of the head away so the seed stalk can emerge.  Harvest 12-24 days after flowering.  Shake the seed heads into a paper bag.  Hard to remove the debris from the seeds.  Can be done with a mesh screen.  Viable for 3 years. 

Watermelon.  Pick when the tendril opposite the stem becomes brown and dry.  Just wash the seeds and save from any ripe melon.  Viable for 6 years.  Need to hand pollinate for true seeds.

Melons/honeydew/musk.  Save seeds from ripe melon.  Put in bowl with water.  Rub debris from seeds.  Hollow seeds and debris will float to top.  Pour off until clean seeds remain.  Rinse thoroughly.  Lay out to dry.  Viable for 5 years.

Cucumbers.  Let ripen past edible stage.  They should begin to soften on the vine.  Should be hand pollinated to avoid cross breeding.  Tape female flower shut the night before it will open. In morning, pick male flower and rub stamens on female flower and tape shut again.  Mark this flower, so those cucumbers can be saved for seed.  Put seeds in large bowl and put in sunless area to ferment for 1 to 3 days.  Stir daily.  Mold will form on top.  Viable seeds will settle on the bottom and the gel coating will float to the top.  Stir daily.  When ready, add more water while stirring until clean seeds are left on the bottom.  Dry on a non-stick surface.  Viable for 10 years.

Squash, pumpkins (winter and summer).  Hand pollinate like cucumbers for pure seeds.  Can use blossoms from different plants of the same variety to ensure genetic diversity.  Winter squash and pumpkins must be fully mature.  Summer squash are left on the vine until they have a hard shell.  Cut from vine and let sit for 3 weeks before cutting open for seeds.  Rinse in colander and dry.  Viable for 6 years.

Hard shell gourd.  Pick when stem changes to brown.  Separate seeds from pulp and air dry.  Pulp causes allergies in many people.

Legumes-peanuts, garbanzo, soybeans, lentil, lima, aduki, fava, cowpeas, peas.  Leave seeds on plant to dry.  Remove from pods and let dry 2 or 3 weeks.  Seeds that shatter when hit with a hammer are ready for storage.  Freeze in air tight containers for 5 days to get rid of weevil.  Do not open airtight container until it reaches room temperature or condensation will cause mold to form.  Viable for 4 years.

Peanuts are harvested when the plant turns yellow.  Pull out of the ground and hang in garage for 2-3 weeks for drying.

Garbanzos.  Withhold water after flowering or pull plants and dry under cover.  Thrash plants to remove seeds.   Pods can cause skin irritation.

Limas.  Cause severe allergies in some people when eaten.  Dry pods on vine.  Remove seeds from pods and freeze.

Tomatoes.  Squeeze seeds from ripe fruit into a bowl.  Allow to ferment in water 1-3 days, until mold forms on top.  Process like cucumber seeds.  Viable 4-10 years.

Egg plant.  Allow to ripen on vine to almost rotting; remove and dry seeds.  Viable for 7 years.

Tomatillos and ground cherries.  Save seeds from ripe fruit and dry.  No need to ferment.  Viable for 3 years.

Potato.  Planted from tuber cuttings.  Start in sterile soil to prevent disease.  Remove new shoots, cut to 2 inches high and plant in new sterile soil.  Destroy original plant.  Sprouts will root and go out in garden in a couple of weeks.

Peppers.  Perennial in warm climates.  Can be overwintered in greenhouses.  Green peppers are not ripe.  Use peppers with no sign of disease for seeds.  Clean and dry out of sunlight until seeds break when folded.  Should not bend.  Viable for 3 years.  Germinate with bottom heat.  Will not tolerate any cold.  Use seed starter mix and transplant twice before setting outside.  Must have full sun.

Celery.  Biennial: Carefully remove a few outer leaves for harvest and leave center of plant for seed production.  Can overwinter in the ground in cold climates.  Or dig and store in a cellar in damp earth or sand.  Trim tops.  Will produce flower stalks in spring that must be prevented from crossing.  Isolation is necessary.  Harvest seed pods as they mature.  Viable for 8 years.

Carrot: Isolate ½ mile to prevent cross pollination.  Will also cross with queen Ann’s lace.  Can be overwintered outside to produce seed the next spring or dug and stored with tops out to 1 inch in sawdust or sand for 6 months.  Cut seed pods when fully mature and dry for additional 2-3 weeks.  Pods should be brown.  Rub pods to remove bearded seeds.  Viable for 3 years.

Parsley, biennial: Produces seed second year.  Will tolerate below zero temperatures outside when covered with leaves or mold or dig and overwinter at 32-40 degrees.  Harvest seed heads as they dry.  Viable for 3 years.

Amaranth-Annual: Goes to seed in 1 year.  Harvest when almost entire seed head is mature.  No other processing needed.

Sweet potatoes-perennial vines:  Cannot be grown in the north.  They have serious diseases and pests.  Propagate from shoots or tubers.  Put in moist/warm soil to form shoots that are then broken off and rooted.  Require a frost free season.  Use sterile soil to start new shoots and don’t touch the soil.  Destroy original plant.  Can be stored for eating for 3-5 months at 50-60 degrees.  Cure for 2 days to harden skin.  Then wrap in newspaper or put in sawdust.

Sorghum-similar to corn.  Cut seed tassels when stalks begin to dry.  Dry until shattered when hit with a hammer.

Corn: Has to be separated by 2 miles to avoid cross pollination or hand pollinated (complicated).  Use seeds from many different plants, not just one.  Leave ears on stalk until completely dry.  Or remove mature cobs, husk them, and dry under shelter at moderate temperatures.  Remove kernels when cob and corn is completely dry.  Discard malformed kernels.  Save from 25-50 ears to avoid rebreeding difficulties.  Viable for 3 years.  Popcorns viable for up to 10 years.

Asparagus-perennial: Overwinters in garden in cold climates.  Produces berries.  Remove seeds from berries and dry for a few days.  Viable for 5 years.

Okra: Warm weather plants.  Wear gloves to remove dry pods.  Green pods can be left to dry in the sun until they split open.  No other processing needed.  Viable for 5 years.