If you had an amazing harvest that you want to repeat for the next growing season or just want to save some money, preserving seeds is the way to go. This practice will also increase the chances of your plants developing resistance to local weather conditions and producing better quality fruit. Sounds intriguing? Then continue reading to find out all the ins and outs of seed preservation!
Collecting and Timing
Seeds can be collected from most plants, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Right off the bat, avoid any plants labeled as F1 hybrids. They might’ve made an awesome harvest, but their mixed genes are too unstable—it’ll be like playing Russian roulette. At best, you’ll get mixed quality fruit; at worst, the original hybrid plants will be sterile.
When picking seeds for preservation, choose the best of the best! If the plant produced an awesome harvest and remained healthy, chances are its seeds are also destined for greatness. The catch? You’ll need to sacrifice some of its best offspring for that to happen, but it’ll be worth it. It’s tempting to get those seeds the moment the fruit ripens or the flowers are in full bloom, but you’ll have to practice some patience. On the bright side, even 1–2 fruits are usually enough, as most tend to contain numerous seeds.
Flowers are beginner-friendly when it comes to collecting seeds, but you’ll need to wait for about 2 weeks after they’ve wilted and dried to do that. However, if the weather is rainy, you’ll want to bring them in earlier to prevent the possibility of mold. Always collect your seeds during sunny weather. With fruits and veggies, wait for them to fully ripen or even go slightly bad. This way, you’ll ensure the seeds will absorb all the nutrients essential for good growth.
Cleaning and Storage
The drying process is a crucial step in reducing the chances of mold, so make sure to do it right. When the flowers have wilted and dried, it’s off with the heads! Store the seed heads in a warm and dry location until they wither. Remove the petals and extract the seeds, separating them from the dry remnants of the flowers.
When it comes to fruits and veggies, carefully extract their seeds along with the pulp and place them on a flat plate for fermentation. Leave them for 2 to 3 days at temperatures around 71 to 77°F (22 to 25°C). After that, the pulp can be easily separated from the seeds and gently rinsed off. If they’re pretty small, use a sieve. Lay your seeds out to dry out on paper or cloth for a week or two. If your plants don’t have pulp, such as bell peppers, just separate the seeds from the fruit and place them to dry straight away.
Once that’s done, store the seeds in cloth or paper bags. Unlike plastic, these materials wick away moisture, preventing the contents from rotting. Label each bag with the name of the plant and the date it was collected. The time it takes for seeds to germinate varies from species to species, so take this into account when making sowing plans. Keep the bags in a dark location that has a stable temperature—your living room or a basement will do the job since indoor humidity tends to be around 50% and there are less frequent temperature fluctuations. If you want to take extra caution, place the bags in an airtight container with some silica gel.
There’s always an exception to the rule, though. Some plants, like strawberries, lavender, and certain trees, need stratification, which is basically exposure to cold temperatures. Putting the seeds into your fridge a month or two before planting will help simulate this dormant period.
A word of caution: even if you collected and stored your best seeds carefully, drastic weather changes or frosts may have a negative effect on your young plants. Some things are up to mother nature, so don’t be so tough on your plants.
Now that you have some knowledge behind your belt, you can start preparing to collect those seeds in late summer or early fall. You might need to go through some trial and error, but just think about it: you’ll get an incredible harvest for free!