Saving Seeds

Luffa seeds. Photo by Peggy McDonald

Most plants have worked all year to produce buds and then flowers, fruit, and finally seeds. As they reach the end of their productive season, or the end of their lives, it’s our opportunity to gather another harvest, this time to ensure next year’s crop.

There are some seeds we don’t want to save.  It’s a good time to remove as many weeds as we can before they sow next year’s problem. 

The Leon County Master Gardeners are beginning now to propagate plants for next year’s May plant sale. In addition to growing from cuttings, they are gathering seeds to plant this fall or next spring to produce small shrubs, saplings, and seedlings for transplant.

Cuttings produce a clone of the host plant with identical genetic makeup, while seeds may or may not have the same traits as the parent plants. While we have a wide range of choices when buying seeds, they don’t compare to Nature’s unlimited varieties. The seeds for many heirlooms and less familiar plants are only available from other gardeners, boutique growers, or online sources like eBay and Etsy.  

By saving seeds from your strongest and most productive plants, you create your own varieties that are better adapted to your local conditions. Saving seeds from your garden is a rewarding practice that preserves genetic diversity and saves money.  Relying less on commercial seed companies increases your independence as a gardener. 

You can help protect and maintain unique, often rare, plant varieties that are not widely available in the commercial market.  Many seeds carry a rich cultural history. Saving and sharing them with others helps keep these seeds and stories alive. Seminole pumpkins, heirloom varieties of okra, and unique cowpeas and beans come to mind.  Often they have been nurtured and saved by families for multiple generations.  The process is also helpful in understanding plant life cycles and genetics, especially for children. 

The best time to harvest seeds is when the fruits or pods have reached full maturity and the seeds inside are fully developed. A dry day is ideal for harvesting to prevent potential rot and mold. For dry-fruited plants like beans, peas, and okra, leave the seed pods or heads on the plant until they are completely dry and brown.  For wet-fruited plants such as tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers, the fruit should be allowed to fully ripen on the plant. The seeds inside will be mature at this stage.  For flowers, wait until the blossoms have faded and the seed heads have turned brown and dried out.

Properly collecting, preparing, and storing seeds ensures their viability for future planting. The following references, focusing specifically on our north Florida area, contain everything you need to know to produce great seeds for next year’s crops and to share with others.  

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP647

https://workingfood.org/savingseeds/