Step away from the Burpee and Gurney’s catalogs. Saving seeds from the best of the current harvest is relatively straightforward and a natural next step in the evolution of the home gardener that allows one to release their inner scientist. It’s an exercise in self-sufficiency, with a dash of plant biology thrown in.
Choosing to harvest seeds from the plants with the most desirable characteristics from each season, such as plant size, yield, fruit quality, taste, etc., ensures that those qualities will be handed down to the next generation.
Seed Selection
The first step toward ensuring success is to determine what kind of plants one has: open-pollinated, heirloom, or hybrid. Open-pollinated plants fall into three categories. The first is self-pollinated, which includes tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, and broccoli, to name a few. These are easy to save seeds from because they rarely cross-pollinate with nearby plants, so one can plant several types of tomatoes near each other and their seed’s offspring should be true to form. On the other hand, wind- and insect-pollinated plants, which include cucumbers, melons, pumpkin, squash, and corn, can easily cross-pollinate. When planning to save seeds, it is best to grow a single variety of cucumbers, melons, etc.Heirlooms are simply open-pollinated plants that have been grown for generations and are often shared within a family or community.
Timing
Fruits and vegetables may be ready to eat, but that doesn’t mean that the seeds inside are mature. Tomatoes and peppers are easy, as they can be harvested when they are fully ripened and eaten, providing dozens of seeds. For cucumbers, eggplants, and summer squash, leave one or two on the vine until they are overripe (even soft and mushy). Beans and peas that are being harvested for seeds should be left on the plant until they begin to dry. Yes, this means sacrificing a few perfectly delicious veggies, but it is worth it.Cleaning and Drying
Cleaning seeds falls into two categories: wet and dry.After removing them from the fruit, wet seeds—including tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons—need to have their pulp and any natural germination inhibitors on them removed via fermentation. Simply place the seeds in a jar with a lid, fill it with at least two inches of water above them, and then allow it to sit at room temperature. Remove the mold or pulp at the top of the water every three days, adding water as needed. After seven to 10 days, most of the pulp and non-viable seeds will have floated to the surface. Wash the remaining seeds in a bowl vigorously, tossing any seeds that float. Place the seeds into a strainer and continue to rinse them with cool running water. Then spread them out to dry.
The importance of fully drying seeds cannot be overemphasized. Spread them out in a single layer on a ceramic dish, paper plate, cookie sheet, wax paper, newspaper, window screen, etc.; stirring them several times a day. Most seeds take about a week. When you can’t dent the seed with a fingernail, they’re fully dry.