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For many present-day gardeners, seed saving is a bit of a mystery. It's not all that difficult; after all, plants constantly produce seed to reproduce themselves. Still, there are several things you need to know to be successful.
You want the seed you collect to "come true" or have the characteristics of the parent. This may not happen if the plant cross-pollinates with another similar vegetable. Crops that normally cross-pollinate (i.e., pollen is transferred from one plant to another) include the cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, mustards, collards, kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnips, radishes, and Brussels sprouts), members of the squash family (summer and winter squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons), plus carrots, parsnips, beets, chard, spinach, and corn. Varieties of these crops readily cross with their own kind. If you plan to save seeds of any of these, it is wise to grow only one variety of a particular vegetable. Because of this problem, self-pollinated (i.e., flowers pollinated by their own pollen or pollen from another flower on the same plant) crops are the easiest from which to save seed. Peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are self-pollinated.
Whether cross- or self-pollinated, never save seed from a hybrid variety. The offspring of hybrids do not come true and are usually a big disappointment. You can tell if a variety is a hybrid from the seed packet. Seed companies brag about their hybrids since the seed is more costly to produce and the crop is usually more uniform and vigorous. If the description doesn't say "hybrid," you can assume it is open-pollinated.
When saving seed, select a strong, healthy plant to produce the seed. Let the plant or fruit fully mature. If it is a fruiting plant (squash, pepper, tomato, cuke, etc.), let the fruit get over-ripe, then pick and cut open. Generally, pick out seeds and let them dry in a dark, warm, well-ventilated area. For tomatoes, rinse off the juice and lay the seed on a paper towel. Let peas, beans, and corn turn yellow and begin to dry on the plant before you collect the seed.
For lettuce, chicory, herbs, and many other crops, watch for the seed heads to form after the blossoms die. Biennial crops, such as carrots, beets, and cabbage, will not flower until the second year; leave them in the ground over winter. Next year you will get flowers followed by seeds.
As the seed begins to ripen, cut off the seed heads and hang to dry. Sometimes it is best to leave these in a paper or cloth bag which will contain the seed, yet provide enough air circulation to allow drying.
When the seeds are dry, wrap in paper or envelopes, label, and store in a dark, dry, cool location. Have fun next planting season with all your free seeds.
For further information contact your local WSU Extension Office.
From The Gardener, Vol. 6, No. 3, Autumn 1995.
