Saving Seeds From Your Garden

Saving seeds from your favourite herbs, flowers, and veggies is a wonderful way to continue enjoying the plants you love year after year. Not only does it save money, but it also allows you to cultivate plants that are adapted to your local climate and soil conditions. Over time, the seeds you save will produce stronger, more resilient plants that thrive in your garden's specific environment.

When saving seeds, it’s important to select heirloom or open-pollinated varieties as these will produce plants true to type, meaning their offspring will closely resemble the parent plant. Select plants that are healthy, vigorous, and possess traits you love, such as flavour, colour, size, or fragrance.

Once you have selected the plants you would like to save seeds from, you need to let them fully mature. For vegetables, this might mean letting them over-ripen or bolt; for herbs and flowers, seed saving involves letting them bloom and form seed heads. Once the seeds have dried on the plant, you can harvest them. It’s extremely important to clean off any debris from the seeds, and to spread them out to dry completely. Proper drying is crucial to prevent mold during storage. Store the dried seeds in labeled envelopes or containers in a cool, dark, and dry place.

Some plants are easier to save seeds from than others, making them perfect for beginners.

Basil, chives, dill, cilantro, and parsley are all excellent options for seed saving. Basil and chives have small black seeds that can be collected from the dried flower heads. Dill, cilantro and parsley produce seeds in umbrella-shaped clusters. Parsley, being a biennial plant, typically flowers and produces seeds in its second year.

In the flower garden; marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, and sweet peas are all excellent choices for seed saving. To collect seeds from marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos, allow the flowers to fully bloom and dry on the plant. For marigolds, wait until the petals wither and the flower heads turn brown, then cut them off, and extract the seeds. With zinnias, allow the flowers to fade and the centers to harden, and then break apart the flower heads to collect the seeds. For cosmos, wait until the petals fall off, leaving behind spiky seed heads, which can be cut and shaken out. Sweet peas, like beans and peas, need to be left to dry on the vine before the pods are shelled and the seeds collected.

For vegetables; tomatoes, beans, peas, lettuce, and peppers are all good candidates. Tomatoes require the fruit to fully ripen before you can remove and ferment* the seeds. For beans and peas, wait until the pods are brown and brittle, then shell out the seeds. Lettuce plants should be allowed to bolt and produce fluffy seed heads; once dry, gently shake or rub the seed heads to collect the seeds. Peppers should be left to mature fully and change color before cutting them open to remove the seeds.

Seed saving is a rewarding and accessible way to deepen your connection with your garden. By carefully collecting and storing seeds from your favourite vegetables, herbs, and flowers, you can ensure that your garden flourishes year after year. Whether you're tending a vegetable patch, nurturing a vibrant flower bed, or cultivating a fragrant herb garden, saving seeds ensures that the beauty, flavour, and resilience you treasure in your garden can be enjoyed year after year. If you haven’t yet ventured into seed saving, now is the perfect time to start!

*To ferment seeds, place the seeds (along with the gel and some of the surrounding fruit pulp) in a container with a bit of water. The mixture is then left to sit for 4-6 days. During this time, natural fermentation occurs, breaking down the gel coat around the seeds. A layer of mold will develop on top of the water, and the seeds that sink to the bottom are the ones to save.