Saving seeds can be a fun way to share, improve your garden
Autumn is really on the way now! After the initial cold front and rain, temperatures went back up but not as high – and we are on a steady course toward fall. As the warm season winds down, it’s a great opportunity to look for seeds to save for sharing with friends and neighbors, and for planting next year.
Saving seeds can have many benefits – it can reduce the cost of purchasing seeds or plants the following year; it can be an interesting plant breeding experiment to try and save the very best seeds each year to improve plant quality and production. And preserving seeds can also be a fun way to create a family tradition – passing down seeds for the next generation so that our family members have a living heirloom.
To collect seeds from perennial and annual flowers, stop deadheading the blooms. Deadheading is recommended through the blooming season to allow for more abundant flowering but doesn’t allow seeds to form. Allow the flowers to fade, seed pods to form, and wait until the seeds are fully mature. Seed pods that are green and moist are not ready – wait until the pods turn brown and dry out. But don’t wait too long or the seeds will drop/disperse and be gone. Many species have seeds that don’t mature at the same time, but at staggered intervals – so keep an eye out every day.
For the vegetable garden, save seeds from the best-tasting, nicest-quality fruit. But be aware that not all crops will produce ‘true to type’ seed. For example, hybrid varieties are more likely to have changing characteristics from generation to generation. Seeds that come from vegetables that are old fashioned or true-to-type varieties are much more likely to retain the same flavor, color, size, etc. from year to year.
Also be aware of cross-pollination. Vegetables like cucurbits (squashes, melons, cucumbers, etc), peppers, carrots and corn readily cross pollinate, so if there are multiple varieties in the same garden or vicinity, there will be some genetic variability. It’s best to physically separate from other plants or grow one variety at a time if reliable seed collection is important. Crops like peas, tomatoes (if not planted adjacent to each other), and most beans do not readily cross pollinate.
After collecting the seeds, correct storage techniques are important to ensure they last until the next growing season and longer. The seeds should be kept very dry and stored at cool temperatures. The silica gel packs that often come when purchasing vitamins, electronics or leather shoes, etc. can be used to help keep the seeds dry.
Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org.