The zinnias that grow in my garden are the grandchildren of those that grew in my mother’s garden forty years ago. She saves seeds every year to plant the next year and when I planted my first garden eighteen years ago she gave me some zinnia seeds to get me started. I have continued to save zinnia seeds each year to replant the next.
Saving seeds is an enjoyable autumn activity that can be done right up until the first hard frost. Seeds can be saved from many flowers, fruits, vegetables and grasses. Some seeds are more difficult to collect than others but the rewards of collecting your own seed and growing them the following year are well worth the effort.
Seeds should be collected only from vigorous, healthy plants. It’s a good idea to mark the plants from which you wish to save seed when they are at their peak earlier in the season by putting a twist tie or string on the stem. This ensures that you won’t accidentally pick that perfect flower for a bouquet and that you’ll remember to rescue a tomato or two before the rest go in canning jars.
Seeds should be saved only from self-pollinated plants. These include most flowers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, peas and lettuce. Seeds from plants like pumpkins, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, melons, gourds, corn, radishes, kohlrabi and broccoli cross pollinate and the plants grown from saved seeds won’t be exactly like the parent plant and will probably be inferior.
Seeds should be allowed to dry on the plant before collecting. In most cases this is easy. Just cut or snap off the seed head or pod after it turns brown. However, some plants have seed pods that burst when they become ripe or have very small seeds. For those plants, tie a paper, nylon or muslin bag upside down securely around the stem when the seeds are just starting to dry. When dry, cut the stem and shake the seeds into the bag. This method is necessary for many wildflowers and native plants
After collection, spread the seeds out on a newspaper for a week or two for further drying. Tomato seeds need a bit more preparation. They are covered with a gelatinous material which must be removed before storage. Place the tomato seeds in a jar of water and let them ferment for 2 – 3 days. Shake the jar a couple times a day. On the third day, add more water and shake again. The good seeds will sink to the bottom and the scum will rise to the top. Remove the good seeds and dry them on a screen for about a week before storage.
After dry, seeds should be stored in Ziploc bags or glycine envelopes and labeled with the name of the seed and year of collection. A cool dry environment is best for storage. If there is room in the refrigerator, place the seed bags in a jar or ice cream bucket and store it in the back until spring.
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