Extension

Now that Oklahoma is out of the triple-digit heat, some gardeners may be itching to clean up their garden beds. But don’t be too fast to pull up plants and toss them on the compost pile. Some of those plants might be carrying next season’s seeds.

People have been saving seeds for thousands of years, preserving some of the seeds of the most productive crops to grow the following year. Remember, successful seed saving takes a little planning.

For beginning seed savers, self-pollinating crops such as beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce are good choices. There is still a chance insects can move pollen between plants of the same species, though. Growing only one variety of a particular crop can reduce that risk.

It’s best to stick with open-pollinated varieties. Seeds from these plants generally produce offspring with characteristics similar to the parent plant.

Choose seeds from healthy plants. If a tomato variety should produce round, dark red fruit about the size of a baseball, don’t save seeds from a pale, elongated or undersized tomato.

When collecting seeds, always choose healthy, disease-free plants and label the seeds as they are harvested.

Tomatoes: Harvest seeds from fully ripe tomatoes. Squeeze the seeds and pulp into a jar of water and let the mixture sit at room temperature for two to three days, stirring occasionally. Mold may form on the surface. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom. Pour off the liquid and floating material, add fresh water and repeat. Finally, place the seeds on a fine sieve or cheesecloth to dry.

Peppers: Allow peppers to fully ripen before collecting seeds. A green pepper may not be mature enough for seed saving. Once the pepper reaches its mature color, scrape the seeds onto a plate or paper towel and allow them to dry completely.

Beans and peas: Let the pods dry on the plant as much as possible, but harvest them before the pods split open and scatter the seeds. Once harvested, the dry pods can be opened to collect the seeds.

Lettuce: If lettuce is harvested for the dinner table, gardeners may never see its seeds. Eventually, however, the plant sends up flower stalks. Watch closely because the tiny seeds can be carried away by the wind. Rub the mature seed heads gently between your hands to separate the seeds from the fluffy material. A screen or sieve can help remove the chaff.

Flowers also provide plenty of opportunities for seed saving. Calendula, columbine, cosmos, foxglove, globe amaranth, marigolds, morning glories, nasturtiums, nigella and zinnias are good choices.

Watch flowers closely two to three weeks after blooming. Some plants, such as sweet peas, cranesbill geranium and impatiens, have pods that can suddenly split open and scatter their seeds. Harvest when the stems and seed pods are completely dry but before the seeds are released.

Choose seeds from the healthiest, most attractive plants. If you especially like a flower’s color, size or fullness, collecting seeds from that plant may help preserve those characteristics.

Don’t harvest wet seeds. Wait for a dry day after the morning dew has evaporated. Once collected, remove seeds from the seed heads or pods and allow them to dry completely.

Proper storage is just as important as proper harvesting. Seeds should be dry enough that they can be snapped by hand or shattered with a hammer. If a fingernail can dent a seed, it needs more drying time.

Store completely dry seeds in labeled envelopes, bags, containers or glass jars. Keep them in a cool, dry, dark location, and include the plant variety and harvest date on the label. Many seeds remain viable for only a few years, so knowing when they were collected is important.