- 1). Choose an "heirloom" or "open-pollinated" variety that will give you similar plants year after year. Don't bother saving seeds from hybrid varieties, which have been cross-bred for traits like disease resistance or faster ripening. Seeds from a hybrid plant will often revert back to one of its "grandparent" plants, so they're not suitable for saving. The original seed packet may say "hybrid," "cv" (for "cultivated variety") or "F1" or "F2."
- 2). Start with the easiest seeds to deal with: tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas. Lettuce has tiny seeds that are hard to handle. Cucumbers, squash and pumpkins require careful growing throughout the season. Since they may cross-pollinate with each other in your garden, they're not a good choice for a beginner.
- 3). Examine the plants in your garden as your crop nears maturity. Choose the healthiest plant and label it, so anyone picking veggies will leave a few fruits on it for harvest. Tomatoes and peppers should be left on the plant past the point of edible ripeness. Beans and peas should be left on the plant until the pods are dry.
- 4). Pick vegetables or pods from your chosen plants and remove the seeds. Break open the dried bean and pea pods. The seeds will pop out dry and ready to store. Harvest pepper seeds by cutting off the bottom of the fruit. Scrape the seeds off the fleshy cone in the middle. They're ready to store.
- 5). Clean tomato seeds before storing. Cut a tomato in half and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds into a jar and add water. Cover the jar loosely (not airtight) and put it in a warm spot for three days, stirring daily. After three days, there will be a fungus on the surface of the water. This fungus is a good thing --- it removes the seeds' jellylike coating and also gives them disease-fighting bacteria.
Pour off and discard the fungus. Fill the jar with warm water, let the contents settle, then gently pour off the water, letting the floating debris pour out. The seeds are heavier and will sink to the bottom of the jar.
Continue rinsing until the drained water comes out clear. Pour the seeds through a strainer, then spread them on a screen or some paper towels to dry. - 6). Put each type of seed in its own envelope, sealing it carefully and labeling it with the type of plant, the variety, and the year (e.g., "Tomato, Brandywine, 2009").
- 7). Store the envelopes in a cool, dry place. Seeds need heat and light to germinate, so give them the opposite until it's time to plant next spring.
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