saving seeds

Chris Jones · Oct 16, 2009

I"m thinking of trying to save some seeds from this years garden to plant next year. Okra, Peppers and Tomatoes. What do I need to do to save them?

I"d guess peppers just scrape the seeds out and let them dry -- same for tomatoes but should I wait till the whole okra pod drys or cut it open or what? Do I dry seeds just on some newspaper in the kitchen or do they need to be cool or ....?

I"m also curious if the seeds from my bell peppers (red, yellow and green) will germinate because I"m wondering if they"re hybrid and sterile--but there"s one way to find out.

Thanks

greygoat · Oct 16, 2009

Rinse them in cold water, the good ones, being
heavier, will sink, throw out the light ones that
float.
Or maybe it"s the other way around, others will
read this post and add opinions.
Google "Seed Savers Exchange" in Decorah, Iowa.
Their website may have answers

John Harmon · Oct 16, 2009

I've saved many kinds of garden seed by this method. When the fruit of the plant is dry on the stalk then is the time to dry it some more and then save the seed. If the fruit is to the point of rotting ,don't waste your time. Never try to save the seed from a fruit that is picked in the prime of it's cycle,in other words if still fleshy and moist. Dry it on the vine and it will more than likely reproduce it's self. Works for me.

Rob NC · Oct 16, 2009

After the seeds are dried freeze them in air tight container, tupperware is good. This helps to preserve them and they will also germinate better.

Howard H. · Oct 16, 2009

I'm not sure how to prevent it - because I'm not sure how it even happened, but all my summer squash this year looked like half zucchini & half summer squash jumbled together...

Not sure if I got ahold of some "hybridized" seed or just what, but I didn't have a single plant put on any decent squash.

Also, I saved some seed from some really great cantalope from a roadside stand 2 years ago... But not a single seed of any I saved germinated... Then I remembered the old fellow complaining about how much the seed cost when he was planting his plot... Made me wonder if he had bought hybrid seed and it left the cantalope he sold sterile...

Also, if you are interested in "old-time" garden varieties - you might be interested in the http://www.seedsavers.org... They've got tons of old strains that are tough to find anywhere else... Really a great, great outfit, if you are into gardening...

We got to visit them in person when I was visiting my brother up in Iowa over the summer.

Howard
Seed Savers

PJH · Oct 16, 2009

For tomatoes - save the sinkers. Leave them in water overnight, slowly pour most of the water out. Usually be a hundred or so stuck to the side of the bucket. Dry them in a plate on top of the refrig. Put them in a pill bottle, labeled and dated, and freeze. They'll keep frozen for a few years. Don't bother with the hybrids - they'll possibly revert back to one of the ancestors.

Also, I leave the tomato on the vine 'til it's fully ripened before I clean the seeds into the water.

My experience.

Paul

BCnT · Oct 16, 2009

we always washed seed and spread it out on multiple layers of newspaper to draw moisture out. freeze or put in a mason jar with tight lid and keep em in the dark.
dont waste time on any supermarket tomatoes...cant think of any nowadays that arent hybrids...most hot peppers you can save except the TAM jalapeno.

El Toro · Oct 16, 2009

Here's a Citron I grew from saved seed. Someone on here sent me the seed. I also grew tomatoes and peppers from saved seed. One of the pepper's measured 7.5 inches in length. My wife has a plastic container with a removeable
spacer with holes. Its ideal for washing the tomato seeds and drying them. I need to take a picture of it and post it. I also use it for drying the pepper seeds. Hal

El Toro · Oct 16, 2009

Here's what I use for washing & drying the tomato seeds. It has a removeable tray. She said these came in frozen dinners. I use them to dry the pepper seeds too. Using newspaper will cause the tomato seeds to stick and difficult to remove. Hal

greenbeanman in Kansas · Oct 16, 2009

There are a number of books on saving seeds.

Why not have your local library order in several for your perusal and then if you'd like a copy for your reference library you would know which to choose to order?
Seed Saving title on Amazon

Coloken · Oct 16, 2009

Been saving seed for years, especially tomatoes. Go to garden web--tomatoes,they get pretty fancy there .
I have no idea why you would want to freeze any seeds. Just keep them in a cool dry place.This year I grew some tomatoes from seed that was 16 years old. Was just in the factor paper envolope.

Chris Jones · Oct 17, 2009

Thanks to everyone, unfortunately I have already cut the over sized okra from the stalks and pulled the stalks up so I can't let them dry on the plant. I guess I'll pass on saving them this year and at least I know what I need to do next year. My tomatoes are long gone. The only thing I have left are green, red and yellow bell peppers and I'm not sure I'll do anything with trying to save seeds from them this year.

saving seeds

Chris Jones

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greygoat

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John Harmon

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Rob NC

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Howard H.

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PJH

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BCnT

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El Toro

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El Toro

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greenbeanman in Kansas

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Coloken

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Chris Jones

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