How to Save Seeds

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Saving your own seeds can be a very rewarding process. From just one seed you can get hundreds or millions more. By saving your own seed, you are helping a plant adapt to your specific growing conditions, preserving rare varieties, supporting biodiversity and saving yourself money!

Every crop is a bit different and will require varying levels of skill & experience to save quality seed. Start with easy self-pollinators like tomatoes & beans & work your way up. Remember this best way to learn is to try. Warning, see saving can become incredibly addictive.

Basic Terms

Heirloom: Open-pollinated seeds are selected & saved for generations. They are rare varieties with historical, cultural or social significance. If saved correctly, they will reliably produce an adapted, but true seed annually.

Check out this post to learn about self-pollinating, cross-pollination & other important & basic seed saving terms. 

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Simple Starter Tips

Start With the Seeds: To grow good seed, you must plant good seed, look for heirloom varieties.

Check out this post to learn other simple tips to help you get seed saving. 

Collecting Seeds from Vegetables

Tomatoes: How to Save Tomato Seeds 

Peppers: HOw to Save Your Pepper Seeds 

Beans & Peas:  How to Save Pea & Bean Seeds

Greens & Herbs: How to Collect Seeds from Greens & Herbs

Garlic & Potatoes: Growing Garlic & Potato Seed

Quinoa: Growing Local Quinoa

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Collecting Seed from Flowers

Check out my blog for posts on collecting seeds from:

You can find loads more posts on Seed Saving on the blog! 

Peppers – How to Video

Some other great resources for seed saving:

Seeds of Diversity Canada 

Seed Savers Exchange