John Myers
If you’ve missed the harvest time and the vegetables have sprouted or the flowers have set seeds, don’t worry. In the removal of your own seeds, you will find a sensible use. This is even easier on the wallet and the self-cultivation cycle is closed. However, it is important that you dry the seeds properly so that they survive the winter mold-free and reliably germinate next year.
Harvest seeds
If you bring in moist seeds, the risk of them spoiling is relatively high. Therefore, only harvest on dry days.
- Cut off the fully mature seed heads of flowering plants with a sharp knife or secateurs. You can recognize them by their dark-colored pods. Place them upside down in a glass.
- In the case of vegetables, the fruit carries the seeds within itself. Soak the pulp in a glass of water for a day or two. As the fermentation process begins, the residues and the germ-inhibiting layer are detached from the seeds.
- With vegetables such as chard, rocket, or onions, let the plant blossom and then proceed as you would with annual summer flowers.
- For peas or beans, simply set aside a few pods.
Collect fine flower seeds
You can hit the seed heads of the flowers against the edges of the glass after they have dried. This loosens the seed from the pods. Then put everything in a tea strainer that you hold over a white sheet of paper. The small seeds falling through the fine net are so easy to see.
Drying seeds
To prevent the seeds from becoming moldy, they must be completely dry:
- Spread out kitchen paper, newspaper, or cardboard in a dark, not-too-warm place.
- Put the seeds on it.
- Occasionally rearrange so that the seeds dry evenly.
- If you collect a lot of seeds, you should put a label next to each type of seed so that you can distinguish the grains even after the drying time of about a week.
After drying, pack in envelopes or small paper bags, label, and store the seeds in a dry, dark place. Under ideal storage conditions, they remain viable for three to five years.
