Drying Seeds

Why buy new seeds every year when you can easily grow them yourself from the delicious tomatoes, colorful blooming summer flowers, and vegetable plants? We explain how to collect, dry, and store seeds.

When can the seeds be harvested?

The infructescences of many vegetables and flowers ripen from green to brown. In the case of beans, the casing becomes hard and leathery. Keep an eye on this process and let the seeds mature on the plant for as long as possible.

With a little experience, it is easy to tell when the seed pod will burst open. Cut them off just beforehand.

How are the seeds dried?

To prevent the seeds from becoming moldy, you must dry them thoroughly before packing them:

• Dry fine flower seeds at the seed stand. They then fall out almost by themselves.
• Vegetable seeds, such as tomatoes or pumpkins, must be free of pulp. Place them in a sieve and rinse the seeds thoroughly. Cleaning is even easier if you put the seeds in a glass of water and leave it open for a day or two. This will separate the pulp and gelatinous shell.
• You can leave the pods and pods whole.

Drying seeds

• To dry, place the seeds in wide containers lined with kitchen paper or blotting paper.
• Put inflorescences upside down in small glasses. If the fine seeds fall out, they collect on the ground.
• Place the bowls in a warm, sunny spot. However, the temperature must not exceed 35 degrees.
• Here the seeds need about one to two weeks to dry completely.

Store seeds

1. Remove hulls, capsules, and other plant debris.
2. Then shake the bowl. Because the germinable seed is heavier, it falls down.
3. By gently blowing, you can get rid of the last husks and seeds that would not open.
4. Pack the seeds in small paper bags and label them.
5. Store seeds in a cool, dark place.