Sometimes we save seed out of necessity, and sometimes we save it for fun, and sometimes we save it to share. No matter your reason, know that saving heirloom seeds is certainly the most economical choice for large gardens, but small gardens can benefit, too!
If you have a small garden, you may decide it’s not worth saving some biennial plants like collards or kale, or you may decide to just save seeds from one type of plant per year.
Different seeds have different needs.
For many plants, it’s just a matter of saving some of the best-looking fruits and letting them get over-ripe before harvesting and allowing the seeds to dry. This is true of things like okra, melons, and squash.
Some plants have flesh around their seeds, like tomatoes and cucumbers. They should be put in a cup with water and allowed to ferment for a day or two until the flesh has come off the seed. Then strain the seeds and allow them to dry in a single layer before storing for next year.
Other plants, such as sweet potato vines, can actually be saved in water to plant out the next year! Our experiments with this have resulted in about a 50% loss, but we have always had vines to put out after Mother’s day. I know other people who plant theirs in dirt and treat them like houseplants during the winter for the same reason.
