Seed Saving

General Guidelines to Seed Saving Remember the adage "What you reap, so shall you sow." Well, that can be taken quite literally in the world of seed saving (with the exception of plants that easily cross-pollinate). If you harvest small tomatoes, you're likely to get small tomatoes. If you harvest the first tomatoes of the season, their offspring will be more likely to produce earlier in the season.

When choosing which seeds to harvest consider the following:

Vigor
Taste
Size
Ability to tolerate drought, wind or other extreme conditions
Ability to compete with weeds

Early-, mid- or late-bearing fruit (whichever is desired)
Long storage life
Late to go to seed or bolt
Good fruit texture
Disease resistant
Productivity

Cold hardiness
Resistance to insect pests
Larger fruit or flowers
Attractiveness
Color
Shape

After you save the seeds, make a note of why you chose these particular seeds, where you grew them, and when you harvested them. This process will help you to learn from your plants and to start creating the varieties that work best for your location.

Seed Saving Brochures

Here are the English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese "super easy" plants to save brochures. Feel free to put your own contact info on the brochures.

Going to Seed Seed Saving Brochure
Side 1 - Keeping it Pure
Side 2 - Mixing it Up

Community Created Resources

Click on the "Community Tips & Resources" Airtable form to see seed saving resources from other seed libraries and read tips about getting offering seed saving resources.

Do you have seed saving resources that you would like to share with the community? Click on the Airtable form below to share your resources or any tips you have?

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