Save the Seeds

Winter is that season when outdoor plants and gardens are dormant, conserving their energy for spring. While the plants are on pause, I like to pull out a notebook and do some spring planning. 

I ask myself:

What did I enjoy from last year’s garden?

What went well?

What do I want to plant again?

What do I want to do differently?

After visualizing next year’s garden, I do a little research online or in the library on anything new I want to plant and alternative methods of gardening. 

I also consider:

Will I be starting seeds indoors? 

When should I plant outdoors?

Many of my garden mentors relied on the Old Farmer’s Almanac to plan their outdoor planting. The almanac is still a great source of gardening knowledge. However, the internet can also be a ready source of information on gardening or I might stop by a local nursery or ask a neighbor or friend who is an experienced gardener in the area. 

Yes, there is a lot to consider, but no need to worry, there is plenty of wintertime to plan and prepare.

As part of my spring preparations, I have been saving seeds for the past several years for the next season. 

When I have a hardy crop of a particular vegetable or flower that I would like to have in the garden again next year, I save the seeds. 

I let some of those favorite flowers or vegetables go to seed. This year I saved okra, cone flowers, and black-eyed susans. 

The okra, I simply dried on a paper towel in a sunny location. You can leave the seeds in the pod or remove them from the dried pods. (Note: There will be many seeds in each pod. I keep only the healthiest-looking seeds. As in the picture on the right, I will keep the seeds on the right and discard those on the left.)

After my cone flowers and black-eyed susans go to seed, I gather some to spread to other areas and then leave the rest to drop their seeds in place.

Finally, I store seeds in jars or seal them in plastic bags, and keep them in a cool, dry place.

I am always eager to learn more about saving seeds, planting seeds, or trying new seed varieties. 

You can learn more about gardening, saving seeds, or even order seeds from some seed experts like Floret, Uprising Seeds, or Eden Brothers.