As the garden season winds down, many of our clients have peered down at their dried up zinnias and wrinkled tomatoes and nostalgically asked, “Can I save seeds from my garden veggies to grow next year?” The answer is yes! Seed saving is a savvy way to enjoy your favorite plants season after season. It’s a skill that has long connected communities of gardeners as we select, savor, and share the plants that we love most.

Read on to learn more about the basics of seed saving. We’ll also offer you to a few easy projects for saving seeds from herbs like dill, along with zinnias, and tomatoes—perfect for gardeners ready to dive into this fun process!

Understanding Hybrid vs. Open-Pollinated Varieties

Before you begin collecting seeds, it’s important to understand the difference between hybrid and open-pollinated (also called heirloom) plants.

Open-pollinated varieties are those that, if you save seeds from them, will produce plants similar to the parent plant. These varieties are stable, and the seeds can be saved year after year, with reliable results.
Hybrid varieties, on the other hand, are created by cross-breeding two different plant varieties to produce specific traits, like disease resistance or larger fruit. While hybrid plants grow well, seeds saved from hybrids often do not grow “true to type.” This means that the plants from those seeds may not resemble the parent plant, and they might have unpredictable traits.

So, when saving seeds, be sure to know whether your plant is a hybrid or an open-pollinated variety. For the best results, focus on open-pollinated varieties.

Easy Seed Saving Projects for Your Garden

Here are three beginner-friendly plants to get you started with seed saving:

1. Dill, Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel: Collecting Seeds from Herbs

These are wonderful herbs that not only flavor your favorite dishes but are also incredibly easy to collect seeds from.

When to Harvest: Allow the flowers to bloom and form seed heads. Once the flower heads turn brown and dry, it’s time to harvest.
How to Collect: Snip the dry seed heads from the plant and place them in a paper bag. Allow them to dry further for about a week. Then, gently shake the bag to release the seeds.
Storage: Store the seeds in a cool, dry place in a paper envelope or glass jar until you’re ready to plant next year.
Note: If you have more than you need to plant, use them in your cooking! These seeds are tasty culinary treats as well as potential new plants for next year.

2. Zinnias: Seed Saving from Flowers

Zinnias are a garden favorite for their vibrant blooms, and saving seeds from these beautiful flowers is simple.

When to Harvest: Allow the flower heads to dry on the plant. When the petals are crispy and the center of the flower turns brown, the seeds are ready to harvest.
How to Collect: Gently pull the dried petals away to reveal the arrowhead-shaped seeds. You can separate the seeds from the chaff (the dried petals) and store them.
Storage: Keep zinnia seeds in an envelope or small container in a cool, dry place.

This bright zinnia flower isn't ready to harvest for seeds yet, but in a couple of weeks, you'll get the pile on the right.

3. Tomatoes: Fermenting Seeds for Success

Tomatoes are a bit more involved than herbs and flowers when it comes to saving seeds, but with a couple of extra steps, you can be successful. Unlike the herb and flower seeds which naturally dry out and fall to the ground to grow again, seeds that live inside tasty fruit like tomatoes are meant to be eaten and digested by animals before being “planted” in their waste. Therefore, we need to simulate that process to get these seeds ready for germination.

When to Harvest: Choose fully ripe tomatoes from open-pollinated varieties (like heirloom tomatoes). Hybrid tomato seeds might not produce reliable results.
How to Collect and Ferment: Scoop out the seeds along with the surrounding gel into a small jar or container. Add a bit of water and let the mixture sit for 2-4 days, stirring occasionally. This process allows the seeds to ferment, which helps remove the gel coating and kills off any diseases. You’ll notice a film forming on top—this is normal.
Cleaning the Seeds: After fermentation, rinse the seeds under running water, removing any remaining pulp. Spread the seeds on a paper towel or plate to dry completely.
Storage: Once fully dry, store the seeds in a cool, dry place in an envelope or jar.

Final Seed Saving Tips

Label Your Seeds: It’s easy to forget which seeds belong to which plant. Be sure to label your seeds with the plant name and the year you collected them.
Dry Seeds Thoroughly: Moisture is the enemy of stored seeds. Make sure your seeds are completely dry before storing them to prevent mold.
Store in Cool, Dry Places: Ideal storage conditions are cool and dry. Seeds stored in airtight containers in a cool location, like a basement or fridge, will last longer.

By saving seeds, you not only carry a piece of this year’s garden into the next but also become part of an age-old tradition of gardening self-sufficiency. Start small with herbs, zinnias, and tomatoes, and as you grow more comfortable with the process, experiment with other plants.

Happy seed saving!

Q&A: Can I save seeds from my plants to grow next year?