How to Save Fruit Seeds for Gardening
Seeds are the womb of plants. In old days when there was no concept of seed shops, every household used to store their own seeds for plantation in the next season. Nowadays, most of us head to the seed stores whenever we desire to plant a fruit or a vegetable. However, experienced and passionate farmers still retain their own seeds because they want to preserve the traits of the best variety in their garden. Apart from the obvious benefit of reducing costs, you can save the seeds of your best plants in the garden. This way you can be sure of the quality of the next generation of the plants. For example, you have an apple tree that ripens earlier than the rest. Its seeds are going to carry the same trait in most cases like the human DNA. Saving seeds is the best way to preserve some heirloom varieties. We have the whole process for you below.
Things required:
– Tray– Sterilized containers
Instructions
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1
Select plants:
Look around the garden and mark down the plants you need to replicate and extend. These could be your favorites from the garden. Leave out the hybrid plants because although they do have desired traits, their seeds are usually infertile. -
2
Gather seeds:
There are specific timings for each plant to gather the seed. For some you can gather the seeds after plucking them when they are ripe and saving the seeds while you use the rest parts. For others, you have to let them get dry and mature till you can gather the seeds. This might bare you from using them this season. Like if you want to save cucumber seeds, you will have to let it dry first. -
3
Dry seeds:
There are two types of seed and drying process for each is different. For those seeds which are scraped off easily and not covered in any pulp, spread them on a tray and leave them in the sun to dry. Give them a week in an airy place to dry fully.
For those covered in pulp, soak them in water after taking them out. The water will rinse the remaining pulp. It also helps you select bad seeds from good ones. The good ones will sink to the bottom while the bad ones will float. Remove the good ones and dry them on a glass tray like the seeds above. -
4
Storage:
After the seeds have dried well, its time to s tore them for the season. Bring out the containers that you collected for them. Pour in the seeds and label the containers. You can also store them in envelopes.
