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Saving and Storing Seeds

Growing your own food doesn’t always have to cost you money!

Did you know there are often viable seeds in shop-bought fruit and veggies you buy for eating? Have you ever thought of trying to do something with those seeds you always throw away?

Here's how to store your own seeds:

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Step 1
Collect seed that’s fully ripe and free of plant pests, start with easy seeds like tomatoes, chillies, peas, pumpkins
 
Step 2
Spread any wet seed on kitchen paper to dry for a few days
Step 3
Clean seeds by separating from any pods, husks, fruit flesh or capsules and allow seeds to fully dry in a paper bag for at least 1 week before storing – don’t forget to label the bag
Step 4
Store seeds in a paper envelope or container in a cool, dry, dark place
Step 5
Sow your seeds in the next suitable season (usually spring)

 
Tips and Tricks

 
  • Try saving seeds from the Solanaceae family first as they are the easiest – this includes tomatoes, capsicums and chillies. When harvesting chilli seed, wear rubber gloves and protective glasses if you are handling really hot varieties!
 
  • Like to grow a mix of plants all together? Try storing a seasonal seed mix rather than individually packaged and labelled seeds. Make a seed mix for each season and you’ll have seeds ready to plant all year round! Growing a mix of plants together has many benefits such as fewer pests and diseases and less competition for nutrients, and is one of the principles of permaculture
 
  •  Find your local community garden, and grow seeds as a group activity! Swap and share different seeds to increase the diversity of vegetables in the garden.
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  • Why not challenge your local garden community to a seed-growing competition! Design your own categories such as ‘most unusual vegetable seed to germinate’, ‘fastest germinator’ or ‘best seed germinating rate’.