Did you have a flower that was prettier than the rest, or maybe a tomato that was tastier? You can grow more just like it by saving the seeds.  The Master Gardeners at Cornell Cooperative Extension show you how.

You can save seeds from all kinds of plants, not cross-pollinated by other plants make the best candidates. Annual flowers are easy for beginners since they produce a lot of seeds. Vegetables like beans, tomatoes, lettuce and peppers are good candidates for edible plants.  Choose disease-free plants with qualities you like; for example, the best flavored vegetable or the most beautiful flower.

Allow the fruit and the seed to fully mature.  Learning when seeds are mature enough to collect is a lot like picking tomatoes: experience will teach you. When flowers begin to fade, keep an eye on the forming seeds. Mature seeds are usually brown or dark in color. Plants with pods like beans are mature when the pods are brown and dry. Seeds will require a drying process, which can take a week or more, in a protected area that has good air circulation. Keep saved seeds in a sealed envelope or lidded jars. Be sure to mark them with the variety name and the date. Store in a cool, dry place.

There are two methods to collect seed: the dry method (used for most flowering plants) and the wet method (for fleshy type fruits like tomatoes or melons).  Get more details on collecting and preserving seeds in this Factsheet.  Or call the Horticulture Hot Line Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm at 315-736-3394.

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