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How to Dry Out Seeds in the Fall to Plant Next Spring. If you have heirloom plants or
you're particularly fond of specific flowers in your garden, you can grow them year after
year by saving the seeds. You will need Viable plants Mature seeds Screen Dry, well-ventilated
location Glass jars Warm water Paper towel Envelopes Labels and paper bags (optional).
Step 1. Go online to determine whether you have the kinds of seeds you can keep. Hybrid
plants produce seeds that are often sterile or don't reproduce true to their parent plants.
Open-pollinated plants have to be isolated from others in their families so that don't
cross-pollinate. Still others may transmit diseases. Plants that are open-pollinated
include squash, melons, parsley, broccoli, celery, spinach, cauliflower, kale, radishes,
beets, onions, and basil. Step 2. Harvest your seeds from the best plants you have.
Choose plants that are disease-free and have the prettiest flowers or best-tasting fruit.
Step 3. Harvest only mature seeds. Seeds are fully mature when the plant's flowers are
faded and dry. Plants with pods are ready when the pods are brown and dry. Step 4. Use
a dry method to save seeds from beans, peas, onions, carrots, corn, and most flowers and
herbs. Allow the seeds to dry as long as possible on the plant, and then remove them to a screen
to finish drying in a single layer. For very small or lightweight seeds, put the seed heads
into paper bags to catch the seeds as they fall out. Step 5. Use the wet method for tomatoes,
cucumbers, and roses. Scoop out the seed masses from the fruit or flower and put them in a
jar with warm water. Let them ferment for 2 to 4 days, stirring daily. The viable seeds
will sink to the bottom. Pour off the pulp, bad seeds, and mold, and spread the good seeds
on paper towel to dry. Step 6. Make sure your seeds are thoroughly dry when you store them.
Keep them in envelopes or glass jars labeled with the seed type and date, and then put
the containers in the freezer for 2 days to kill pests. Step 7. Most seeds lose viability
over time, so plant them within 3 years. Parsley, sweet corn, and onion must be planted the
following year. By fall, your garden will be a reminder of your previous successful
harvest! Did you know The largest seed in the plant kingdom is from the coco de mer,
or double coconut palm, and weighs 40 pounds.