Bulletin #2750, An Introduction to Seed Saving for the Home Gardener

By Mark Hutton, Extension Vegetable Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

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Rediscovering Seed Saving

Seed saving is an ancient art that enabled humans to cease being hunter-gatherers. Up until the end of World War II, home gardeners typically saved their own seeds, because high-quality seeds at affordable prices were generally not available. However, seed saving declined with the development of the commercial seed industry, which made low-cost, high-quality vegetable and flower seeds readily available. Presently, renewed interest in heirloom, unique, and locally adapted vegetable and flower varieties is sparking a resurgence in seed saving.

Seed-saving is a natural next step for passionate gardeners. Saving seeds not only allows home gardeners to save money; it provides them with an opportunity to express their creativity! This is because saving seed is a form of selection—the very basis of plant breeding. When choosing which plants to save seed from, a gardener must decide which plants have the most desirable characteristics in terms of meeting their goals for plant size, yield, fruit quality, maturity date, attractiveness, etc., thus helping to improve the offspring. When you save seed from your garden, you can create a cultivar uniquely suited to your location, your aesthetic sensibilities, and culinary tastes. Saving seeds takes time, planning, and attention to detail. Here are some basics to get you started on your seed saving adventure.

Plant Reproduction Basics

Self-pollinating or cross-pollinating?

Plants are broadly classified by their method of reproduction as either self-pollinating or cross-pollinating. Self-pollinated plants have flowers with both male and female parts (“perfect” flowers), and typically have flower structures that prevent the introduction of pollen from other plants. Cross-pollinating crops have mechanisms that encourage pollination by other plants of the same species. These may include separate male and female flowers on the same plant (“monoecious” plant sexuality, as in pumpkins), separate male and female plants (“dioecious” plant sexuality, as in asparagus), or some form of self-incompatibility. Cross-pollinated plants are pollinated either by wind or insects. Table 1 lists common vegetable garden plants and their modes of reproduction.

Plants that are not self-pollinating are susceptible to cross-pollination. In other words, if two varieties of squash bloom near each other, the resultant seed is likely to be a cross between the two. Some plants will also cross with wild varieties (for example, carrots can be cross-pollinated by the wild carrot known as Queen Anne’s lace). With the exception of the self-pollinators, then, it is a good idea to grow only one variety of any plant from which you want to save seed that season. Learning how your plants are pollinated will help you avoid accidental crosses.

Plants pollinated by insects can be hand-pollinated. To do this you must protect the opening bud from contact with the bees. In the morning, pluck the male blossom and touch the cluster of pollen (called anthers) to the center of the female flower (called the stigma). Close the female flower again so bees can’t get in. Tag the blossom. Grow the fruit to maturity for the desired seed.

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