August 18, 2024 – It’s easy to order seeds from seed companies, although the cost seems high, and shipping costs seem outrageous. In reality, the prices are pretty reasonable. It’s easy however to lower the costs. First, there’s probably a local nursery or hardware store containing hundreds of seed packets. The ultimate price reduction is to save the seeds from your own garden.
For several garden vegetables, you can simply put the biggest and best vegetables aside for gathering seeds. This works very well for tomatoes, although the separation process can be very messy. I just buy seeds! Peppers are perhaps the easiest vegetable from which to gather seeds. Simply cut the ripe pepper lengthwise, separate the seeds with a spoon, knife or your finger over a paper towel. Let them dry 2-3 days and then put them in a porous container (I use envelopes), seal, label, and place in a bottom refrigerator drawer.
Okra seed saving is a somewhat different process. The first time I saved a large oversized pod that had escaped notice I decided to use it for seeds. So, the pod was brought in, placed on a paper towel and split open. The seeds, unfortunately, were white and soft. So, when all else had failed, I decided to read the directions!
Today, I have several giant green pods still growing that were missed when picking. Rather than throw them away, they’ll will stay on the stalk until they die. The key here is color. When a pod is gray, white and brittle, it’s ready for picking. Simply Bring it inside and over a paper towel, open the pod with your fingers and pull the seeds which are now hard, dry, and dark gray. Again, place the seeds in a porous container, seal, label, and place in a refrigerator bottom drawer.
