terrain’s resident organic farmer, Tim Mountz, shares his family tradition of seed saving.
1. Choose your method of saving, wet or dry. Dry saving is used for beans, greens, radish and herbs. Wet is best for seeds that are coated or covered, like tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. For dry saving, the plant should go through its life cycle in the field. At harvest time, before the seeds begin to break open, collect the pods and store them in a dry place. Each variety of each seed should be isolated from one another, to prevent cross pollinating and preserve the particular characteristics of a given seed. Store them in a jar or a breathable paper bag, in a cool place away from fluctuations in humidity.
3. For wet saving, harvest seeds at the end of their life cycle and then place them in a large bucket of warm water. Let them soak for two days, then switch out the water and soak again for two more days. Then, drain the seeds and let them dry completely before storing them in a cool, dry place away from the sun.
4. Whatever saving method you use, be sure to label everything carefully to be sure of the varieties for future seasons. Saved seeds can often be kept for years or even generations, depending on the type of seed. As a general rule, tomatoes tend to start going downhill after about five years, and are usually not viable after ten years. But something like beet seeds might only last about two years, so the timing tends to be all over the place.
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