How do you harvest vegetable garden seeds?

Taylor1: How do you harvest vegetable garden seeds?
I’ve got tomatoes, bell peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, hot peppers, lettuce, etc. maturing in my garden now. Is there a trick to saving seeds? I’ve never tried it before.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Jadie
Go to your local library and get a book on it.

Answer by engineco913
the trick is to dry them out. Hang the veggies in a dry place, and over time the seeds will be secured inside for next year

Answer by Shannon L
yes there is if you just try pettifog cow minuter it will grow and give it some sunlight because i made my on popcorn plant oh yeah and water.

Answer by Azul
You need to take the vegetables you want the seeds from and dry the whole thing in sun. You will be able to get the seeds.

Answer by bassemlady
I remember my father saving tomato seeds by spreading them out on cheese cloth and letting them dry out naturally, so I suppose as long as you let the seeds dry out before putting them in an air tight container would do the trick. Any mositure may cause them to sprout, so keep them dry.

Answer by saaanen
I wouldn’t attempt it. You probably have hybrid plants. They will not reproduce true. You can try, but the results may not be worth the time.

Next year, purchase heirloom seeds. These can be saved for generations.

Answer by Neal & Cathy
The mention above about hybrid plants is valid. Hybrids will not grow true to the plants that you had this year. Check to see what you had. If they aren’t hybrids then the following will apply-

Peppers and squash can be taken from the mature vegetables and dried.

Beans can be let to dry on the vine and the seeds taken from them when they are completely dry.

Tomato seeds need a little work. We’ll have a blog entry on our website in a few days about the process for saving tomato seeds.

Visit our website for more gardening ideas at-
https://www.gardening-at-the-crossroads.com/

Good Luck and Happy Gardening from Cathy and Neal!

Answer by fmckin1
If you have nonhybrid tomatoes the best way to save the seed is to first remove them from the very best tomato you grow. Then put the seeds in a cup of water and let them sit overnight, or until you can stir the seeds with your finger and the fibers seperate from the seeds, leaving pinkish water, with clean yellow seeds on the bottom. Pour them into a papertowel-lined colander and let dry. The seeds will easily peel off the paper when completely dry and can be stored in clean paper towels in a closed container in a cool, dry area. I have saved seeds from heirloom tomatoes in this manner and have seeds from three years ago producing tomatoes in my garden as I write.
Save the heirloom nonhybrid plants! You’ll save money in seeds, and preserve our heritage!