HOW TO COLLECT VEGETABLE SEEDS

Asparagus. Only female plants produce the berries which contain seeds. Harvest when berries turn red.

Beans & Peas. Leave the pods on the plant until dry.

Broccoli. Let buds flower and develop until pods form. Collect after the pods have dried on the plant.

Cabbage. This biennial sends up seed stalk which develops pods. Pick after pods have turned yellow.

Carrot. Seeds on this biennial ripen about 60 days after flowering. Carrots cross with the weed Queen Anne's Lace, so don't allow it nearby.
Cauliflower. Pick after pods turn brown.

Corn. Different varieties cross-pollinate. Keep them separated by at least 100 feet or cover ears with a paper bag before the silks emerge. Hand-pollinate by covering tassels with a paper bag to collect pollen, and then by sprinkling pollen over silks. Allow the ears to ripen on the plant. Husk corn, and hang it until kernels are dry.

Cucumbers. Different cultivars cross-pollinate, so isolate them. Pick after cucumbers turn yellow. Scrape out seed pulp and wash seeds.

Dill. Let seeds dry on plant.

Eggplant. Pick when fruit turns dull and wrinkly. Separate seeds from flesh.

Lettuce. Wait for the last plants to bolt, then let flower. Harvest when fluffy, white seeds form.

Melons. Harvest fruit when ripe, scrape out seeds, rinse, and dry.

Okra. Allow pods to ripen on plant.

Onion. Harvest flowering tops as soon as black seeds are visible. Dry for a few weeks, then gently rub off the seeds.

Peppers. Wait until the fruit has reached the appropriate color for its variety; most turn red. Cut off the top of the pepper and shake or scoop out seeds.

Potatoes. Seeds do develop, but planting from seed potatoes is easiest. Dig up future seed potatoes and let dry in the sun to improve storage. Never do this with eating spuds, because they turn green and bitter.

Pumpkins & Squash. Allow fruit to ripen fully and scrape out seeds.

Radishes. Let flower and harvest when seed pods are dry.

Spinach. Let seeds ripen on plants.

Sunflowers. Allow them to dry on the stalk. You may need to cover sunflowers to protect from birds.

Tomatoes. Pick overripe fruit; squeeze pulp and seeds into a jar. Allow to ferment at room temperature for three or four days. Stir daily and pour off any liquid and floating seeds. Keep only the seeds that sink; rinse and dry them.

Turnips. Dig up this biennial, and overwinter 1-year-old plants in a root cellar. Replant in spring for seed production. Harvest seed pods when dry.