Full Course: Seed Harvesting

Summary

This educational presentation focuses on the art and benefits of seed harvesting, guiding viewers to identify suitable plants for seed collection, such as tomatoes, peppers, melons, and herbs. It covers the techniques for harvesting, drying, and storing seeds, emphasizing the sustainability aspect, including genetic diversity preservation and self-sufficiency. The speaker shares practical advice on handling seeds of varying difficulty levels, from easy like basil to more challenging ones like carrots, and encourages the audience to embrace seed-saving for a more resilient and eco-friendly gardening practice.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The presenter is a former educator and emphasizes the importance of seed harvesting for sustainability and self-sufficiency.
• 📋 The main objective of the presentation is to teach attendees to identify suitable plants for seed harvesting and the techniques involved.
• 🌱 Seed harvesting contributes to sustainability by preserving genetic diversity, reducing reliance on commercial suppliers, and promoting self-sufficiency.
• 📝 The agenda includes an introduction to seed harvesting, discussion of its benefits, and practical steps for harvesting seeds from various plants.
• 🍅 Tomatoes are highlighted as one of the easiest plants for seed harvesting, with a simple process involving scooping out seeds from ripe tomatoes and drying them.
• 🌶️ Peppers are considered easy to moderate for seed harvesting, requiring the removal of the core and drying the seeds on parchment paper.
• 🍉 Melons, including watermelons, are moderately easy for seed harvesting, with the seeds being rinsed, dried, and stored similarly to other seeds.
• 🥬 Lettuce and spinach are categorized as moderate difficulty for seed harvesting due to their small seed size and the need to allow the plant to fully mature and bolt.
• 🥕 Carrots present a higher difficulty for seed harvesting due to the need to wait for the plant to complete its life cycle and the small size of the seeds.
• 🌼 Harvesting seeds from herbs like basil is straightforward, involving allowing the plant to flower and then collecting the seeds as they dry.
• 📅 The presenter notes the importance of labeling and dating seeds for future planting, as well as understanding the viability period of different seeds.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the seed harvesting presentation?

The main objective is for participants to be able to identify four fruit, three vegetable, and three herb plants suitable for seed harvesting, describe the difficulty level and proper techniques for harvesting and drying seeds, and explain how seed harvesting contributes to sustainability.

How does seed harvesting contribute to sustainability?

Seed harvesting contributes to sustainability by preserving genetic diversity, reducing reliance on commercial suppliers, and promoting self-sufficiency.

What is the importance of promoting genetic diversity in seeds?

Promoting genetic diversity is important as it helps ensure the resilience and adaptability of plant species, which is crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems and food security.

What are some of the plants discussed in the presentation for seed harvesting?

The plants discussed include tomatoes, peppers, melons, okra, beans, carrots, lettuce, basil, cilantro, and marigolds.

Why are tomatoes considered one of the easiest plants for seed harvesting?

Tomatoes are considered easy for seed harvesting because the process involves simply taking a ripe tomato, scooping out the seeds, placing them on parchment paper to dry for a few days, and then storing them in an airtight container.

What is the difference between easy and moderate level seed harvesting for peppers?

The difference lies in the drying time required for the seeds. While the process of removing the seeds from the pepper is easy, the seeds take longer to dry, which is why it might be considered a moderate level of difficulty.

How does one harvest seeds from melons?

To harvest melon seeds, one should rinse them off, let them dry out to remove any pulp, and then store them in a suitable container. The seeds are ready for planting once fully dried.

What is the significance of labeling seeds after harvesting?

Labeling seeds is crucial to identify the plant variety and the year of harvest, which helps in planning for the next growing season and ensures the seeds are used within their viable period.

Why is it recommended to avoid using paper towels for drying seeds?

Paper towels are not recommended because seeds can stick to them, making it difficult to remove them without losing some of the seeds.

What is the concept of 'bolting' as mentioned in the context of lettuce and other leafy greens?

Bolting refers to the process where leafy greens and vegetables transition from producing leaves to producing flowers and seeds as a response to environmental stress, such as increased temperatures, signaling the end of their life cycle.

How can saving and harvesting seeds benefit a gardener financially?

Saving and harvesting seeds can save a gardener money by reducing the need to purchase seeds from commercial suppliers, allowing for a more sustainable and cost-effective gardening practice.

What are some of the challenges associated with harvesting seeds from carrots?

Harvesting seeds from carrots is challenging because it requires waiting for the plant to complete its life cycle, which includes the plant leaning over and dying back. Additionally, carrot seeds are very small and can be easily lost.

Why is it important to store seeds in a cool, dry, and dark place?

Storing seeds in a cool, dry, and dark place is important to maintain their viability. Exposure to heat, moisture, and light can reduce the lifespan and germination potential of seeds.

What is the benefit of harvesting seeds from plants that have been conditioned to grow in a specific environment?

Harvesting seeds from plants conditioned to a specific environment ensures that the seeds are more likely to be resilient and successful in that environment, leading to better growth and higher yields.

How long can some seeds remain viable?

Some seeds, like those from the date palm and lotus, can remain viable for over a thousand years, demonstrating the incredible longevity of seeds under the right conditions.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Introduction to Seed Harvesting Presentation

The presenter, a former educator, introduces the objective of the seed harvesting presentation, which is to teach the audience to identify suitable plants for seed harvesting, describe the difficulty level and techniques for harvesting and drying seeds, and explain how seed harvesting contributes to sustainability. The agenda includes a quote from Henry David Thoreau emphasizing the importance of seeds, and a discussion on the advantages of seed harvesting, such as promoting genetic diversity, self-sufficiency, and environmental sustainability. The presenter also mentions the plants that will be covered: tomatoes, peppers, melons, okra, beans, carrots, lettuce, basil, cilantro, and marigolds, chosen for their varying difficulty levels in seed harvesting.

05:01

🍅 Seed Harvesting Techniques for Tomatoes and Peppers

The presenter discusses the process of harvesting seeds from tomatoes and peppers, two relatively easy plants for seed collection. For tomatoes, the method involves scooping out seeds from ripe tomatoes, drying them on parchment paper for several days, and storing them in an airtight container. The presenter emphasizes avoiding moisture to prevent mold and premature germination. With peppers, the process is similar but may be considered moderate due to the longer drying time. The seeds are removed from the core, cleaned, and dried before storage. The presenter also shares personal tips on avoiding common mistakes, such as using paper towels which can cause seeds to stick.

10:03

🥒 Seed Harvesting for Melons, Okra, and the Importance of Seed Saving

The presenter moves on to discuss seed harvesting for melons and okra, both considered easy to moderate in difficulty. Melon seeds are rinsed, dried, and planted directly in sandy soil, while okra seeds are harvested from dried pods. The presenter also touches on the topic of seed saving, highlighting that only three out of ten gardeners save their seeds, often due to the convenience of commercial seed suppliers. However, saving seeds can be cost-effective and beneficial for adapting plants to local growing conditions. The presenter also mentions Texas Tested Seeds as an example of a company that provides seeds adapted to specific regional climates.

15:04

🥕 The Challenge of Carrot and Lettuce Seed Harvesting

The presenter explains that harvesting seeds from carrots and lettuce is more challenging due to the plants' life cycles and the small size of their seeds. Carrots, biennials by nature, produce seeds in their second year when they begin to flower and end their life cycle. The presenter advises waiting for the plant to wither before harvesting the seeds, which are tiny and easily lost. Lettuce seeds are similarly small and require the plant to fully mature and begin the bolting process before seeds can be collected. The presenter shares a personal preference for using mesh bags to store seeds, ensuring they do not get lost during the drying process.

20:07

🌿 The Viability of Seeds and Harvesting Herb Seeds

The presenter shares fascinating facts about the longevity of seeds, noting that some seeds, like the date palm and lotus, can germinate after over a thousand years. The focus then shifts to harvesting seeds from herbs, starting with basil, which is very easy, requiring only the collection of flowers that have turned brown. The presenter also mentions the moderate difficulty of harvesting cilantro seeds due to the plant's branching flower structure. The segment ends with a demonstration of harvesting basil seeds, emphasizing the simplicity of the process.

25:08

🌼 Harvesting Marigold Seeds and the Joy of Gardening

In the final paragraph, the presenter demonstrates the simple process of harvesting marigold seeds by opening the dried flower heads to release the seeds inside. The presenter expresses a deep appreciation for gardening, particularly the joy of harvesting seeds and the satisfaction of knowing they will be used for future plantings. The love for gardening is evident as the presenter thanks the audience for their engagement and shares the excitement of the gardening community.

Keywords

💡Seed Harvesting

Seed harvesting refers to the process of collecting seeds from plants for the purpose of replanting them in the future. In the context of the video, it is a central theme as the speaker discusses various techniques for harvesting seeds from different types of plants. The video emphasizes the importance of seed harvesting for sustainability, genetic diversity, and self-sufficiency.

💡Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity is the variety of genetic characteristics within a species. The video underscores the significance of preserving genetic diversity through seed harvesting, which helps maintain the health and resilience of plant populations. By growing and harvesting seeds from a wide variety of plants, gardeners contribute to the conservation of genetic traits that might otherwise be lost.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the video is discussed in the context of environmental practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Seed harvesting is presented as a sustainable practice because it reduces reliance on commercial seed suppliers, promotes self-sufficiency, and helps maintain a healthy ecosystem.

💡Self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency is the ability to provide for one's own needs without external assistance. The video connects seed harvesting to self-sufficiency by demonstrating how individuals can grow their own food and save seeds for future plantings, thus reducing dependence on commercial food systems. This is particularly relevant in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic mentioned in the script.

💡Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is the practice of using resources in a way that does not harm the environment or deplete natural resources. The video discusses how seed harvesting contributes to environmental sustainability by promoting the growth of native plants that are adapted to local conditions, reducing the need for resource-intensive agriculture.

💡Cultural and Historical Preservation

Cultural and historical preservation refers to the act of maintaining and protecting cultural heritage and historical knowledge. In the video, the speaker hints at the importance of preserving traditional plant varieties through seed saving, which can help maintain cultural practices and historical agricultural methods.

💡Tomatoes

Tomatoes are used in the video as an example of an easy plant for seed harvesting. The speaker provides a step-by-step guide on how to extract seeds from ripe tomatoes, dry them, and store them properly. This serves as an introduction to the concept of seed harvesting and demonstrates a simple method that viewers can replicate with their own tomato plants.

💡Peppers

Peppers are mentioned as another plant whose seeds can be harvested, albeit at a moderate level of difficulty. The video script describes the process of removing the core and any placenta from the seeds and drying them out. This example illustrates the varying levels of complexity involved in seed harvesting from different types of plants.

💡Basil

Basil is highlighted as an herb that is particularly easy to harvest seeds from. The video script includes a demonstration of how to collect and store basil seeds, emphasizing the simplicity of the process. This serves as encouragement for viewers to start their own seed-saving journey with plants that are less challenging.

💡Cilantro

Cilantro is presented as a moderate challenge in seed harvesting due to its branching flower structure. The video provides guidance on how to clip the flowers, allow them to brown, and then collect the seeds. This example shows viewers that some plants may require a bit more care and attention during the seed harvesting process.

💡Bolting

Bolting refers to the process where plants, such as lettuce, begin to flower and produce seeds as a response to environmental stress, often heat. The video explains that bolting is a natural part of a plant's life cycle and can be utilized by gardeners to harvest seeds. It also notes that bolting can lead to a bitter taste in some vegetables, affecting their edibility.

Highlights

Objective to identify suitable plants for seed harvesting and understand techniques for seed preservation.

Importance of seed harvesting for sustainability, genetic diversity, and self-sufficiency.

The role of seed harvesting in reducing reliance on commercial suppliers.

Introduction to the agenda and structure of the presentation.

Quote from Henry David Thoreau emphasizing the potential within a seed.

Advantages of harvesting seeds for environmental and historical preservation.

Selection of plants based on varying difficulty levels for seed harvesting.

Step-by-step guide on harvesting tomato seeds, the easiest among the discussed plants.

Caveats on drying and storing seeds to prevent mold and premature germination.

Discussion on the moderate difficulty of harvesting pepper seeds.

Importance of labeling seeds with dates for tracking viability.

Tips for remembering what and when seeds were harvested using garden maps.

Explanation of seed viability and the importance of using fresh seeds for planting.

Harvesting melon seeds with a focus on drying times and simplicity.

The process of harvesting okra seeds and the benefits of growing okra in warm climates.

Statistics on the minority of gardeners who save and harvest their seeds.

Benefits of growing and harvesting seeds adapted to local microclimates.

The challenge of harvesting carrot seeds due to their small size and the plant's life cycle.

Lettuce seed harvesting tips, including dealing with small seeds and the bolting process.

Historical fact about seeds remaining viable for over a thousand years.

Simple method for harvesting basil seeds and storing them for future use.

Demonstration of harvesting marigolds, emphasizing their ease of growth and benefits.

Personal reflection on the joy of seed harvesting and the value of the community calls.

Transcripts

so

um seed harvesting first and foremost

I'm a foran educator so I'm going always

set up these presentations like I used

to do when I was in the classroom uh so

first and foremost the objective by the

end of this presentation you should be

able to identify four fruit three

vegetable three herb plants sustainable

for excuse me suitable for seed

harvesting you should be able to

describe the difficulty level and proper

techniques for harvesting the seeds as

well as drying them out and then explain

how seed harvesting can contribute to

sustainability through preserving

genetic diversity reducing Reliance on

Commercial suppliers and promoting

self-sufficiency then you should be able

to demonstrate the basic steps for

harvesting seeds with it one least easy

what at one easy to grow plant and then

of course you can ask and answer

questions on how to uh how to do this if

want ask you those questions in

the um now as far as our agenda you know

we had an agenda last week we said we're

gonna keep it minut hour and 30 we did

not stick to set agenda because we had

so many great questions but here's our

loose leaf of how our agenda should look

for this um presentation

today so before we go on to the

introduction je this is just a quote

from Henry David uh thorough I am a huge

lover

of poetry uh I like to call myself a

renaissance man and this is some

planting wisdom from the though I do not

believe that a plant will spring up

where no seed has been I have great

faith in a seed convince me that you

have a seed there and I am prepared to

expect

wonders so seed harvesting what we're

going to be talking about today is the

advantages to harvesting your seeds now

I know that Stephanie just asked you

know how to do it but you know I guess

just the educator me I can never just

tell you oh a you know plus b equals c I

always have to give you the why behind

it that that's what motivates me

promoting genetic diversity is one of

the things that is very important when

it comes to seeds and as we talk about

these seeds I'm going to go in further

detail as to what that means

self-sufficiency and food security we

all know what happened during covid I'm

not GNA harp on it we were all there and

when the food chains broke down and it

was hard to get things now growing a

garden is not going

to it's not going to take you completely

off the grid unless you are living off

the grid or you're blessed to have a

food forest or something like that but

it can make you feel a little bit safer

so having your own seeds add adds to

that as well you also have environmental

sustainability cultural and his

historical

P preservation as well I'm gonna get

through this guys I

apologize all right let's

see and so what we're going to be

talking about today here are the few of

the few plants that we're going to be

going through we're going to talk about

tomatoes peppers melons okra beans

carrots lettuce basil cilantro and time

the reason why I chose these is because

they're varying levels of difficulty

we're going to start off with the easier

version in our fruits vegetables and

herbs and then we're going to go to the

more moderate versions is how to collect

those seeds so giving you a little bit

of a warmup so to

speak so with that being said we're

going to first start off with the

easiest one of all and that is the

wonderful Tomatoes seeing it's how we

were all talking about tomatoes earlier

and how none of us are producing right

now but I do want to say this I do have

one tomato plant that is actually still

um producing right now it's a pink

hybrid tomato and it's like three

tomatoes on there it's struggling but

it's doing and tomato is truly one of

the easiest there is to harvest when you

come to your seeds um now here are the

steps here and of course after the the

presentation you can always go back and

watch the recorded view but you can see

that Tomatoes honestly all you have to

do is take a ripe tomato scoop out your

seeds right out the middle place them on

like some uh now you can do it on a

paper plate I prefer place them out like

on parchment paper and just let them sit

let them sit for 3 to seven days get all

of that juice and that PP that's off

there and just let them dry out and then

once you have them dry out scoop them up

put you in a cont a airtight container

and you're good to go but now one caveat

to that make sure you don't have any

moisture in that bag because if you have

any moisture in your bag that can end up

you'll be getting mold in there and then

you could possibly get some premature

germination so if you're trying to save

them from next season definitely make

sure that you got airtight seal on that

bag put them somewhere nice and dark and

you don't have any moisture in there and

definitely don't dry them out on a paper

towel they will stick to that paper

towel don't ask me how I know absolutely

right so yeah no paper towels at

all now it's in interesting because this

is considered a moderate level seed

Harvest for some but to me Peppers I'm

still going to say are very easy to

harvest and now on the picture we have

here we have a sweet bell pepper we have

uh a red sweet bell pepper but this

pretty much applies to anything in your

pepper family when it comes to

harvesting them all you have to do is

just remove that core where those seeds

are at remove any little bits of

placenta that might be on the seed

itself and just again strain them out

place them on some parchment paper now

your seeds are going to take a little

bit longer for them to dry out and

that's why this might be considered more

of a moderate level as far as you know

um harvesting your seeds but really just

set it forget it come back and then

again put it in a Ziploc put it in a

tupperware and store it away now as

we're talking about storing seeds away

make sure that you label them I'm going

to tell you guys I am uh blessed with a

curse called ADHD and all about

something and then until I get

distracted and I'm like squirrel so if

you do not mark them if I do not mark

them I will not know what seeds they are

when I harvested them you know how long

do I have before I need to plant them so

make sure you mark them as soon as you

put them in the back okay what's up J I

am terrible for

that so I'm also terrible with that so

what I do is I bring out a sheet of

paper and I mark it into my I make it in

the sh of my beds and I literally write

down what I planted and when because I

know because a my plant markers fade in

the sun and the rain but be I will never

remember so I can go back to that Garden

map and it also helps me the next year

to make sure I don't plant tomatoes the

same place I planted Tomatoes the

previous year Etc you had a

question I do you said that when you

label the seeds you need to put the date

on there for the seeds do the seeds go

bad or are they pretty good for like

years um I mean when it comes to see

specifically when we're talking about

like our annuals like our peppers and

our Tomatoes you do have a short shelf

so you want to try to get them out as

far as within the next growing season

because you start getting two three four

year Seasons out they actually could

lose the ability to be able to still

germinate they may still end up out on

you so I would definitely put the date

on there so you can kind of keep that in

the back of your mind like o these are

my seeds from 2022 I need to go ahead

and get these out before because once

you start getting into harvesting seeds

you will come and start doing this more

often so you don't want to use your

newer seeds you get what I'm

saying yeah I mean there now there

further along in the presentation there

are seeds that actually have lived

thousands of years that can still

germinate and I'll tell you guys about

that in a little bit so some seeds can

last Almost several lifetimes um now

when it comes to Peppers this is not

necessarily harvesting seeds as far as

this is more about growing peppers so

you see that nice cluster seiz that's

right there in the middle I remember I

had filmed this video on YouTube a while

back and I was showing you know a garden

hack I take that whole entire bulb and

just stick it right in some soil and

guess what give it a couple of days like

five to seven days those seedlings will

pop right on the out of the soil and I

had a gentleman he just chewed me out

was like you're such a hack that's not

how you germinate you you planted those

there I mean you you know you switched

out the seeds or what I'm like uh no I

do this all I've been doing this since I

was a child I always do that just throw

them honestly the way I learned how to

do that is just by throwing them out in

compost by m sake so when it comes to

planing uh pepper seats it's really not

you know rocket science when it comes to

those all right now Mel

again this one is considered a moderate

level but I'm going to rely just like I

said on the peppers it's really based on

your dry out time um because I have

literally taken uh watermelon seeds

because my kids you know they they love

when we grow sugar babies they love when

we grow watermelons and they are my seed

Harvesters soon as they finish eating

their watermelon they collect their

seeds up for me I rinse them off let

them dry out a little bit get all that

pulp off of them and then they're done

we have watermelon seeds going forward

um as far as Platinum just like with the

pepper seeds you throw them in soil

throw them in a Sandy loone they will

grow so yeah so even though it's one to

two weeks to fully dry

out that they they're they're really

it's not rocket science with those

either it's really simple when it comes

to

melon we have okra anyone growing okra

this year

anyone last year and

died

a well we're gonna see if we can get you

back to growing okra because okra

harvesting okra seeds it is super easy

I'm going to show you how to do okra

seeds this afternoon uh after we get

done with the presentation part but okra

um especially being in Florida being in

Texas it loves the hot weather so okra

seeds once you allow that pod to kind of

drive a little bit again a super easy

one um now now in the methods that I I

posted it says that you can take a okra

uh pod and allow it to dry out for one

or two

weeks but honestly I just let the whole

entire pod dry out itself and I just

harvest my seeds directly from it I

don't actually harvest the seeds when

it's still wet and pulpy I wait for the

Pod to actually grow out okay exactly

and one thing I'll add is one ochre pod

is probably all you need you'll get a

lot of seeds

you're absolutely right one part is

enough because okra is a prolific

grow before we go on to the next section

just want to talk about seeds one more

time did you know that only three out of

10 gardeners actually save and harvest

their seeds and the reason behind it is

because there's so many seed companies

that exist out there Andre was just

talking about it before where people are

taking like beans and peas and breaking

them up and putting them into containers

and selling them back to us when you can

go to the grocery store and get that

same whole package of black beans and

it's like A1 58 or $1.98 at at Wally but

you know we we paying three and five and

$10 sometimes for some of these

different seeds but if you get into the

habit of saving your own seeds not only

is it saving you money it's also you

okay there is a grower here that I

follow and I follow her on Facebook and

her name of her company is Texas tested

seeds her seeds also do well in Florida

I love her company because these are all

seeds that she grows from plants that

she grows that have been conditioned to

grow in our environment and that's the

beauty of growing and harvesting your

own seeds I did the same thing with the

last couple of years with a Ricker of

sunflowers now I started growing the rck

or sunflowers from a seed company but

then every year after that they got more

and more AC Rel ated to my microclimate

in my growing conditions so by

harvesting your own seeds you're

toughening up that plant so it can grow

better in your Zone does that make sense

yeah because the ones that are growing

because every plant has a little bit of

genetic variation and the ones that are

most successful are the ones that are

being um that are sort of changing a

little bit and the variety is one that

is more accommodating to where you

specifically are so your seeds are

special seeds when you

all right so beans it's so funny because

Jen Andre and I was just talking about

this earlier yes beans beans are super

easy um and so I'm not even going to go

over harvesting beans because it's just

that simple I mean you take a pot out

let it dry out and then boom you have

your bean seeds uh you can grab grab a

bag from your grocery store from your

discount store what have you you have

bean seeds now as far as a prepper uh

sustainability mentality beans dried

beans are always good to have in your

cabinets if you ever get into those

situations where you need food because

it's a great source of protein some of

you may know that my family is um we're

pescatarian so we don't actually eat any

red meat we eat fish and we eat a lot of

beans and so forth so I always have

beans my wife my wife is pescatarian oh

awesome she's a good

person uh yeah my wife she's she was a

vegetarian when I first met her I was

like hey I'm originally from Louisiana

you can't take away my fish

now you're getting you're getting

carried away with this

baby right so carrots now the difficulty

level on the carrots is going to jump up

to moderate and the reason behind that

now I'm going to tell you one thing I

don't like carrots I don't care for them

I know like wait a minute but you're

you're a pescaterian and you don't like

char No that I I don't like the texture

I don't like the taste my kids love them

but get a carrot away from me so when it

comes to harvesting your carrots the

caveat with carrots is a carrot is a b

Bal plant so just like with your

strawberries when you establish and grow

carrots you first start off with your

first year just with the plant trying to

get itself established it's growing its

Tap Root system and it's starting to

really get itself going that second year

is really when you start getting the

growth out of it and you'll actually see

those carrots come into the fruition

that you're looking for and this is also

going to be the time when you can come

and get those seeds off the carrots

you're going to have to let allow some

of the carrots to actually start to grow

up into flour because what's happening

is the flow the carrot is actually

ending its life cycle and it's starting

to go to seed so that it can produce no

more offspring that's the whole reason

why we're getting seeds off of these

plants is because a lot of them that

ending their life they're ready to turn

over to the next generation and the

reason why it's challenging when you're

talking about

um harvesting your carrots is because

you have to almost wait for the plant to

essentially lean over and die before you

can really Harvest them and then you

have to rub them and and dry the leaves

off and the flowers off so that you can

actually Crush those seeds up and get

them and then carrot seeds are super

small MCAT seeds are like small like

like strawberry seeds that's another

plant that I prefer not to grow from

seed because it's so small and it's so

easy to sneeze and then you've lost all

your

seeds

lettuce lettuce is another one that's on

the moderate scale and it's going to be

the same exact we using that as before

we're talking about something that is

very tiny specifically when we're

talking about like your iceberg lettuce

is your Roma I mean they're going to be

larger than your carrot seeds and larger

than and your um strawberry seeds but

there's still a very tiny small seed

that you're dealing with um now let's go

through the steps okay so saving lettuce

seeds can be tricky allow for the

lettuce plants to fully mature so we're

not harvesting the leaves anymore we're

going to let it completely just mature

and actually start the bolting process

and I'm going to explain what bolting is

if you're not familiar with that in just

a moment uh when the seeds heads have

turned brown and start to dry carefully

cut them off and do take care with it

because again we're talking about small

seeds here and then you can put them in

a paper bag or I honestly do prefer

putting them in something mesh so that

way I know

that the bag is not going to crumble in

such a way that I end up losing what

I've does that make sense you guys I

don't lose what I've already put in

there so I prefer something that's

meshed so I can actually see the seeds

that I'm putting in there because

sometimes I get happy fingers sometimes

I don't see as good as I used to and I

might miss the bag entirely but

something mesh I know it went in it

uh once the seeds have uh fully dried

rub them between your hands and you can

gently kind of crush them out kind of

like what you would do with like a

maragold now but a maragold we know that

is much bigger so it's easy to harvest

those seeds but essentially you're going

to go through the same process then you

separate your seeds from your debris I

don't really separate the debris as far

as I'm concerned I consider that organic

matter and it's all going in this in the

hole and then after that of course we we

store it in a nice cool dry place now

bolting

um bolting essentially what happens to

your leafy greens your vegetables your

Leaf vegetables when environmental

stress is taking a factor so the reason

why we call like lettuces your spinaches

and so forth cool weather crops is

because once the end of spring is over

and you start getting temperatures above

70 80 degrees so forth that plant will

say oh it's time for me to go ahead and

die and let me create the Next

Generation so that's when bolting takes

place so what you'll notice in your

lettuce is that it might have been that

nice head of Romain that's going on but

you'll start seeing a long stem it'll

start to elongate itself that's when you

know the bolting process is taking place

but if you're trying to harvest your

seed that's good for you not so good if

you actually wanted to eat that lettuce

also when lettuce or spinaches start to

bolt uh even your broccolis when they

start to bolt they're going to have more

of a bitter taste to them too so you can

still eat them they're still edible but

they're not going to taste as good as

when the temperatures were in the lower

climates does that make

sense so this is the part that I wanted

to tell you guys about all right so some

seeds can remain viable for centuries so

for instance a SEO palm and the Lotus

has been found to germanate after being

stored for over a thousand

years now not every SE can do with that

but that's just amazing to know the

power of

nature right on now we're getting into

the fun stuff the stuff that I love the

herbs I'm a huge grower of herbs I love

growing them and the easiest one and

this is the one that I believe Stephanie

had the question about and that's

harvesting basil super easy to grow all

you have to allow for that basil to do

is allow it to start flowering and once

we get done with this presentation I'm

going to take you outside I have some

purple basil that that's what we see in

this picture right here that purple

basil I'm going to harvest some of those

seeds and show you just how simple it is

um now of course we have the specific

steps about you take them down and all

that I don't do all of that I don't do

any of that I honestly just clip the

flowers off and put them in the bag and

keep them that's

it keep it simple Soldier you know

that's what they used to tell me in the

army

cilantro now cilantro is going to be a

little bit on the moderate scale just

because of the way cilantro flowers um

as you see the flowers are not going to

be in a straight stem like what you

would get with a basil or you would get

for instance like uh maybe some of your

times it is going to Branch out a little

bit um but the process is pretty much

just the same once you've clipped those

flowers allow them to Brown a little bit

uh you can take those and then of course

start colle them as

well now with that being

said here are some seeds that are just

plain difficult I mean more power to you

if you want to get them or milk wheat

poppy so again we were talking about

that Poppy that started growing in I

never grew poppy because I know the

challenge that comes with harvesting

those seeds and so forth so when they di

they died but hey the hummingbird and

the bees loved them while they were here

but cotton seeds pine trees and really

with pine trees it's really more just a

timing thing I mean you have to be very

precise when you're trying to harvest

the seeds on on a pine tree so these are

seeds that I will never touch don't ask

me to I'm not going to because it's just

challenge orchids themselves just

growing orchids we anybody ever here

grow

orchids very difficult oh yes oh yes I

mean we're talking about expert expert

level growing

let's Harvest some basil basil

seeds there we go

boom

boom and that is Harvest and basil

that's how easy it is I mean it's

literally that easy so I take these

they've nice and brown out on us see

those

here all crumbly and everything now I

could take and rub them as like the

instructions say but I'm just gonna take

this whole entire

bit and put it right in the Ziploc

bag of course I'll come back and harvest

more off of here but this plant has a

lot of spidermites on it right

now so in all truthfulness I probably

won't end up keeping these seeds because

I don't want those spidermites being

transferred uh next

season

but we got basil seeds then we take it

and we mark it

and we know this is purple

basil and this is 8 21

24 I take that seal that up put that in

my grow cabinet and we're ready to go

for purple basil for next year that I

started telling you guys about marol and

how easy it was to harvest marles have

you guys ever actually harvest marold

seeds I haven't I've grown them okay all

right so you know what while we're out

here since the basil Harvest was so easy

let me just show you real quick how easy

it is to get maragon to now you see this

Maro

flow it's nice and brown just GNA pop

that off we have others

growing all you do is you take this

seed excuse me this flower and you open

it up and when you open that

up guess what all those are those are

all your seeds right there you place

these in a Ziploc and now you got Mar

Golds year round and I love planting

marold because Mir go can you guys even

see that I realize that the sun might be

shining in a

way there we go but now you got Mar gold

and I love planting marold

because they're one of those flowers

that just keep on giving uh they're

great at Pest Control they're great at

water retention so I do a lot of

companion planning specifically with

French mirror gos so I'm always taking

and harvesting these seeds and growing

them again next year and then the seeds

grow so easy so it's just one of those

plants like I said that just keeps on

giving thank you the coals are my

absolute favorite part of this site I

mean I love the site in general but the

calls I absolutely look forward to and I

tell my whole house I'm like hey guys I

got a all

seven um if you need me

wait thank you for all the that you guys

are doing I really do appreciate it it's

um I call myself nerdy but I'm I'm happy

to call myself that but this this stuff

makes me so happy so thank you