“Why store seeds? After all, before the start of the summer season, you can come to the store and buy everything right away.” But that was not the case. True gardeners have been planning since the fall what they will plant next year, looking for varieties of interest from familiar amateur gardeners and gardeners, and ordering rarities in online stores. And also many people collect their own seeds from their favorite varieties, so as not to look for them later somewhere and not spend extra money. There are many cases where the same variety of a crop is stored for years and decades and planted annually in the same family, delighting with good harvests.

Factors influencing safety.

Humidity seeds is the most important factor in their future germination. Seeds with high humidity during storage may germinate, become moldy, or even rot. Therefore, only well-dried seeds are always stored for storage. At home, drying is usually done on paper in a well-ventilated, warm room.

T storage temperature also affects the processes occurring in the seeds. The higher it is, the more actively the seeds respire, and the faster the nutrient reserves in them are oxidized. Therefore, the cooler it is, the longer the seeds will remain viable. Example: we did not have time to sow zinnia or marigold seeds in time, and they were left for next year. If you continue to store them in the room, then next year they may no longer germinate, partially or completely. If you put them in the refrigerator on the side shelf below, the germination rate will remain almost the same.

The best temperature for most seeds will be a slight coolness of 12-16*C. The seeds of asters, carrots and onions are stored in the cold (you can leave them for the winter in a country house, or on the veranda, or on the balcony of a city apartment, not forgetting to protect them from mice). But salad seeds and root vegetables cannot be stored at low temperatures. When sowing such seeds, they usually begin to bolt early to the detriment of the harvest.

Purity implies storing seeds without additional debris getting into them, which can cause rotting, and the absence of granivorous pests, which can destroy all seed reserves in a couple of months of storage.

Air It is necessary for seeds to breathe, but in very small quantities. Usually, almost all the air is removed from the seed packets. An exception may be large seeds, such as legumes, for which air circulation prolongs their life. Therefore, they are usually stored in bags or open jars in a dry place.

Darkness - also provides deep dormancy for seeds. Light stimulates germination and is not needed until sowing time.

We provide conditions!

The germination of seeds in metallized bags is very well preserved. In such good packaging, seeds from foreign companies germinate remarkably even after their expiration dates. Seeds are stored well in vacuum packaging, in bags lined with film on the inside. But this only applies to new hermetically sealed bags. Opened seeds begin to actively respire and lose their viability, so it is recommended to use them as quickly as possible.

Simple paper bags are cheap because they have a shorter shelf life and fewer guarantees. Especially if such packages are sold on the street, during the spring seed sales season. Street sellers rarely monitor temperature fluctuations when storing their seeds, so purchasing even the freshest seeds from them does not guarantee good germination and good yields. In addition, such street sellers often come across cases where seeds from one bag are poured into bags with different names of varieties. When something unknown grows, only then do gardeners begin to pay attention to the reputability of the company and the seller’s guarantees.

Where to store seeds?

It can be done in any room, just not in the kitchen, where there are frequent changes in humidity and temperature. You can pack your seeds in both paper and plastic bags. The film does not allow moisture to pass through, but can allow some amount of oxygen to pass through for breathing, so it is more preferable in rooms with humid air. It is better to place the seeds somewhere closer to the floor, in the bottom drawers of cabinets, under the bed, where the temperature is much lower than somewhere on the closet.

It is good to store a large number of seeds somewhere in the basement or subfield, where the temperature is constantly low. To protect from mice and from excessive dampness, the seeds can be placed in jars with hermetically sealed lids. Additionally, silica gel can provide protection against moisture. These are grains of synthetic material that absorb moisture from the air, which can be found in small bags in new shoes. Place a few of these grains in each jar, and they will take away excess moisture.

How to store?..

For novice gardeners, a large number of multi-colored bags causes at least confusion, what to do with all this wealth? Some put them in photo album files, others in binders, sorting them by type of crop. You can make additional inscriptions and notes about when to sow, what for seedlings in March, and what in open ground. It would help to add additional notes on sowing dates in your garden diary.

Many people simply sort the bags by crop into separate plastic bags. More experienced plant growers usually already have a solid collection of seeds, and they start large boxes, dividing them into departments like a card index, and storing their own category of seeds in each department. It is very convenient to purchase a plastic container for such purposes - an organizer for small items or tools.

Shelf life of seeds.

When storing your seeds, be sure to sign the name of the crop, variety and year of collection, so as not to subsequently store old expired seeds. The duration of storage of seeds very much depends on their belonging to a particular species or family. Seeds of onions, carrots, parsley, aster, marigolds, calendula, annual phlox, columbine, forget-me-nots, dimorphotheca are stored for very little time, 1, maximum - 2 years.

Seeds of cabbage, radish, radishes, peppers and eggplants, ageratum, chrysanthemums, snapdragons, lavatera, mallow, and petunias can be stored for 3-4 years without damage to germination.

Large seeds of peas, beans, beans, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, cosmos, nasturtium, sweet peas, as well as celosia, amaranth, balsams, gillyflowers, lobularia, and cornflowers usually remain viable the longest.

Plants that produce fruit become more prolific when stored, therefore, for example, tomatoes, cucumbers and others are sown not in the first year after harvest, but in the 3rd year or more. Most root vegetables are best sown fresh. The expiration date of the seeds of most green and aromatic crops expires especially quickly; they are sown only fresh.

Most indoor plants and ornamental perennials lose their viability very quickly, and it is advisable to sow them immediately after purchase.

If you have any interesting options or subtleties of storing seeds, write them in the comments, maybe today your recommendation will greatly help someone!

We will talk about how to remove seeds from dormancy, how to germinate fresh and not so fresh seeds, what are the ways to stimulate fast and friendly germination in the following articles!

At the end of autumn and winter, gardeners begin to plant seeds and prepare for the next season. Already in early spring, you need to grow seedlings and plant early varieties of vegetables.

Those seedlings that were kept in appropriate conditions will produce good seedlings. Therefore, it is important to know how to store seeds correctly.

1 What affects safety?

There are several factors that influence the storage of planting material. These include:

1. Cold. The lower the degrees, the longer the seedlings do not lose their viability. Warm air promotes rapid oxidation of nutrients. Many novice gardeners are interested in what temperature seeds should be stored at. For most seeds +12-16 degrees is suitable. Some seedlings love the cold, others cannot be left at low degrees.
2. Humidity. With high humidity, seedlings can become moldy, germinate and even rot. Therefore, you need to store well-dried seeds. The room needs to be ventilated a little. Optimal humidity should be no more than 50%. For cucumber, radish, tomato, beans, the permissible norm is 60%;
3. Purity. No debris should get into the planting material. It can cause rotting and will appear that will destroy the seedlings.
4. Air. Air currents promote seed respiration. Typically, large seeds are stored in open containers for better air circulation. This is especially true for legumes.
5. Darkness. The absence of light helps to preserve the dormancy of seeds and prevents them from germinating. Before sowing, they are stored in complete darkness.

Due to non-compliance with these factors, planting material may lose its germination properties. The main reason for poor germination is high humidity. Therefore, the collected planting material is dried outdoors or indoors.

Lay out on newspaper or paper so that all moisture is absorbed. You cannot dry them under the sun, but you can dry them near a radiator. If the room is 20–25 degrees, the seeds will dry out in a few days.

1.1 How and where to store?

There are two ways to keep seeds:

1. Open. The planting material is in a container that allows moisture and air to pass through it well. Bags made from natural fabrics are suitable. They can be sewn from linen in one or two layers.
2. Closed. This method is used less frequently. It is necessary to place the planting material in a soft container made of waterproof material. The container must consist of two layers: fabric and polyethylene.

Experienced gardeners know how to properly store vegetable seeds. It is advised to place them in paper bags, and then in plastic bottles or jars. If the seeds from the purchased bag are not completely used, you can leave them in it, carefully wrapping them.

It is recommended to pour a little starch or flour into the bottom of glass jars and plastic bottles. They will help absorb excess moisture. The lid of the container is tightly closed. It is necessary to store planting material in the refrigerator or in a cool room.

It can also be kept in a room where there are no changes in humidity. The kitchen is not the best room for this. It is advised to place the seedlings closer to the floor, in the bottom drawers of the cabinet. It is good to keep the seeds in the basement or where the air temperature is low. In this case, you will have to close the jars to prevent mice from getting into them. Seeds stored in bags or bags can become damp, so to keep them in the cellar, they are poured into dry bottles, tightly closed and stored all winter.

It is very convenient to keep planting material in plastic boxes with compartments for each type of crop. Containers or organizers for small items are suitable.

1.2 How to properly store seeds of various crops? (video)

1.3 Period of use

You can see the date by which you need to use the seeds on the packaging. It usually indicates the year of collection and class. It is necessary to know the expiration date in order to obtain full-fledged shoots. If the seeds were not planted before the specified date, their germination rate will be greatly reduced, the seedlings will get sick and be susceptible to pests.

Seeds usually last longer than stated on the package. Some gardeners buy seedlings that they received the previous year. This is especially true for dill, parsley and other vegetables with a short shelf life. Many indoor and perennial plants lose their viability quickly, so they are planted immediately after purchase.

Each vegetable crop has its own seed shelf life. For example, for onions it is 1–2 years, and for tomatoes it can reach up to 10 years. Planting material for parsley and dill is stored for 2 to 3 years, and carrots and peppers for 3–4 years. The shelf life of zucchini and eggplant seeds is 4 years, radish, watermelon, beets and pumpkin - 4–5 years.

Flower seeds also have different shelf life. For example, aster planting material is stored for less than a year, calendula and verbena have a shelf life of 1-2 years, chrysanthemum and dahlia - 2-3 years, milk thistle and flax - 3 years, cornflower - 5-6 years.

There are several rules for storing seeds, which help to get a full harvest:

• seeds purchased in the winter season are immediately placed in the refrigerator or stored in a cool place. This is necessary so that condensation does not form in the bags, which increases the moisture content of the seeds;
• freshly harvested seeds germinate less well than those collected from the previous year's harvest. This applies to the northern regions of the country;
• before sowing, it is recommended to check the seeds for germination, even if they were stored in ideal conditions;
• you should not stock up on planting material for future use;
• Marks should be made on bags with seedlings indicating when to sow this type of crop.

It is also important to choose the right seeds. It’s better to go to a flower or specialty store for them. It is advised to choose trusted manufacturers and pay attention to the expiration date. You need to choose varieties that are suitable for a given region; you should not get carried away with exotic plants.

It is important to know that they will not be able to retain their properties in future generations, so they will have to be purchased every season. But they are more resistant to disease and develop quickly, producing a stable harvest. The bags containing hybrid materials are marked F1.

Before you start planting seeds after hibernation, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for bringing them out of dormancy, as well as how to stimulate rapid germination.

The summer season has come to an end, but gardeners probably still have seeds - purchased with a long shelf life and grown on their own plot - which will have to be sown in the spring. Is it possible to leave the seeds in an unheated room for the winter; will frost damage the seeds? Is it possible to store seeds in a city apartment? Let's figure out how to properly store seeds in winter.

It is important to keep the seeds in conditions that ensure the preservation of high sowing qualities.

When ripe, the seed releases water and dries out. Since life processes can only occur in an aquatic environment, as the seed ripens and dries, they die out. Mature seeds contain a dormant embryo and solid reserve nutrients. They are very dry (12–20% humidity). The hardened seed coat surrounds them like a protective shell.

Maintaining dryness of seeds during storage is the main condition for maintaining their viability.

At what temperature should seeds be stored?

The worst enemy of dormant seeds is warm, moist air. Where it is hot and humid, seeds can lose their viability in a matter of months, and in a few weeks if there is free access to air. Sudden changes in temperature are also unfavorable for them. The ideal conditions for storing most seeds are moderate temperature (12–15°) without significant changes and moderate relative humidity (not higher than 50%).

Seeds should not be left for the winter in unheated rooms in garden plots; it is better to transport them to the city without leaving them in damp and cold for a long time. For damp seeds, shallow freezing (from 0° to -10°) is often disastrous, especially when repeatedly passing through 0°.

When deep frozen (from -15° and below), dry vegetable seeds retain their viability well, but storing seeds at sub-zero temperatures is still undesirable. They fall into a state of deep dormancy and, under normal germination conditions, behave as non-germinating. To bring them into an active state, stimulating influences, such as heating, are required.

So where is it better to store seeds at home, in particular in a city apartment? It is clear that seeds cannot be stored in the kitchen due to large changes in humidity. They should also not be kept in the refrigerator door, since every time the door is opened, the cold objects on it come into contact with warm air, and moisture condenses on them.

The most suitable place to store seeds is in living rooms, although conditions there are not ideal. The temperature in living rooms is several degrees higher than optimal, and when the central heating is on, the air in them is too dry (relative humidity in winter is usually about 25%).

But temperature changes there are small and not sharp. In these conditions, drying out is a danger: if the seed moisture content drops below 10–12%, this leads to a rapid loss of germination. And yet we will not find a better place to store seeds than the bottom shelf of the linen closet in the living room or the bottom drawer of the desk.

By packing the seeds in plastic bags or foil, we will limit air access to the seeds and prevent them from drying out.

If you prefer to store your seeds in the refrigerator, keep them in the bottom compartment. Before sowing seedlings, seeds stored in the cold must be activated.

Or the seeds are removed from the refrigerator in advance (a month before sowing) and kept at a temperature of 25-30 ° C, placing the seed bags in a plastic bag to prevent drying out.

Or you need short-term heating in hot water - at 50-52°C for 25 minutes, which is also thermal disinfection.

The longevity of seeds of different crops varies. Under normal storage conditions, it ranges from 1–2 to 6–8 years. Under particularly favorable conditions, seeds can remain viable much longer than the average periods indicated in the table.

The time during which seeds remain viable depends not only on the type of crop and storage conditions, but also on the weather conditions of the season in which the seeds were received. Seeds grown in warm, sunny summers last longer than those grown in cold and rainy ones.

Shelf life of vegetable seeds

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Proper seed storage is important for the uniform germination of seedlings, the health and fruiting ability of future plants. Each variety has its own shelf life of seeds, however, the conditions of keeping the planting material are more important; failure to follow the rules will lead to disturbances in the development of the embryo, which will affect the further growth and quality of the variety. I’ll tell you about the rules for storing seeds in the article below.

Seed storage conditions

To maintain seed germination, it is necessary to maintain certain conditions for planting material. The main reason for impaired seed germination is the hygroscopicity of the planting material. Seeds absorb moisture from the air, as a result of which important metabolic processes are disrupted. If you plant such seeds, they will not sprout, wasting the gardener’s time and materials. Therefore, the main task for preserving the quality of seeds is to create the necessary conditions so that the seeds do not accumulate excess moisture. Seed storage conditions include:

• Seed storage temperature affects the processes occurring inside the seed. The higher the ambient temperature, the more actively the planting material breathes, starting the ripening process. The optimal storage temperature is 15-18 degrees, but there are exceptions: root crop seeds do not like low temperatures, and carrot, onion and aster seeds can be left on an unheated balcony.

• Seed moisture is the main factor in safety. This includes not only the humidity level in the room (should be no higher than 25%), it is important to properly dry the seeds before storing them. Neglect of this rule leads to premature germination of seeds, the appearance of mold or rot.
• Keep the place where you store seeds clean; foreign debris attracts pests that can destroy all supplies.
• Store most seeds in airtight containers, with the exception of legumes, which require air circulation.
• Provide the seeds with darkness, light stimulates the beginning of growth, darkness guarantees the dormant stage.

Seed storage location

When choosing the best place to store seeds, pay attention to cool areas. If the house has a basement, cellar or subfloor, this place is ideal for our task. In the absence of such benefits, choose low drawers, closer to the balcony door. There are two ways to store seeds: open and closed. The open method of storing seeds is used less frequently and only for some varieties. It implies containers that allow air and moisture to pass through (bags made of jute or linen, sewn in two layers). The closed method of storing seeds is more common and consists of two layers. The first layer is polyethylene, which keeps the humidity level inside the bag no higher than 6-9%, the second layer is a bag, a wooden box, a metal can. This method more reliably protects the seeds from the penetration of excess moisture, air, and harmful bacteria. Seeds in such packaging are protected and remain in the dormant stage until sowing time.

Features of seed storage

Experienced gardeners, who grow many crops in their gardens and annually harvest a huge amount of seeds, come up with and successfully use secrets in life that help in the process of storing planting material. Familiarize yourself with the main nuances in seed procurement.

• To pack seeds, use metallized or plastic zip bags. File folders will also work. When collecting a large collection of seeds, experienced gardeners use plastic organizers for small items, these are easy to find in handicraft stores.
• Place one packet of silica gel in each seed packet. It will successfully cope with excess moisture, preserving the seeds for a long time.

• Sign the package with a piece of furniture tape or a small note inside. Indicate the seeds of which crop were collected, the variety, and do not forget to write down the date of collection of these specific seeds.
• The date of seed collection is important because, despite the storage conditions being met, each variety has a limited shelf life. Seeds that exceed this period are unsuitable for planting. For example, for onions and corn it is only 1 year, while the seeds of watermelon, melon, cucumbers and zucchini can be stored for up to 8 years without loss of quality.

Collecting and storing seeds is a responsible matter, because only by planting your own selected planting material can you be sure of the quality of the variety. Follow the rules and conditions for storing seeds, and in the new season your garden will be pleased with a bountiful harvest.

Advised by Professor of the State Agrarian University of the Northern Trans-Urals Lyudmila Lyashcheva

1. Place the seeds in paper bags and label each one.
2. Place them closer to the floor in the apartment or in the basement or subfloor.
3. Monitor the temperature and humidity.

How to store collected seeds at home?

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How to store collected seeds at home? What plants can seeds be collected from, when is the best time to do this and, of course, how to prepare them for storage. Around mid-winter, many stores, garden centers and specialized kiosks begin selling vegetable and flower seeds. They can also be purchased by mail in the online store. However, every year not only the variety of varieties offered grows, but also, what is more important for buyers, their price. – Growing vegetables, flowers and herbs from seeds collected in your own garden will give you real satisfaction. – says Lyudmila Lyashcheva, professor of the State Agrarian University of the Northern Trans-Urals. – To be sure that the collected seeds will germinate well and produce healthy plants, there are several important principles to remember. On a sunny, clear day Now is the time for these worries, since there is already snow in the garden. The main work has ended. We warn you that not all flower and vegetable seeds are suitable for collection. First of all, you need to remember that you cannot collect them from hybrid plants. The likelihood is negligible that the crops grown will be as productive and similar to the ones you liked. For example, in F1 hybrids, parental traits are not inherited; as a result, completely new varieties can be obtained with traits that differ from “mother” and “father.” Therefore, if you do not like such surprises, carefully look in advance at what you are growing: a variety or a hybrid. workshop Seed shelf life From one to two years: onions, parsley, asters, marigolds, calendula, annual phloxes, forget-me-nots, dimorphotheca. Three to four years: cabbage, radishes, radishes, peppers, eggplants, carrots, chrysanthemums, lavatera, mallows, petunias. Large seeds of peas, beans, beans, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, cosmos, nasturtium, sweet peas, celosia, amaranth, balsams, and cornflowers usually remain viable the longest. Plants that produce fruit become more productive when stored for a long time, so tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are sown not in the first year after harvest, but at least three years later. Most root vegetable seeds are best sown fresh. The shelf life of seeds of green and aromatic crops expires especially quickly. Houseplants and ornamental perennials are sown immediately, immediately after purchase. It is imperative to collect seeds at the stage of full maturity. It is no secret that their good “health”, storage and germination greatly depend on the weather conditions in which they not only grew, but were also collected. Thus, the optimal time for collecting seeds is a clear sunny day, before which there has been no precipitation for a long time. If, nevertheless, the seeds are a little underripe and the weather is humid, then you can ripen the seeds in a well-ventilated, air-flowing room, placing them on paper sheets or small bowls and saucers, stirring occasionally. Comfortable temperature for seed ripening is +20 – 24°C, for drying – +30 – 35°C. Not polyethylene, but paper. Tyumen gardeners have already collected the seeds. Let's prepare them for long-term storage. Carefully remove the seeds, collected and cleared of fruit pulp, laid out on paper to dry, and dry them thoroughly for several days. There are seeds that are simply cleaned of remaining stems and all sorts of debris and placed in paper bags. It is advisable to sign each bag: there should be information about the type of plant, date and place of collection, date and place of sowing. note Seeds of lavatera, cosmos, ageratum, morning glory, and gaillardia can be collected either unripe or fully prepared, and the germination rate remains very high. There are many cases where the same crop variety does not reduce its yield for decades. In the spring you can check it for germination and wait for large ripe fruits. This is especially convenient if you are going to grow seeds for sale or exchange them with other gardeners. It is better not to store seeds in plastic bags, they will quickly suffocate there. Remember that seeds are living organisms, a special multicellular structure of a complex structure that serves for the reproduction and distribution of seed plants. To store seeds, it is better to use bags made from a regular sheet of paper. As they say, cheap and cheerful, and most importantly - very fast. In order for the seeds to germinate normally, it is better not to store them for more than 2–4 years. This is especially true for most annuals. The viability of seeds also depends on the genetic characteristics of the species. This is due to the structure of the peel. If the seed is in a “box”, it is more difficult to open, and the shelf life of the germination qualities is longer. Heat-loving species require early sowing and forcing of seedlings under cover, which is removed in the second half of May, planting them in a permanent place. Other seeds can be sown directly into the ground. In addition, some varieties of flowers growing in the flower bed next door can be cross-pollinated, for example, petunias. However, this is not a problem for experienced gardeners: they use protective gauze caps for flowers intended for collecting seeds, pollinating these flowers by hand. Or you can simply plant one type of flower at a time in a flowerbed. In this case, cross-pollination does not threaten the flowers. The seeds feel good at a temperature of +15 – 20°C. Silica gel for seeds Where is the best place to store them? It can be done in any room, just not in the kitchen, where there are frequent changes in humidity and temperature. Place them close to the floor, in the bottom drawers of closets, under the bed. If there are a lot of seeds, place them in a basement or subfloor where the temperature is constantly low. If you are concerned about rodents and excessive dampness, place the seeds in jars with hermetically sealed lids. Silica gel can provide additional protection against moisture. You don’t even have to buy it: grains of synthetic material that absorbs moisture from the air can be found in boxes along with new shoes from the store. Place a few of these grains in each jar and they will remove excess moisture. Read more: What kind of dacha work to do in the last month of autumn? How to properly preserve the harvest?

What plants can seeds be collected from, when is the best time to do this and, of course, how to prepare them for storage

Protect seeds from excess moisture || Photo from website: yandex.ru

Around mid-winter, many stores, garden centers and specialized kiosks begin selling vegetable and flower seeds. They can also be purchased by mail in the online store. However, every year not only the variety of varieties offered grows, but also, what is more important for buyers, their price.

Growing vegetables, flowers and herbs from seeds collected in your own garden will give you real satisfaction. - says Lyudmila Lyashcheva, professor of the State Agrarian University of the Northern Trans-Urals. - To be sure that the collected seeds will germinate well and produce healthy plants, there are several important principles to remember.

On a sunny clear day

Now is the time for these worries, since there is already snow in the garden. The main work has ended.

We warn you that not all flower and vegetable seeds are suitable for collection. First of all, you need to remember that you cannot collect them from hybrid plants. The likelihood that the crops grown will be as productive and similar to those you liked is negligible.

For example, in F1 hybrids, parental traits are not inherited; as a result, completely new varieties can be obtained with traits that differ from “mother” and “father.” Therefore, if you do not like such surprises, carefully look in advance at what you are growing: a variety or a hybrid.

workshop

Seed shelf life

• From one to two years: onions, parsley, asters, marigolds, calendula, annual phlox, forget-me-nots, dimorphotheca.
• Three to four years: cabbage, radishes, radishes, peppers, eggplants, carrots, chrysanthemums, lavatera, mallows, petunias.
• Large seeds of peas, beans, beans, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, cosmos, nasturtium, sweet peas, celosia, amaranth, balsams, and cornflowers usually remain viable the longest.
• Plants that produce fruit become more productive when stored for a long time, so tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are sown not in the first year after harvest, but at least three years later.
• Most root vegetable seeds are best sown fresh. The expiration date of seeds of green and aromatic crops expires especially quickly.
• Houseplants and ornamental perennials are sown immediately, immediately after purchase.

It is imperative to collect seeds at the stage of full maturity. It is no secret that their good “health”, storage and germination greatly depend on the weather conditions in which they not only grew, but were also collected.

Thus, the optimal time for collecting seeds is a clear sunny day, before which there has been no precipitation for a long time.

If, nevertheless, the seeds are a little underripe and the weather is humid, then you can ripen the seeds in a well-ventilated, air-flowing room, placing them on paper sheets or small bowls and saucers, stirring occasionally. Comfortable temperature for seed ripening is +20 - 24°C, for drying - +30 - 35°C.

Not polyethylene, but paper

Tyumen gardeners have already collected the seeds. Let's prepare them for long-term storage.

Carefully remove the seeds, collected and cleared of fruit pulp, laid out on paper to dry, and dry them thoroughly for several days.

There are seeds that are simply cleaned of remaining stems and all sorts of debris and placed in paper bags. It is advisable to sign each bag: there should be information about the type of plant, date and place of collection, date and place of sowing.

note

• Seeds of lavatera, cosmos, ageratum, morning glory, and gaillardia can be collected either unripe or fully prepared, while the germination rate remains very high.
• There are many cases where the same crop variety does not reduce its yield for decades. In the spring you can check it for germination and wait for large ripe fruits.

This is especially convenient if you are going to grow seeds for sale or exchange them with other gardeners.