How to Save Seeds from Vegetables and Flowers: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Cut garden costs and grow next year’s blooms and harvests for free with these simple seed-saving tips.

Author Image

Save money and garden smarter! Learn how to save seeds from vegetables and flowers with simple step-by-step methods. From tomatoes and peppers to marigolds and coneflowers, this guide covers collecting, drying, chilling, and storing seeds so you can grow next year’s garden for free.

If you've ever tossed an overripe tomato or green pepper seeds into the garbage or compost pile, you could be throwing away free seeds for next year's garden. Seed saving is one of the oldest gardening traditions, and it's a smart way to save money while preserving the varieties that thrive best in your soil and climate.

Why Save Seeds from your Garden?

Seed packets start appearing in the store aisles before the northern snows have even melted. This year, while browsing the early selections, I experienced a bit of sticker shock at the price increases.

Harvest time is here, so take advantage of it. Instead of buying seed packets next spring, save some money by considering collecting seeds from your own (or your friends' and family's) flowers and…