Collecting seeds techniques:
Collecting your own seeds from your crops is extremely rewarding!
It enables you to grow your own crops next year without having to pay for the seeds again, so take some time to look around your garden and see what seeds might be worth drying and storing for next year.
Seeds you do find might not bear the same fruit as what was originally cultivated.
Some steps to successfully collect seeds:
- Choose some healthy fruits and let them fully ripen
- Don’t use any fruits where the seeds are dark or have already germinated
- Have a paper towel and add a small amount of water to cover the seeds
- Place these seeds in a warm area
- Let sit for 5 days
- Wash the seeds and then let them dry
- Once dried store in an airtight container
Do your part
With talk about water shortages in the UK, we have some tips for your garden on how to keep the draught away best as as you can.
Ditch the sprinkler – a hose or sprinkler uses around 1,000 litres an hour, instead use a watering can.
Use a water butt to store rainwater for the drier spells
Place drip trays below your pots to collect drainage
Avoid watering your lawn – it will recover next time it rains
Add mulch around plants to help the soil retain water
Add your compost to the soil; this increases the soil health
Use self-watering pots or baskets that capture rainwater which wastes less water
