Learn these steps for frugally collecting seeds from a homesteading garden so you can expand the beauty of your landscape.

If you’re a gardener, you may be wondering how you can store your plants’ seeds to save some money in the coming seasons. The good news is that saving your own seeds is simple and requires little time; less time than a trip to the home and garden store.

You will need:

• Past-bloom flowers

• Air-tight glass container or paper envelope

• Labels

1. Let your flowers die back.
Seeds will either form on the flower head or in seed pods after the flower has fallen.

2. Gather and dry the seeds.
If you’re not going to replant immediately, dry the seeds out. This will prevent them from germinating or growing moldy.

3. Store them properly.
Store your seeds in an air-tight glass container or an envelop. Envelops must be kept in a cool, dry (and often dark) place.

Tip #1: Make sure you label your seeds. You may forget by the time next season arrives which were which!

Tip #2: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The first time you save seeds, avoid storing all seeds from one plant in a single container. That way, if one batch becomes contaminated, you’ll still have a back-up.

Saving seeds isn’t just the sport of a frugal gardener, it’s part of the complete gardening experience. When you find a plant with a particularly beautiful bloom, you’ll want to save its seeds to grow an even more beautiful flower next year.

Click here to read about frugally collecting seeds from a homesteading garden:

http://getbusygardening.com/collecting-and-storing-seeds/