The Timeless Art of Seed Saving and How to Start

Every time you spit out a watermelon seed or compost the seeds of an unused bell pepper, you have a choice: to toss or reuse. Many of us have grown accustomed to the first option because we’re not aware of the second. Yet seed saving — collecting seeds from one harvest to plant the next — is both timeless and timely. Now more than ever, it carries profound implications both for individuals and for the planet.

Many consider seed saving as a way to protect biodiversity in the face of industrialized agriculture. It reduces dependency on corporate seed companies while empowering gardeners and farmers to be self-reliant, all ensuring a continuous food supply. For many it is a way of preserving food culture.

It is also an opportunity essential to gardening and community, says author Bill Thorness, a Pacific Northwest garden/seed saving legend with the King County Seed Lending Library, which recently transitioned to a new statewide program.

Thorness cites practical and environmental benefits of seed saving, such as reducing the cost of future seed purchases and the carbon footprint of shipping seeds or driving to purchase them. He also points to broader wellness benefits.

“If you share seeds with friends, you’re building community, which brings value to your mental health as well as resilience to the community.” It also benefits “a larger value to society of having many seed varieties available.”

The long history of seed saving

As nature’s tiniest, mightiest tool, and the underpinning of agriculture around the globe, seed saving has been around for thousands of years, as knowledge and seeds have passed from generation to generation. To quote Vandana Shinva, an Indian scholar, environmental activist, and food sovereignty advocate, “seed is not just the source of life. It is the very foundation of our being.”

As with humans, the DNA contained in each seed houses instructions for a plant’s development, including its traits, how it will grow, and how it will function. They come in all kinds of varieties and shapes, albeit with a few twists. For example, garlic is propagated from individual bulbs. Potatoes can be pre-sprouted (also known as chitting) before planting; this encourages growth and hastens the development of these versatile, nutritionally dense tubers.

Most of us don’t grow our own food, or enough to feed ourselves independent of the grocery aisle. Still, seed saving, swapping and borrowing is as important today as when we depended on seeds for our existence, in ways both tangible and lyrical. In poetry, songs and literature, seeds have always represented new beginnings and a radical kind of hope, that what is planted, will grow.

Where to start with seed saving

There are varied paths to seed saving. Thorness began with a growing awareness of his own garden practices, including perusal of annual seed catalogs. “The idea of saving seed from varieties that were rare or might otherwise be lost seemed fundamental. Some years I’d look for my favorite varieties in catalogs and not find them, and I’d worry that they would disappear forever. Heirloom varieties are sometimes hard to find, so I started saving my favorites just so I’d be sure to have them.”

Thorness’ seed education also included workshops through the Iowa-based Seed Savers Exchange and nonprofits like Tilth Alliance, plus plenty of books and educational offerings from seed companies. Despite his Master Gardener training and what he’s learned via Port Townsend’s Organic Seed Alliance, he’s still  “learning new tricks and trying new crops.”

He encourages beginners to check out seed swaps (keep reading!) and take classes to learn more. If you want to try seed saving on your own, but aren’t familiar with techniques, Thorness recommends starting with something easy.

“Saving beans or peas is as simple as letting some of the pods dry out and then shelling them into a glass jar and keeping them in the dark to plant next year.” There are more complex techniques for other crops that require more knowledge, time and effort, but are worth mastering, says Thorness (see our list of resources below). “Think of it as a little home science project!”

Seattle author Lorene Edwards Forkner, former editor of Horticulture magazine, began her seed saving adventures as a way to save seeds of plants that might be difficult to source, like her beloved Crimson Flower fava beans or ‘Merlot’ lettuce.

Initially, she began saving for “utility,” in order to ensure the availability of the plant, but over the years her practice has grown into another phase of the harvest season.

Practicality aside, the most satisfying aspect of saving seeds, says Forkner, is the feeling of closing the loop on the original planting. “Watching a tiny seed grow into food/flowers never gets old. Seeing the cycle come down to more seed never gets old. Collecting seeds with Vito and Brody, my grand littles, is magic. They love to pop the pods which is why I’ve got Love-in-a-mist (Nigella) in the gravel pathways.”

Forkner says fall is generally the season for saving (that’s when most seed ripens) but  some cool season plants, like sea-blue honeywort (Cerinthe), set seed in late spring. “I’ve always got a pocket full of cerinthe seed these days that I can share with others who might not be familiar with the plant.”

Her particular practice means trying not to eat all of her favorite fava beans so she can save for the following year. She also has seeds she grows yearly and saves, like sweet pea seeds. There’s even indoor collecting, which involves leaving the seed pods of species tulips, also known as wild or botanical tulips, to ripen on the plants, which she collects and immediately scatters the ripe seed around the existing plants.

Her mantra for beginners and mid-level practitioners is akin to a mindfulness practice, incorporating the power of observation to attain awareness.

“Watching for ripening seed in the garden and learning the life cycle from flower to fruit to seed. Some plants are a piece of cake, peas left to dry on the vine serve up the next season’s crop in a tidy package. But along with collecting seed, you have to learn how to clean the seed, that whole seed/ chaff and then properly store the seed to maintain its viability. Every crop is a bit different, but observation is a gardener’s best tool.”

Where to find seed libraries

One of the best things about seed saving is you don’t have to go it alone! Seed libraries are just what they sound like — places where you can find resources and community, and “borrow” seeds from community spaces like the NE Seattle Tool Library and Shoreline Tool Library, with the only cost being a donation request or returning more seeds at the end of the season, to keep the library stocked for others.

Anna Marie Wing with Seattle REconomy (which operates both locations) says that in addition to being a simple way of preserving and sharing a diverse array of seeds, these spaces spread the love of gardening, strengthen access to food resources in the community, keep rare plants circulating, and protect food source diversity.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) currently hosts the NW Seattle Library branch, which Thorness still coordinates and is located within its PNA Tool Library. Thorness says one of the most valuable services this seed library provides is answering questions and offering guidance and encouragement for those wanting to start a seed swap or seed library.

“We advise them on how to procure and store seeds, how to run a swap, and how to find a partner organization to host it. Then we list them on our website, and sometimes even help out with seeds or speak at a workshop.”

Additional seed libraries can be found at the Seattle Public Library’s High Point Branch in West Seattle. In Pierce County, seven branches of the Pierce County Library System participate, while the Tacoma Tool Library, in collaboration with Harvest Pierce County, operates a satellite seed library in the Tacoma Public Library main branch. Even UW Tacoma is getting in on the action, with the opening of a brand new library, open to all UW students, staff, and faculty.

In Snohomish County, seeds are available at Everett Public Library’s Un-Bee-Leaf-Able Seed Library with its alphabetically arranged drawers for veggies, fruits, herbs and flowers. Donate or borrow, you don’t even need a library card. The Lynnwood Seed Library, although housed in a Sno-Isle branch, is managed by community volunteers from Growing Roots Together and other groups. You’ll also find seed libraries in Kitsap and Southwest Washington’s Timberland Regional Library system. Even little free libraries throughout Seattle are getting in on the act, including the Beacon Hill Garden Club’s location, just outside The Station coffee shop, near the light rail station.

Introducing the Washington State Seed Library Network

The newest addition to the seed library world is now a statewide one; Tilth Alliance’s Washington State Seed Library Network (WSSLN), which made its debut earlier this year. The WSSLN incorporates the transition of the King County Seed Lending Library (KCSLL), which Thorness says has been in the works the past few years, as he looked to find a new host for the program.

Tilth has a long history of hosting seed swaps and classes in its array of sustainability programming. Melissa Spear, Tilth’s executive director, calls the statewide expansion a “no-brainer” with many benefits, including maintaining plant biodiversity and climate resiliency.

“Seed saving reduces farmer dependence on commercial seed companies and allows farmers to adapt their crops to local climates and soil conditions as well as preserve important traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance or unique flavor profiles. All of this contributes to the resilience of our farms, especially in the face of climate change,” she said.

“Most people have no idea how important the impact of saving seeds is. I am thrilled Tilth Alliance can support these efforts.”

Currently, the WSSLN is working to update the program website with affiliated seed libraries. According to Carey Thornton, a garden educator with Tilth Alliance, information will be available by early fall. Thornton and her colleagues have also been hard at work to ensure community members know their beloved KCSLL has been transformed into a new resource.

“It may still be a little confusing to folks who remember the old KCSLL project and don’t realize that it has transitioned.” Thornton adds they will soon be adding a more comprehensive list of resources about seed saving, sharing, how to start your own library and upcoming events.

Currently, the website offers direct links to Seed Savers Exchange, where you can learn about how and why to preserve heirloom seeds, Organic Seed Alliance’s downloadable seed saving guide for gardeners and farmers, plus Seed Ambassadors’ guide to seed saving, stewardship and sovereignty. If podcasts are your thing, check out Seeds and Their People, which features seeds stories by the people who love them.

The WSSLN also hosts an informative Facebook page which is a great way to find out about the latest news in seed world from around Washington state regarding all things save, swap, borrow and learn.

If you’re ready for some in-person fun, seeds swaps are a fulfilling way to celebrate the gardening season. The Great Seattle Seed Swap is considered a highlight, taking place in January around the time of National Seed Swap Day. What’s in a swap? In addition to seed sharing, you can expect seed cleaning, educational opportunities, plenty of resources and lots of community connection and camaraderie. If you’re interested in organizing a seed swap, Seed Savers also has a detailed resource page here.

Sheryl Wiser is a writer and musician who has worked extensively in the local food system.