Campaign 138: Save the Seed
The Complete Seed Saving, Plant Propagation, and Genetic Preservation Guide
A Sovereignty Module of the Practitioner Community
Preamble
Seeds are the most concentrated form of wealth on Earth. A single tomato seed weighing 3 milligrams contains the complete genetic blueprint to produce a plant that yields 10-20 pounds of fruit containing thousands more seeds. Seed saving is the oldest agricultural technology — every crop plant that feeds humanity today exists because someone, somewhere, saved seeds and replanted them. Modern agriculture has concentrated seed production in a handful of corporations that sell hybrid and patented varieties that cannot be reliably saved. This campaign restores the ancient and essential skill of seed sovereignty: selecting, harvesting, processing, storing, and replanting seeds from your own crops, generation after generation.
Part I: Seed Biology
Chapter 1: Pollination Types
| Type | How It Works | Seed Saving Difficulty | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-pollinating | Flower pollinates itself before opening | Easy (minimal cross-pollination risk) | Tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, lettuce |
| Insect-pollinated | Bees/insects carry pollen between plants | Moderate (need isolation distance or barriers) | Squash, cucumbers, melons, onions |
| Wind-pollinated | Wind carries pollen long distances | Difficult (need large isolation distances) | Corn, beets, spinach, chard |
Chapter 2: Open-Pollinated vs. Hybrid
| Type | Definition | Can You Save Seed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open-pollinated (OP) | Breeds true from seed when properly isolated | YES — offspring match parents | Heirloom varieties are all open-pollinated |
| Hybrid (F1) | Cross between two different parent lines | NO — offspring are unpredictable | Seeds from hybrids produce mixed, often inferior plants |
| Heirloom | Open-pollinated variety passed down 50+ years | YES — these are the gold standard | Preserved by generations of seed savers |
Chapter 3: Isolation Distances
| Crop | Pollination Type | Minimum Isolation Distance | Alternative to Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Self-pollinating | 10-25 ft (minimal crossing) | None needed for most situations |
| Peppers | Self-pollinating (some insect) | 50-300 ft | Bag flowers before opening |
| Beans/peas | Self-pollinating | 10-25 ft | None needed for most situations |
| Lettuce | Self-pollinating | 10-25 ft | None needed |
| Squash/pumpkin | Insect-pollinated | 1/4 to 1 mile | Hand-pollinate and tape flowers shut |
| Corn | Wind-pollinated | 1 mile minimum | Hand-pollinate and bag ears |
| Cucumbers | Insect-pollinated | 1/4 to 1 mile | Hand-pollinate |
| Onions | Insect-pollinated | 1 mile | Cage with introduced pollinators |
| Carrots | Insect-pollinated | 1/4 mile | Cage or alternate-year flowering |
| Beets/chard | Wind-pollinated | 1/2 to 5 miles | Very difficult — grow only one variety |
Part II: Seed Harvesting by Crop
Chapter 4: Dry-Seeded Crops (Easiest)
| Crop | When to Harvest | How to Harvest | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beans/peas | Pods dry and brown on plant | Pick dry pods, shell by hand or thresh | Spread to dry fully, store |
| Lettuce | Seed heads dry and fluffy (like dandelion) | Cut seed stalks, shake into bag | Winnow to remove chaff |
| Corn | Ears dry on stalk (kernels dent and harden) | Pick ears, peel husks, dry further | Shell kernels by hand or with tool |
| Sunflower | Heads brown, seeds loose | Cut heads, rub seeds out | Dry on screens |
| Herbs (basil, dill, cilantro) | Seed heads dry and brown | Cut stalks, shake seeds into bag | Winnow chaff |
| Grains (wheat, oats, barley) | Stalks golden, heads dry | Cut, bundle, thresh | Winnow to separate grain from chaff |
Chapter 5: Wet-Seeded Crops (Require Fermentation)
| Crop | When to Harvest | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Fully ripe (overripe is fine) | Cut open, squeeze seeds + gel into jar. Add water. Ferment 2-3 days (bubbles, mold on top). Rinse clean seeds, dry on plate. |
| Cucumbers | Past eating stage — yellow and soft | Cut open, scoop seeds into jar. Ferment 1-2 days. Rinse and dry. |
| Melons | Fully ripe | Scoop seeds, rinse pulp off, dry on screen. No fermentation needed. |
| Squash/pumpkin | Fully mature (hard rind, dry stem) | Scoop seeds, rinse pulp off, dry on screen. No fermentation needed. |
Chapter 6: Biennial Crops (Two-Year Cycle)
| Crop | Year 1 | Winter Storage | Year 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrots | Grow root, do not harvest | Dig, store in sand in root cellar (32-40°F) | Replant in spring, flowers and seeds in summer |
| Beets | Grow root | Same as carrots | Replant, harvest seed stalks when dry |
| Onions | Grow bulb | Store dry bulbs in cool location | Replant, harvest seed heads when dry |
| Cabbage/kale/broccoli | Grow plant | Leave in ground (mild climates) or dig and store | Flowers in spring, harvest dry seed pods |
| Parsley | Grow plant | Leave in ground or protect | Flowers and seeds in second year |
Part III: Seed Processing and Storage
Chapter 7: Drying Seeds
| Method | Temperature | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air drying (screen) | Room temperature (65-80°F) | 1-2 weeks | Spread single layer on screen or plate. Good air circulation. |
| Fan drying | Room temperature with fan | 3-7 days | Faster than still air |
| Silica gel | Room temperature | 1 week | Place seeds in sealed container with silica gel packets |
| Rice drying | Room temperature | 1-2 weeks | Place seeds in jar with equal volume of dry rice |
CRITICAL: Seeds must be thoroughly dry before storage. Moisture is the enemy. Seeds that are not dry enough will mold, rot, or lose viability in storage. Test: seeds should snap when bent (beans) or shatter when hit with a hammer (corn).
Chapter 8: Seed Storage
| Method | Temperature | Humidity | Expected Viability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper envelope in cool, dry room | 50-70°F | Low (<50% RH) | 2-5 years (most crops) |
| Sealed jar with desiccant | 50-70°F | Very low | 5-10 years |
| Sealed jar in refrigerator | 35-40°F | Very low (sealed) | 10-20 years |
| Sealed jar in freezer | 0°F | Very low (sealed) | 20+ years (if properly dried first) |
Chapter 9: Seed Viability by Crop
| Crop | Average Viability (years, cool dry storage) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Onions, parsley, parsnip | 1-2 years | Short-lived — save fresh seed every year |
| Corn, peppers, beans | 3-5 years | Moderate — save every 2-3 years |
| Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers | 5-10 years | Long-lived — save every 3-5 years |
| Lettuce, brassicas | 3-6 years | Moderate |
| Grains (wheat, oats, barley) | 5-10+ years | Very long-lived if dry |
Part IV: Selection and Improvement
Chapter 10: Selecting for Improvement
| Trait | How to Select | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest ripening | Save seed from first plants to ripen | Adapts variety to shorter seasons |
| Disease resistance | Save seed from healthiest plants (never from sick plants) | Builds natural resistance over generations |
| Flavor | Save seed from best-tasting fruits | Improves eating quality |
| Yield | Save seed from most productive plants | Increases production |
| Drought tolerance | Save seed from plants that perform best in dry conditions | Adapts to local water availability |
| Cold tolerance | Save seed from plants that survive frost best | Extends growing season |
| Size | Save seed from largest (or smallest, depending on goal) fruits | Shapes variety to your needs |
Chapter 11: Minimum Population Sizes
| Crop | Minimum Plants for Seed Saving | Ideal Population | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-pollinating (tomatoes, beans) | 6-12 plants | 20-50 | Maintain genetic diversity |
| Insect-pollinated (squash, cucumbers) | 12-25 plants | 50-100 | Prevent inbreeding depression |
| Wind-pollinated (corn) | 50-100 plants minimum | 200+ | Corn is extremely sensitive to inbreeding |
| Biennials (carrots, beets) | 20-40 plants | 80-200 | Maintain vigor across generations |
Part V: The Practitioner Seed Saving Reference Card
OPEN-POLLINATED ONLY: You can only save seed from open-pollinated (OP) or heirloom varieties. Hybrid (F1) seeds do not breed true. Check the seed packet — if it says "F1" or "hybrid," do not save seed from it.
START WITH SELF-POLLINATORS: Tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, and lettuce are the easiest crops to save seed from because they pollinate themselves with minimal crossing. No isolation needed.
FERMENT TOMATO SEEDS: Tomato seeds have a gel coating that inhibits germination. Ferment seeds in water for 2-3 days (until mold forms on top), then rinse clean and dry. This removes the coating and kills seed-borne diseases.
DRY THOROUGHLY BEFORE STORAGE: Seeds must snap, crack, or shatter when tested. Any remaining moisture will cause mold, rot, or loss of viability. When in doubt, dry longer.
COLD + DRY = LONG LIFE: Every 10°F decrease in storage temperature roughly doubles seed viability. Sealed jars with desiccant in a refrigerator or freezer can preserve seeds for decades.
SAVE FROM YOUR BEST: Never save seed from weak, sick, or late-producing plants. Always save from the earliest, healthiest, most productive, best-tasting plants. Every generation should be an improvement.
REMEMBER: Seeds are the foundation of food sovereignty. A Practitioner who saves seed is independent of seed companies, supply chains, and markets. You can feed yourself, your family, and your community in perpetuity with nothing more than saved seed, soil, water, and sunlight. This is the most fundamental form of wealth — the ability to create food from nothing, forever.
Council Approval
Council Result: 12/12 APPROVED.