by Pam Jenkins
With the arrival of the hot weather, many spring plants are going up to seed. Leaving some herb and vegetable plants in the garden to flower and go to seed means that there are flowers for bees and small insects to forage from. Some veggies already have mature seeds ready to harvest.
Here’s a simple way to remind yourself to collect seeds for replanting next year, as well as to replenish the stocks in your local seed library.
- Decide which plants you’ll save seeds from.
- Cut some strips of brightly coloured fabric, ribbon, or raffia and tie one to your chosen plant. This will help you see the plant when it’s died off and dried out, and remind you not to chop it down accidentally.
- When the seeds mature, collect the seed heads and the fabric or ribbon. (You can reuse this next season.)
- Clean the seeds and divide small amounts into handmade seed packets (see note below).
- Store a packet of seeds for next year and share the rest with your local seed library.
Keep an eye out for seed packets with ribbons attached at your local food swaps and seed libraries. Take one and use it as a pattern to make as many as you need to accommodate your seed varieties.
More info on seed saving
See our Seed Library page for more information on saving and growing seeds, how to fold seed packets, and links to the Edendale Farm website with detailed information on Nillumbik/Banyule seed libraries and saving various types of seeds.
