Things You'll Need:
- Knife
- Spoon
- Baking sheet
- Envelope
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Step 1
Harvest seeds grown from heirloom plants. Many garden seeds or pregrown plants used in home gardens today are hybrids, and hybrid seeds grow into plants and fruits much different than the parents. Look for seeds or vegetables labeled "heirloom" or "open-pollinated" and avoid those with the words "hybrid," "F1," "F2," or "cultivated variety." Do not save seeds from vegetables purchased in a supermarket, which are likely hybrids whose parentage is uncertain.
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Step 2
Wait until the vegetable is at the peak of ripeness. Under-ripe vegetable seeds may not be fully formed and will likely be inferior. Vegetables such as cucumbers, squash and eggplant should proceed past the point of ripeness before harvesting the seeds.
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Step 3
Cut the vegetable in half and scoop out the seeds. Isolate the seeds from the vegetable flesh as much as possible.
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Step 4
Separate the seeds and spread them into a single layer on a smooth hard surface. Using a hard surface such as a baking sheet, cutting board or plate works better than using newspapers or other surface to which seeds may stick when drying.
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Step 5
Place the seeds in a dry cool spot.
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Step 6
Check the seeds every one to two days, mixing them occasionally so to keep one side from drying more than the other. When the seeds are brittle rather than supple, they are ready to be stored.
