How to Propagate Vegetable Seeds

Tomato Seeds

• 1

  Scoop the seeds and the gel surrounding them out of the tomato with a spoon.

• 2

  Put the seeds and the gel in a glass jar with water. Swirl the water twice a day.

• 3

  Remove the seeds from the water when they have sunk to the bottom of the jar. Discard any seeds that are still floating. Rinse them with water and lay them on a paper towel to dry.

Pepper Seeds

• 4

  Choose peppers that have completely ripened and changed color to a deep red or reddish brown.

• 5

  Cut open the pepper and scrape the seeds onto a plate.

• 6

  Let the seeds dry in an airy, shaded place until they break rather than bend.

Eggplant Seeds

• 7

  Let the eggplant you will be harvesting from ripen on the vine until it is dull, hard and off-colored. Purple eggplants will turn a brownish color. White eggplants will turn a golden color.

• 8

  Open the eggplant and pull the flesh away from the seeds.

• 9

  Place the seeds on a paper towel or screen and let them dry until they break rather than bend.

Beans and Peas

• 10

  Allow the pods to dry and brown on the vine. When the pod feels leathery and the seed bumps hard when squeezed, they are ready for harvest.

• 11

  Spread the pods out to dry in a shaded indoor location. Let them dry for two weeks before storing.

• 12

  Remove the seeds from the pods for storage, or keep them in the pods until planting time the next season.

Cucumber Seeds

• 13

  Select a cucumber late in the season to harvest seeds from. Wait to harvest the cucumber until it is changing color and becoming mushy.

• 14

  Cut the cucumber open and scrape out the seeds. Wash and drain the seeds.

• 15

  Spread the seeds on a paper towel or screen to dry. Dry the seeds completely, until they snap when bent between the fingers.

Summer Squash

• 16

  Ripen the squash on the vine until it can no longer be dented with a fingernail.

• 17

  Harvest the squash, cut it open and scrape out the seeds.

• 18

  Wash, drain and completely dry the seeds on a paper towel or screen. They should snap in half when bent between the fingers.

Melons and Winter Squash

• 19

  Harvest the fruits when they are ripe and ready to eat.

• 20

  Cut the melon or squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Rinse and drain the seeds.

• 21

  Dry the seeds on a paper towel or screen until they can be easily snapped in half.

Corn Seed

• 22

  Wrap the earliest and best-developed ears of corn in paper bags. Tie them off with string to keep out grubs and bugs.

• 23

  Let the cob continue to develop on the stalk. Let it dry for as long as possible before harvesting.

• 24

  Remove the paper bags to harvest the corn cobs. Pull back the husks and hang them in a dry area safe from rodents and insects.

• 25

  Break the seeds away from the completely dried husks. Store the corn seed for up to two years in a paper bag in the refrigerator.