The 12 Easiest Heirlooms for First-Time Seed Savers

Seed saving is a skill you learn by doing. Start with the vegetables that practically save themselves: 1. Beans — let pods dry on the vine, shell, store. That's it. 2. Peas — same as beans, and they don't cross easily. 3. Tomatoes — ferment the gel, rinse, dry. Our journal will walk you through it. 4. Lettuce — bolt, wait for fluff, shake into a bag. 5. Peppers — dry a ripe fruit, extract seeds. These five are self-pollinating, so what you save is what you planted. Once you've done a season, you're ready for squash (hand-pollination) and brassicas (isolation distances). Save enough and you can list your extras on Seedsy — your extras are another grower's treasure.