LibGuides: Bennington College Seed Library: How & Why to Save Seeds

Saving Seeds

Seed saving is the process of saving seeds from plants and crops you are currently growing for the next season. It is often fairly straightforward and gives the seed saver the opportunity to select seeds for qualities such as yield, flavor, nutrition, color, resilience to local environment and pests.

The goal of Bennington College’s seed library is to empower community members through education and promotion of food sovereignty and serve as an exchange among the farmers and gardeners of the area. Seed libraries preserve local diversity and also local stories and relationships, and are a great exchange of knowledge. Bennington College wants to open this hub for exchange, connection, and education with our greater community.

Saving and Sharing Seeds is a practice as old as agriculture itself that is important to restore in order to have food sovereignty and develop local resilient varieties. Here are some hints for beginning your seed saving adventures!

Method

To save these seeds let them dry in pods/husks and then simply crumble them. Separate the seeds from the chaff and store in a cool dry dark place.

Types of Seeds to Dry Save

Artichoke
Basil
Beans
Peas
Peppers
Okra

Method

To wet save seeds let the vegetables get very ripe, separate seeds from surrounding pulp. Afterwards dry them completely on a tray and store them. Some of these seeds should be fermented to kill growth inhibiting coatings that surround the seeds as well as certain diseases. To ferment: put seeds and pulp in water in a jar covered with cheesecloth for 2-4 days, shaking daily. Afterwards wash, dry and store.

Types of Seeds to Wet Save

Cucumbers
Eggplants
Melons
Squash
Tomatoes

Saving seeds from species you have more plants of will provide greater genetic variety.
Select seeds with characteristics you find desirable- flavor, low maintenance, resistance to pests, etc.
Remember to label saved seeds.

Books About Seeds and Seed Saving

Members of the local community are welcome to check out books from the Bennington College Library! To set up a free library account please visit Crossett Library Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:00 pm or email us

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth
Call Number: SB324.75 .A8 2002
Seed to Seed is a complete seed-saving guide that describes specific techniques for saving the seeds of 160 different vegetables.
The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds: 322 Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, Flowers, Trees, and Shrubs by Robert E. Gough; Cheryl Moore-Gough
Call Number: SB118.3 .G68 2011
Provides simple instructions that clearly explains the whole process, from basic plant biology to proper seed storage and successful propagation.
Seed to Civilization by Charles B. Heiser
Call Number: S419 .H44 1990
The author traces the intricate patterns of food use and distribution that have developed since prehistoric times
The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving by Edited by Lee Buttala and Shanyn Siegel
Call Number: SB324.75 .C65 2015
Filled with advice for the home gardener and the more seasoned horticulturist alike, The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving provides straightforward instruction on collecting seed that is true-to-type and ready for sowing in next year’s garden.
First the Seed: the Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology by Jack Ralph Kloppenburg
Call Number: SB117.3 K57 2004
The history of plant breeding and how efforts to control the seed have shaped the emergence of the agricultural biotechnology industry.
Seeds: Time Capsules of Life by by Rob Kesseler & Wolfgang Stuppy
Call Number: SB117 .K47 2006
Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of diverse seeds at various states of maturity. Pods, pouches, keys, nuts and other vehicles of dispersal are explained and illustrated.