Seed Harvesting

Photo credit:  Seth Chrisman

You can harvest seeds all year round from flowers and vegetables--then save them to plant a new crop.  Make seed packets together to store your cache of seeds.

Photo credit:  Family Fun Magazine

Here's What You Need:

*seeds from mature vegetables or dying flowers.  Put each type in an open container to dry.  Make sure the seeds are dry before putting them in your seed packets.

*template  (download pdf here:Seed packet template )

*brown paper grocery bag, or other paper.

*scissors, glue sticks, colored pencils or markers.

*empty shoebox, to store all of your packets.

Photo credit:  Seth Chrisman

Here's What You Do:

*print and cut out the seed packet template.  We traced the template onto brown paper grocery bags.  Any paper you like will do, but you might as well recycle. Trace and cut out as many as you can use.

Photo credit:  Seth Chrisman

*fold the two side flaps over and use a glue stick to fold the bottom flap up and secure it.

*label and decorate the seed packets--your child can draw a picture of the vegetable or flower seeds that will be enclosed.

*Fill the seed packet and use the glue stick to secure the top flap.  Store your packets in an empty shoebox upright.

Dream of planting season! While you are waiting, you can do a little research on the best ways to plant your particular seeds. You may be able to start some inside now.  (see Tia Tamara's guacamole in the kitchen section for ideas on sprouting avocado pits!  p.s. you won't need a seed packet for an avocado seed--and it doesn't need to dry out, either)

If you don't have seeds in your own garden, you can ask friends and neighbors, and even save seeds from vegetables that you buy from the grocery store.  When you carve a pumpkin for Halloween, save some seeds and plant your own pumpkin patch next year!

Photo credit:  Seth Chrisman

These spaghetti squash were planted with seeds I saved after dinner one night last winter! It was thrilling to see those seedlings pop up. That squash was from the grocery store.  This year, they're from my garden!

Seed packet template