Harvesting Sweet Pea Seeds: A Guide for Optimal Results - Start Saving Seeds Today to Grow More Aromatic, Vibrant Blossoms Without Spending a Cent Next Year
Harvesting and Saving Sweet Pea Seeds for Next Season
Sweet peas, with their charming fragrance and vibrant colours, are a beloved addition to any garden. If you've enjoyed the beauty of these flowers this year, you might be considering saving seeds for planting next season. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to properly harvest, collect, and save sweet pea seeds.
1. Allow Seed Pods to Mature Fully on the Plant
Select strong, healthy sweet pea plants and stop deadheading some flowers to let seed pods form. Wait until the seed pods are dry, brown, and starting to crack on the vine. It's crucial not to harvest pods too early, as seeds will not mature further once removed from the plant.
2. Harvest on a Dry Day
Use sharp pruners to snip mature seed pods off the vine, or cut entire vines with pods attached. Collect the pods in a paper bag or bowl. Harvesting on dry days ensures the seeds are not exposed to moisture, which could lead to mould growth.
3. Dry Further if Needed
If pods are not fully dry, you can hang the pods or vines upside down in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place until completely dry.
4. Extract (Thresh) the Seeds
Open the dried pods by hand, shelling out the seeds which look like tiny peas. You can also place the pods or vines in a paper sack and shake it to loosen seeds.
5. Clean the Seeds
Remove debris (chaff) by winnowing — gently pouring seeds and chaff between two containers in front of a fan or by using a sieve to separate seeds from pod fragments and lightweight debris. The goal is clean, healthy seeds free of pod remnants and other plant material.
6. Store the Seeds Properly
Allow the seeds to dry completely before storage to prevent mould and maintain good germination. Store in a cool, dark, and dry location, ideally in airtight containers.
By following these steps, you can save free, viable sweet pea seeds from your garden. Remember, harvesting seed pods before they burst gives you more control over the seeds, preventing animals from eating them before they sprout. This method also takes the guesswork out of whether next year's crop will be as colourful and lovely as this year's.
For those planning to replant sweet peas in the same location, letting seeds fall to the ground is fine. For those wishing to share seeds with friends or plant in another location, winnowing can be done with two buckets and a box fan, or a metal sieve from Amazon.
Sweet peas are fragrant flowers in the legume family that bloom in every colour of the rainbow except yellow. Harvesting sweet pea seeds too early is one of the most common seed saving mistakes. To avoid this, allow the harvested seeds to dry on a flat surface for a few days, then pour them into a glass jar with a lid or paper seed envelopes from Amazon for storage. Happy seed saving!
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