Simply Saved Seeds

The distinctive umbels of Italian Parsley and Queen Anne's Lace are drying out and holding on to their many tiny seeds as more of this Summer passes.

Every umbel holds many seeds.

I collected many of the dry, brown umbels (which I think are so beautiful in and of themselves) on one of the hottest days we've had so far this Summer. I put them in to brown paper bags &  tied them with string. A quick shake of these paper bags released many, many seeds which I tipped onto a folded piece of scrap paper. That fold makes it easy to tip the seeds from the paper into little jars or seed envelopes without spreading them everywhere but in the garden! (Morag Gamble from Our Permaculture Life has a tutorial on how you can fold your own origami envelopes for seed saving here.)

Many little parsley seeds 

There are so many great reasons to save seeds from the plants that grow well in your garden. It saves money and the plants that grow from your own seeds will be well suited to your local conditions. This article, over on the Permaculture Research Institute's website, explains the many benefits of seed saving and this You-tube clip, posted by not-for-profit The Growing Club and featuring environmentalist and food sovereignty advocate, Vanada Shiva, explains why seed saving is really no small thing!

Little garden gifts for a friend.
(Apple motif & envelopes by Melissa Wastney.)

Not only do the seeds you've collected from your own garden hold the potential of many free plants, they are such a lovely gift to share with another gardener. The drifts of Queen Anne's Lace, that add such delicate beauty to my garden, came from just two little plants that I purchased from my city farm's nursery. The Italian Parsley grew from seeds I found in the swap box at my local library's community garden. I brought them home and sprinkled them in the garden and not long after little parsley seedlings emerged. Now I, in turn, have passed seeds from these plants to a friend for her to plant in her garden. Generosity can self-seed in a garden too!

Do you save seeds from the plants you grow in your garden too?

Meg