Seeds can remain viable for years, but the longer you keep them some will lose their vigor. The best way to keep them viable is to store them properly.

Gather your seeds when the seed pods are brown and ready to drop their seeds. Late afternoon on a nonhumid day is the best time, as the seeds will be drier. They should be exposed to the air, inside, out of sunlight for a while after they are gathered to dry completely. With all the humidity this year that will be a hard task.

When they are dry they can be put in jars with tight fitting lids. I like to add a small piece of oris root in case there is any dampness. Store the jars in a dark, dry, cool place. If your basement or cool place, is damp putting the jars in a cooler with a tight fitting lid will keep them dry.

I leave the seeds on the stems and keep in brown paper bags (not closed) for a month or two in a closet in the house. Then I clean and store the seed in airtight black plastic containers, which I continue to keep in the closet where there is very little temperature fluctuation. Fortunately I live in a very dry climate. Al

I am trying to save some seeds for the first time this year (clematis and primrose japonica). I emptied the dry pods, put them in envelopes, inside a ziplock baggie with a couple of little packages of what ever it is they put in electronic appliances and other things that need to avoid humidity.

Did I screw up? should I pull them back out and try to dry them in the air longer? It is so humid here this summer that I thought getting them out of the air would be better.

I doubt keeping them in your humid air condition longer would help. When gardeners fail with seeds they often blame the wrong cause. Good luck with yours. Al

I have saved my bean seed for 2 years now. No problems. I have saved flower seeds for years with no problems. I have always just dried them and kept them in our garden shed. this years corn was from last years seed and I didnt have a good yield. Ears are about 5-6 inches long. Could that be from old seed? Now I have a fellow telling me that I can freeze the seed for better results. Anyone try this? thanks Debbie

Star
If you are going to save vegetable seed, make sure you are using heritage varieties. They mostly come true--This years plant will be like last years plant. Hybrid seed may be like last years plant, but will more than likely be completely different.

I don't think there was anything wrong with your seed except that it was taken from hybrid plants. When you save seed from hybrid plants it doesn't come true. What you will get is a crap shoot.

I don't think you will get better results from freezing seed, in fact it may be detrimental to some seeds. Usually the only seeds you freeze are those that need stratification to germinate. You are not talking about germination but about your yield and freezing will not make the ears of your corn longer. That is determined by the seed you use

HI with regards to vegetables, do you leave the RED "seed" ( bagged flower) pepper on the plant to ripen longer, than say if i was going to eat it "ripe" ?
does it help the seeds mature longer or is red it
thanks