nutNhoney wrote:
This year I have grown the majority of my vegetable plants from
purchased seeds. Can I save the seeds of the resulting plants for next
year? If so, what is the best method to do this? TIA

If these are hybrid plants, the seeds coming from this year's plants
might lose their hybrid characteristics.

Generally you select the best, healthiest plant, and let the fruit of
that plant mature fully before harvesting seed from it. I think some
people pull off other fruit (depending on the type of veggie) to force
all the energy and growth into that particular plant that is to be used
for seed. Then, of course, the seeds have to be thoroughly dry for
storage and some, or maybe most seeds, have to go through a dormancy
period in cooler or cold temperatures before they are started the next
season. Some plants, like beans, are easy to see when they are ready
because the pod turns a tan color and is crisp or brittle and the seeds
inside are nice and hard. Tomato seeds are squeezed out of ripe fruit
and the the resulting pulp containing the seeds allowed to ferment to
remove the slimy coating from the seeds. Of course pumpkins and squash
and cucumbers have a pretty massive pulp around the seeds that has to be
removed completely, then the seeds allowed to dry thoroughly before storing.

Beets, carrots, and celery won't produce seeds because they require more
than one year to produce seeds. Onions planted from seed will not
produce seed the first year, but onion bulbs will because those are
actually two year old plants and they produce seeds the second year.

All seeds have to be absolutely dry the entire time they are in storage.
You might be able to use a refrigerator or freezer for the
dormancy/cooling period.

There are books about how to save seeds. Maybe your local library can
locate a copy for you.

Barb
Wisconsin gardener