At Heligan, seed saving has always been part of the seasonal rhythm. Many of the heritage vegetables grown in the Productive Garden are selected not only for their taste and performance, but also for their ability to set viable seed. Beans, tomatoes, squash, and lettuce are all favourites for saving-and once you begin, you may never look at a seed packet the same way again.
Tomatoes require a fermentation process to clean and separate the seed from the surrounding gel. Squash and cucumbers need full ripening, often until the fruit is softening. Lettuce and other leafy crops must be left to bolt and flower, with seeds harvested once dry.
There's a quiet joy in harvesting your own seed-the knowledge that next year's garden has already begun. It creates a cyclical link with the land, reinforcing the gardener's role as caretaker, not just consumer. And like so many things at Heligan, it's not just about self-sufficiency. It's about the memory in the method-the whisper of past gardeners in every pod you snap open, and the promise carried in each seed for the seasons to come.
Grow with the Seasons
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