Plant dried beans, whole dried peas, popcorn kernels, whole spices such as coriander and mustard, garlic cloves and sprouting potatoes, which are all viable seed, and test them first because storage and processing may have killed some. Roasted or toasted seeds will not grow, and the green skin and sprouts of potatoes are poisonous, so plant sprouting potatoes and do not eat their sprouts. Seeds from fresh tomatoes, peppers and squash may grow, but many store-bought types are hybrids that will not repeat.
Part of Seed & Food Salvage
Many foods are seed under another name, if the embryo inside is still alive. The parent article sorts them into highly viable, sometimes viable and not viable.
Food Is Often Seed Under Another Name
A dried bean in the kitchen is a seed that happens to be sold as food. What matters is whether the embryo is still alive. Heat, irradiation and age can each kill it. The parent article sorts kitchen items into three groups.
Highly viable:
- Dried beans — kidney, pinto, black, navy, chickpea and lentil.
- Whole dried peas — split peas sometimes fail because splitting can damage the embryo.
- Unpopped popcorn — it grows into corn. The parent article calls it field corn; it is a hard-kernelled popcorn type, not sweet corn.
- Whole spices — coriander grows into cilantro, mustard into mustard greens, and dill, fennel and cumin are viable if not irradiated or heat-treated.
- Garlic cloves — each clove is a planting piece, planted pointed end up.
- Sprouting potatoes — cut into pieces with one or two eyes each.
- Onion root ends — regrow when placed in soil.
Sometimes viable:
- Tomato seeds — from fresh tomatoes, though many grocery tomatoes are hybrids. The parent article describes fermenting the gel coating off for 2 to 3 days, then rinsing.
- Pepper seeds — dry thoroughly before storing.
- Squash and pumpkin seeds — from mature fruits.
- Apple, pear and stone fruit seeds — need cold stratification (the parent article gives 60 to 90 days) and do not grow true to the parent.
Not viable:
- Roasted or toasted seeds and nuts.
- Seeds from highly processed foods.
What You Need
- A pantry search — dried goods, spice rack, root vegetables.
- A germination test — see The Paper Towel Germination Test.
- Soil and a planting space — see Farming Basics.
Method: Pick, Test, Plant
Step 1: Pick whole, raw, untreated items Whole dried beans, whole spices, firm garlic. Avoid roasted, split, powdered or heat-treated items.
Step 2: Test a sample Sprout 10 seeds on a damp towel. If few sprout, plant thickly or choose another source.
Step 3: Handle sprouting potatoes with care Cut into pieces and plant. Do not eat green skin or sprouts.
Step 4: Ferment tomato seed Squeeze seeds with their gel into water for 2 to 3 days, rinse and dry thoroughly.
Step 5: Label Record what each came from. If it was a hybrid, saved seed will not repeat. See Saving Seeds From Your Harvest.
Common Mistakes
- Planting roasted seeds — heat kills the embryo.
- Expecting grocery hybrids to repeat — plant them, but do not rely on saved seed.
- Eating sprouted potatoes — see the warning below.
- Planting everything at once — keep half in reserve.
Green and sprouting potatoes, and fruit pits
Green skin and sprouts on potatoes contain natural toxins that can cause illness. Use sprouting potatoes for planting, and cut away and discard green parts and sprouts before eating any potato. Do not eat the seeds or pits of apples and stone fruit; they are for planting only. No safe amount is stated here.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Seed Longevity by Species — how long each lasts
- Combine with: Dry Staples & Bulk Food — dried beans are also food