How to Harvest and Save Broccoli Seeds

To harvest your broccoli seeds, all you have to do is cut the pods off of the plant and shake them, so the seeds come out. 

Then, save them in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. 

Harvesting and saving broccoli seeds is a great way to get the most out of your plant, and you’ll save money in the process. 

Even better, it’s surprisingly easy to harvest broccoli seeds, requiring minimal effort with a great reward.

The rest of this article will teach you more about harvesting broccoli seeds and saving them so that they last. 

We’ll also go over other common questions about broccoli seeds.

How Do You Harvest Broccoli Seeds?

After broccoli production is over, the plants will start to bolt and grow tall stalks with flowers. 

These flowers will eventually turn into seed pods.

The seed pods will start as little green circles, but after a few months, they will turn into longer brown pods. 

When this happens, they are ready to harvest.

And to harvest your seeds, you first have to cut off the stalks that contain the brown seed pods. 

Then, place these stalks in a bag or container.

If you put them in a bag, you can just close the bag and shake it. 

The seeds should come right out, and then you can open the bag and take out the empty pods.

Another method is to rub the pods between your fingers, causing the seeds to fall out onto a plate or paper towel. 

And overall, it doesn’t really matter which method you use because either way, you’ll have a ton of harvested broccoli seeds you can save for the future.

What Is the Best Way to Store Broccoli Seeds?

Harvesting broccoli seeds is great, but you need to know how to properly store them, so you can use them later. 

So, to prep your seeds for storage, you need to let your broccoli seeds sit on a tray in a cool and dry place, preferably overnight.

Letting your broccoli seeds sit in the open air will allow them to dry and will help keep them from rotting in storage.

Next, after your seeds have dried, you should store them in a glass or plastic airtight container. 

This type of container will protect them from pest damage. 

But there is a chance there will be some trapped moisture in the container, which can cause seed rot or mold.

To avoid this issue, you can put your seeds in a paper packet and then in an airtight container. 

Doing so will prevent any trapped moisture from getting inside and make it much more likely that your seeds will stay healthy.

Finally, after properly storing your broccoli seeds in a container, you should keep them somewhere cool and dry. 

Storing them this way will preserve them for as long as possible and help keep them fresh.

Read Also >> How to Harvest and Save Dianthus Seeds

How Long Will Broccoli Seeds Last After You Harvest Them?

Typically, broccoli seeds will last about two years after you harvest them, though it depends on if you’ve correctly stored them.

If you don’t store your broccoli seeds properly and they somehow get moisture in them, they will last for shorter than two years and may go bad before the next planting season.

But as long as you take care to store your broccoli seeds well, they should remain viable for at least two years.

Yet, if you are on the fence about whether or not your broccoli seeds are still good after two or more years, you can put them in a glass of water to check their viability.

If the seeds float, they have probably gone bad. 

Conversely, if they sink, they will most likely still sprout if you plant them.

There can be exceptions to this rule, however, so there is no foolproof way to tell if your seeds are going to sprout or not besides planting them.

However, if there is any mold or moisture on the seeds, it’s recommended to toss them out because they will not be viable.

What Should You Do if You Notice Moisture in Your Stored Broccoli Seeds?

If you notice that your harvested broccoli seeds are starting to get moisture in them, take them out of the container immediately.

In this case, your broccoli seeds may have already gone bad, depending on how long the moisture has been present.

Still, you can spread them out on a baking sheet or some other flat surface so that they can dry overnight or for a couple of days. 

Make sure they stay cool and dry during this time. 

Then, you can store them in a new container in a different location.  

Additionally, you should find a place less humid than your previous storage spot so that moisture doesn’t accumulate again.

But, before re-storing them, you can also try placing a few seeds in water to test them. 

If they float, they probably aren’t good anymore, so you might not want to waste your time storing them again.

Read Also >> How to Harvest and Save Fuchsia Seeds

Conclusion 

Luckily, if you’re a broccoli-lover, broccoli seeds are pretty easy to harvest and store. 

Mostly, you just need to make sure that you keep the seeds away from moisture, so they don’t rot or mold.