The advantage of saving and storing seeds in a seeds storage box is that you get to plant your favorite plant over and over without worrying about how much it costs in the market.
Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to plant and getting the seeds to store is also easy.
Many people do not know that lettuce produces seeds. Of course, it does. The lettuce seeds would usually bloom first after which when the flowers fade and change in color some white puffs will form. Your seeds can be found at the bottom of the puffs.
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HOW TO COLLECT THE LETTUCE SEEDS
The lettuce seeds have an oval-like shape. They are quite small and exist in colors such as white, grey, and black.
To collect lettuce seeds, the lettuce plant will have to be allowed to flower.
In the meantime you can always harvest the leaves, but when the leaves begin to flower the leaves will become bitter and you will no longer enjoy its delicious taste.
The time to save seed from the lettuce plant is when the flowers have dried out and have formed white puff on the top. To save seeds, nip the flower heads off the plant to collect seeds. You can gather them into a bag until you are done collecting.
Once you are done collecting, break the heads with your to allow the seeds at the bottom of the puff to fall out.
Let the seeds dry completely before you store them.
Related: How To Get Seeds From Bolted Lettuce Step By Step
HOW TO STORE THE LETTUCE SEEDS
Your lettuce seeds have to be dried before you can store them because moisture, no matter how little, will allow the seed to get spoiled.
So, regardless of your storage method, you need to first allow your lettuce seed to dry.
To make your seeds dry you may want to put them in a paper towel to absorb any moisture.
After you are sure that your seeds are dried, put the seeds in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Your storage location should be in a cool and dry environment.
Read also: How To Harvest Seeds From Leafy Vegetables
HOW TO SEPARATE LETTUCE SEEDS FROM CHAFF
Pick out the largest chaff and try your best to separate the seeds from the smaller parts.
But don’t worry about the chaff that refuses to go. A little chaff will not prevent their viability for storage and growth.
HOW TO DRY LETTUCE SEEDS
Once you put them in, break the flower heads apart and remove the seeds inside. They usually fall off easily, but you may need to remove some with your nails.
No matter how you harvest them, lettuce seeds tend to be mixed with large amounts of chaff. It may be difficult to get rid of all of them.
Before storing lettuce seeds, it is important to let them dry completely. In this way, you will avoid any potential shaping.
To do this, simply place them on a dry surface, where they will be protected from any type of wind. Let the air dry for at least a week and you are fine.
Read also: How To Store Carrots Without Refrigeration (Step By Step Guide)
IN CONCLUSION
If you store the lettuce seeds in a cool place, you can keep them for a long time, up to three to four years.
However, you may wish to collect lettuce seeds every one or two years to keep your collection fresh.
