Harvesting seeds from runner beans

[fishy]

I'm new to vegetable growing, but with young children we have had great fun growing many different vegetables this year. Can I keep seeds from runner beans to plant next spring? Do I harvest them now, or leave the pods to brown on the plant? How do I store the seeds over the winter?
Any advice would be gratefully received....

[Geordie]

Seed saving

Hello fishy,

Runner bean seeds can indeed be saved but it is helpful to know if the plant you are taking them from is an F1 hybrid or not. If you are not sure just save some anyway.

The pods are simply picked, preferably on a dry day, when mature seeds are present and left to dry, in a greenhouse, kitchen, shed etc.
The pots will go brown and turn to 'paper' type consistency and you can then remove the seeds. I have always just kept my seeds in an envelope in a dry environment and they have served me well the following year.

If anybody would like more specific advice on a particular plant just ask!

[Jaxom]

life span of seeds

What is the life span of seeds? I hear some people say that new is best each year and others that you can keep seed in the fridge for a long time. However at the back of my mind is the memory of reading that seeds found in the pyramids were sown and they germinated.
So if I were to keep my seed packets dark and dry, but at room temperature, How long would they last? After all they are kept in the shops at room temperature for long periods. In fact some stores are way warmer than I would keep my own home.

[dragonz]

they should be good for 5 or more years, a constant cool, dry environment is good because warmth and moisture tell them its time to germinate. I think the people who say new seeds every year are out to make money

[Lesley Jay]

Don't buy seeds from garden centres. You don't know how long they have been on display and they are normally kept in a giant greenhouse. Hardly the best conditions. Buy direct from the seed merchants and I store my seeds in a biscuit tin in a cool, dark enviroment. If you need the names and web sites of some seed merchants I can post these with pleasure.

[Hazel at the Hill]

seed storage

BTW, Hessayon 'The Vegetable Expert' lists the life expectancy of stored seed for each vegetable type. e.g. he has Runner Beans down as 2 years.

[Dobby]

Hi LJ yea please post the links to seed merchants
I found http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/vegetables/index.html

[rustylady]

Agree with Hazel, Dr Hessayon's books are excellent - give you expected germination times, expected yield, and life expectancy of stored seeds. Also, if you buy packets of seeds they usually state a "sow by" date. Home saved seed I would sow asap

[nick the grief]

Home saved seed will probably be just as viable as saved seed as it will be fresher. I'm still using seed that was my dads and he's been dead for 12 years !!! The only thing is the viability drops off as it ages but if you "pre-germinate" on damp tissue it's not a problem