Seed Savers Exchange Virtual Seed School

Registration is Open! Register here.

Seed Savers Exchange’s virtual seed school is a 6-week course (1.5-2 hour sessions per week) where gardeners from all over the world will learn practical knowledge on how to harvest, process, store, and save seeds.

This series is intended for beginning seed savers and those looking to expand their seed-saving knowledge to new crops and techniques.

Required text: The class series will be based on The Seed Garden, and students will need a copy of the book to participate.

Registration options

Class with SSE Seed Saving Kit (includes The Seed Garden, lettuce bags, blossom bags, glassine envelopes): $110

Class with The Seed Garden: $90

Class only: $60 (Please note: The Seed Garden is a required text for this class. If you already have access to the book please call Customer Service to register for the education only level.)

For questions on this workshop series, please contact events@seedsavers.org, or Seed Savers Exchange customer service at (563) 382-5990. Customer service hours are 9 am – 4 pm Central, Monday through Friday. 

Schedule

Mondays, October 7-November 11, 2024.

5:30-6:00 PM Central Time, Seed Social, join for an optional social time with SSE instructors and other Seed School participants 

6:00-7:30 PM Central Time, Sessions and Q&A

Can’t join the live sessions? Recordings for participants will be posted within the week.

Monday, October 7–The Botany of Seed Saving

This introductory lesson will explore the fascinating world of plant life cycles and reproduction.  By understanding these aspects and key vocabulary, you can make more informed decisions about which plants to grow and how to plan your garden.

Monday, October 14–Harvesting and Cleaning Seeds:  Dry Processing

This lesson will focus on processing dry seeds. Using several examples, we’ll discuss when and how to harvest for optimal results and how to choose the right tools.

Monday, October 21–Harvesting and Cleaning Seeds:  Wet Processing

This lesson will focus on processing seeds found in fleshy fruits. Using several examples, we’ll discuss when and how to harvest for optimal results and how to choose the right tools.

Monday, October 28–Seed Quality and Storage

This lesson will learn the best practices for proper seed storage. We’ll also delve into the unique considerations for saving seeds from biennials.

Monday, November 4–Growing and Saving Seed in Your Region

This lesson, we will break into smaller groups and you will be able to hear and ask questions from expert growers in your region: Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic.  

Monday, November 11–Next Steps:  Connecting to Community

For our final lesson, we will share how to continue your seed-saving journey and what opportunities there are for connecting to the seed-saving community.