Gardeners are usually dormant during the month of January in Colorado. We tend to daydream about what to plant in the spring, how our perennials will survive the winter, should we water our trees now or pray for snow. One important element we tend to take for granted is the ever-significant seed. After all, the seed is where it begins.

With proper care and a few smart practices, seed collecting can be done by everyone. Gathering your own seeds can save money, time and also be very rewarding. There are over 1,400 seed banks around the world, from Portland, Ore., to Lima, Peru. In 2008, a seed vault opened in Norway that has the ability to store, literally, millions of seeds (with a security staff that could rival NORAD). One reason seed banks are maintained is for preservation, another is to serve as a “back-up” in case of natural disasters that destroy land. For example, recent tsunamis washed away buildings, villages and cities and right along with it the crops, the land and, of course, the seeds. In these extreme cases, it is usually seed banks that provide farmers the seeds to plant new crops.

For the home gardener, seeds from fruit should be plucked after the fruit ripens but before it turns rotten. For vegetables that grow on the vine like cucumbers, squash and pumpkins, the vegetable should be left on the vine until after the first hard frost and then removed. Flower seeds should be left on the plant until the flowers are spent.

After you have separated the seed from the plant place them on newspaper at room temperature to dry. Once the seeds are dry, gently rub them between your hands to get rid of any chaff, and then place them in an envelope in a cool, dry place. Another thing to keep in mind is that most hybrid seeds are developed from a complex genetic process and can be sterile. Hybridized seeds boast sweeter fruit, crisper vegetables, and giant blooms, and may do well in your garden but their seeds rarely produce similar results.

In Colorado, seeds do extremely well on the shelf for an average of one year. If you have a lot of seeds and plan to save them for many years, there are a few extra steps to take to ensure success. Recognizing that different types of seeds are stored under different conditions, most seeds keep well in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. It is important to keep moisture from damaging the seeds; plastic bags are okay but sealed jars are better. Place them in your freezer or in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator. Whatever you do, don’t forget to mark the container with the plant name, and date stored. If not, you might find a green bean vine growing up your mailbox pole instead of Morning Glories, or even worse, your house guest might add Marigold seeds to the salad!

To check if your stored seeds are still good, count out eight seeds, plant them in a pot or tray filled with potting mix. Water the seeds and give them plenty of good light. Keep the potting soil moist, and count how many seeds sprout. If there are between four and six sprouts, then the seeds have been stored well and have a good chance of germinating in the garden.

Knowing the importance of a good seed is reflected in the parable Jesus told about the sower and the seeds. He taught us how some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth, and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. Alas, others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

(If you would like your gardening questions answered by Kerry Peetz, e-mail editor@coloradocatholicherald.com. Peetz is a master gardener and a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs.)