Parade of Homes | Fall 2025

Gardening cont.

Standard pantry storage rules — place in a mason jar or a clean prescription container and stash in a cool, dark place such as a closet or basement — apply to seeds as well.

A love for seed saving can certainly withstand generations since it becomes tradition for some. “I start tomatoes for a lady who is 93,” DuBois says. “Her daughter brings me the seeds, and they are a variety of Italian tomato. There are two types so I call one A and one B. They harvest the seeds every year.” Seed exchanges can create a sense of community for like- minded gardeners, and there may even be an economic benefit for some who are looking to avoid purchasing pricier plants. But the larger part of seed saving is the enjoyment it brings, DuBois says. “It’s something that could be fun as a family to learn. And I think it can be something fun to try when you’re either new to gardening or want something new.” 

Preserving a specific variety of flower is perhaps one of the most sacred areas of seed saving. DuBois says there’s an ice plant grown in the Ron Paul green- house that is especially adored for container growing because it trails a bit, has a succulent look and is a stunning shade of purple. While there are hundreds of thousands of varieties of ice plants, this one has a particularly special backstory. “Ron Paul, as I understand, brought cuttings of this plant back from a trip somewhere abroad,” she says. “This would be 30 to 40 years ago. He liked it so he grew it and he harvested the seeds to grow in the greenhouse. We do that to this day. People have known about it in the community for a long time, and we still have clients who come in specif- ically for that plant.”

“Some seeds you have to use right away, but some, like tomatoes, you can save,” DuBois says. Standard pantry storage rules — place in a mason jar or a clean prescription container and stash in a cool, dark place such as a closet or basement — apply to seeds as well. Just ensure you label your jars with the crop type, variety name, date harvested and number of plants from which you harvested the seeds. And bear in mind some seeds — such as toma- toes and beans — can withstand years of storage, whereas others (ahem, carrots and onions) may only last several months. Lest we forget about the floral department. Sunflowers, mari- golds, morning glories, sweet peas and poppies are all solid options for starter savers.

56 PARADE of HOMES FALL 2025