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Alliums are spectacular plants and it's worth saving a few seeds to sow in the spring to grow some more for the garden. The seeds will germinate quickly and reach flowering size in a couple of years.SecateursPaper envelopesSeptember - October20

the seedheads may be highly ornamental and can be left on the plants for their display, but checking them regularly to collect some of the seed once it's dry.SeedheadsSecateursPaper envelopes or paper bagsPenSeptember - October10 minutesWait for seeds to ripen

In the current climate of price rises and frozen salaries we're all looking for ways to save money. Fortunately, many garden plants help us to cut costs by producing new seed for free. All we have to do is spot the opportunities, then collect

. Next week I'll cut the heads off and hang them upside down in a paper bag to collect all the seeds. Then, in 2010 I'll be sowing my own leeks and parsnips on my plot. I can't wait to see how they grow.

There's something really rewarding about cupping your hand under an old foxglove flower, tapping it gently and collecting the seeds that cascade out of it. It must be something like collecting coins from a slot machine when you've hit the jackpot

of tomato.Choose open-pollinated tomato varieties (not F1 varieties as they may not come 'true'). It's also a good idea to save heritage, or rare varieties of tomato in this way, to preserve the seed for future generations.TomatoesKnifeGlass jar

and shape of its flowers.The day before you intend to pollinate your plant, cut at least one fully open flower from the father plant, making sure it has 2.5cm (1in) of stem. Bring this flower into the house and float it in a shallow bowl of water overnight

It's really easy to extract and sow seed from fruits you've collected, and it's also free. Plants grown from seed aren't always exactly like the parent plant, unlike those grown from cuttings, so look forward to results that could be new, different

.springMore on sowing seedsSowing seeds indoorsCollecting and saving seedsSowing seeds outdoorsBrowse vegetable varieties Grow chillies from seed

A genus of plants in the mustard family, the members of which may be collectively known as mustards or cabbages. The various parts of different species of brassica have been developed for food, such as roots for swedes, stems for kohlrabi, leaves