Teff is the smallest grain most home gardeners will ever grow -- thousands of seeds fit in a teaspoon -- but its seed-saving profile is refreshingly simple: mostly self-pollinating, low crossing risk, with harvest care being the main skill to master.
New to terms like isolation distance or outcrossing? See the Seed-Saving Glossary.
Seed-Saving Difficulty
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Safe to Save
Very low crossing risk.
How It's Pollinated
Mostly self-pollinating
(Very low crossing risk)
Scientific name: Eragrostis tef
Domestic Crops It Can Cross With
- Minimal crossing between teff varieties
Wild Relatives & Feral Species
- No significant wild relatives in most home garden regions
Separation Distances Required
Minimum: 3-5m between varieties
Recommended: Not usually needed beyond this
Strict: Not usually needed
Seed-Saving Strategies
- Allow the fine, airy seed heads to fully dry and turn golden
- Harvest carefully -- teff is the smallest cultivated grain and shatters easily
- Thresh gently and winnow in a light breeze
- Store dry -- viable 3-5 years