How to Collect Seeds from Flowers

Posted In: , , ,

I packed a bunch of envelopes and a pen and was able to collect a lot of seed. It is a great time of year to collect seeds.

Greetings fellow gardeners, 

Autumn is in full gear, and the colours are outstanding. I love this time of year. Preparing for winter gives us all time to think about what we would like to do as the world slows down for a season. 

A Pollinator Garden Established by Our Horticultural Society

On Saturday, I maneuvered my walker over to Lee Boltwood Park on Abbot Street in Stittsville, Ontario.  As you probably know, most horticultural societies have a project that they work on that involves growing and giving back to the community. The Park has been the project of the Stittsville Goulbourn Horticultural Society for a few years now. Establishing a self-sufficient pollinator garden was our goal, and it is slowly starting to take shape. What I find the most amazing about this space is that there is no access to water. This garden lives with what nature gives it, and it is a real example of how native plants really work. I wasn’t much help with weeding on Saturday, but I did manage to collect a lot of native seeds. 

Joining a horticultural society means you get access to interesting speakers and activities. As with most societies, SGHS has both experienced and novice gardeners, which is a great mix. Volunteers are the backbone of a society and are very much appreciated.

Here is Arlene, one of the hard-working volunteers at the SGHS, along with a stunning New England aster.

Arlene continues to guide the garden. She has a great deal of knowledge about native plants along with a great understanding of compost. We are considering adding worm compost to our plantings this spring.

How to Collect Seeds

When I realized that I would not be able to help with weeding, I packed a bunch of envelopes and a pen and was able to collect a lot of seed. It is a great time of year to collect seeds, although most of the asters in the park were not ready to go to seed as of yet. 

I collected many of these Agastache seeds, and the rest were left scattered in the areas where we were hoping they would grow next year.

What do you need to collect seed?

  1. Some knowledge of the plant is required. Is this a plant that needs a period of cold before it is started? If that is the case, leave the envelope of seeds in the fridge for about 6 weeks before planting.
  2. Is this a hybrid? Often the annuals we buy are hybrids, and if we collect the seeds, the seed is either sterile or will revert back to one of the original parents.
  3. Is this a native plant? These seeds are generally very easy to collect. When I collected the Agastache and Rudbeckia, I held the envelope under the seeds and allowed them to fall in. 
  4. Use paper. Plastic tends to allow mold and mildew to creep in. I usually use old envelopes. 
  5. LABEL!! Do not be like me and figure, ‘Oh, I will remember what this is’ because after a few months you will forget. 
  6. And lastly, share your seeds. I collected lots of seeds, so I have some for myself, some to share with Arlene to replenish the park, and some to package up for our Seedy Saturday on the second Saturday of March.
Rudbeckia flower and seeds ready for collecting
 Rudbeckia. I held the envelope under the seed heads and flicked the seeds into the envelope.

Slow and steady continues to be my mantra, and of course, we must make sure to water the plants. You can continue to deadhead your dahlias and annuals to push for a bit more bloom. Enjoy your week. Judith 

(Email:  sghorticultural@gmail.com)  Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/category/veggie-bites/

Share with Friends and Family

toddler carrying white basket

Selected Gardening Facts for your Enjoyment

Angel Stone garden path through a yellow and red flower garden

Stone Garden Path Ideas For Garden Walkways

Swiss chard plant

Bringing Lantana Indoors, Raspberry Royale, Red Malabar

hummingbird feeding on purple flowers

The Top 8 Plants That Attract Hummingbirds

Ideas for Your Backyard this Autumn

brown and yellow sugar maple leaves near body of water during daytime

Sugar Maple

Advertisement
Advertisement

I packed a bunch of envelopes and a pen and was able to collect a lot of seed. It is a great time of year to collect seeds.

Greetings fellow gardeners, 

Autumn is in full gear, and the colours are outstanding. I love this time of year. Preparing for winter gives us all time to think about what we would like to do as the world slows down for a season. 

A Pollinator Garden Established by Our Horticultural Society

On Saturday, I maneuvered my walker over to Lee Boltwood Park on Abbot Street in Stittsville, Ontario.  As you probably know, most horticultural societies have a project that they work on that involves growing and giving back to the community. The Park has been the project of the Stittsville Goulbourn Horticultural Society for a few years now. Establishing a self-sufficient pollinator garden was our goal, and it is slowly starting to take shape. What I find the most amazing about this space is that there is no access to water. This garden lives with what nature gives it, and it is a real example of how native plants really work. I wasn’t much help with weeding on Saturday, but I did manage to collect a lot of native seeds. 

Joining a horticultural society means you get access to interesting speakers and activities. As with most societies, SGHS has both experienced and novice gardeners, which is a great mix. Volunteers are the backbone of a society and are very much appreciated.

Here is Arlene, one of the hard-working volunteers at the SGHS, along with a stunning New England aster.

Arlene continues to guide the garden. She has a great deal of knowledge about native plants along with a great understanding of compost. We are considering adding worm compost to our plantings this spring.

How to Collect Seeds

When I realized that I would not be able to help with weeding, I packed a bunch of envelopes and a pen and was able to collect a lot of seed. It is a great time of year to collect seeds, although most of the asters in the park were not ready to go to seed as of yet. 

I collected many of these Agastache seeds, and the rest were left scattered in the areas where we were hoping they would grow next year.

What do you need to collect seed?

  1. Some knowledge of the plant is required. Is this a plant that needs a period of cold before it is started? If that is the case, leave the envelope of seeds in the fridge for about 6 weeks before planting.
  2. Is this a hybrid? Often the annuals we buy are hybrids, and if we collect the seeds, the seed is either sterile or will revert back to one of the original parents.
  3. Is this a native plant? These seeds are generally very easy to collect. When I collected the Agastache and Rudbeckia, I held the envelope under the seeds and allowed them to fall in. 
  4. Use paper. Plastic tends to allow mold and mildew to creep in. I usually use old envelopes. 
  5. LABEL!! Do not be like me and figure, ‘Oh, I will remember what this is’ because after a few months you will forget. 
  6. And lastly, share your seeds. I collected lots of seeds, so I have some for myself, some to share with Arlene to replenish the park, and some to package up for our Seedy Saturday on the second Saturday of March.
Rudbeckia flower and seeds ready for collecting
 Rudbeckia. I held the envelope under the seed heads and flicked the seeds into the envelope.

Slow and steady continues to be my mantra, and of course, we must make sure to water the plants. You can continue to deadhead your dahlias and annuals to push for a bit more bloom. Enjoy your week. Judith 

(Email:  sghorticultural@gmail.com)  Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/category/veggie-bites/

Share with Friends and Family

You Might Like…

White cat in front of Christmas tree

Taking a Break Towards Fresh and Crunchy

Bluets in a field

Caring for and Propagating Bluets

Blueberries on their vine

How to Prune Blueberries

Companion Plants For Tomatoes

Fresh Ground coffee in a filter on top of an empty carafe, ready for hot water

CAN YOU REUSE COFFEE GROUNDS?

clear glass terrariums

How To Make A Terrarium