Seed Collection

[pamsdish]

I have started to collect seeds for next year and the seed parcel,
I have up to yet got Allium Christophi drying in a paper bag, i put them on top of my upright freezer,behind the kitchen tv, i hope that way they get heat from both, and dry the seed heads,
I have collected loads of Cerinthe and i have them in the greenhouse at the moment till the foilage dies off.
Then they can take a turn behind the tv,
I am leaving my Crocosmia Lucifer to go to seed , but not sure if thats a viable idea any thoughts on that.

Is there a better way to dry seed at this time of year, when homes are mostly unheated,

I vaguely recall reading something about micro waves on defrost, but that sounds unlikely to leave anything alive to my way of thinking

If you have any thoughts advice will be welcomed

[lollipop]

I tuck mine, like you, near to the fans on tellies and pcs-not right next to mind, I think they can be left in their bags on a sunny windowsill-not sure about the microwave idea myself either.

[clueless1]

If they are kept too warm, won't they try to germinate, and fail due to lack of moisture? I thought the idea was to let them dry in cool conditions, with the paper bag absorbing moisture from the seeds at a rate the seeds can handle.

Someone once told me to put paper bags over the cut flower heads, and hang them upside down on the washing line when there is no risk of rain, so they dry slowly in the breeze.

[pamsdish]

thats a good idea,
i save all my prescription bags, its the only paper bag you see these days

[cajary]

When there's no chance of rain?

[lollipop]

Originally Posted by pamsdish

thats a good idea,
i save all my prescription bags, its the only paper bag you see these days

Or the brown ones the veggies come in at local greengrocer or markets.

[pamsdish]

Sorry to say i have no veg shop all closed down and the markets put everything in plastic bags

[Fidgetsmum]

Originally Posted by pamsdish

I have started to collect seeds for next year
.... I am leaving my Crocosmia Lucifer to go to seed , but not sure if thats a viable idea any thoughts on that.
If you have any thoughts advice will be welcomed

I've never bothered to save the seed as these plants are pretty cheap, but as I understand it, Crocosmia can take years to reach flowering size and that they're unlikely to produce a 'true' Lucifer. But .... if you're happy to experiment and don't really mind what you get in the way of a plant, then it's always worth a try.

[pamsdish]

I was only letting them go to seed for the parcel, i find if you cut the seeds off the plants spread themselves anyway,

[pamsdish]

I am hoping these will be ready for when the parcel gets to me as i have enough,they have to be sown when ripe.They are (after discussion) Sauromatum Venosum,

[Sussexgardener]

Does anyone know how to collect seeds from evening primrose and when to do it? Mine are still flowering but are also forming seed pods.

[pamsdish]

Hi Aaron
I`m finding that with Cerinthe, the seeds turn black when they are ripe ,and when i collect them some of the seeds are still white,i assume these probably will not germinate. So i try to leave those .

I also find they flower again , so i just nip off the 2" that contains the seeds ,and leave most of the plant alone

[pamsdish]

I have seeds everywhere hoping for a few dry days to collect some more, I am finding it is quite difficult to identify which is the seed on a few plants,
For instance Cosmos , i thought it was going to be easy, i realise now the seeds are right at the base and you have to wait for it to dry completely

[cabbage123]

seeds that are sold in garden centres are kept in foil packs. Is this to maintain their freshness? Or is it just over packing?

Regarding seed identification, I have found google images helps a lot with a pare of glasses.

EcoCharlie

[PeterS]

Cabbage - There is a good reason for keeping seed in foil packs. It keeps the moisture out, as it is moisture that's the signal to start germinating. It also allows seeds to be sent abroad and allows them to travel through hot and humid countries. They will keep longer in this country too, if the moisture level is low. Someone from a seed bank said on television, a few nights ago, that for every 1% reduction in moisture level the storage life is doubled.

However a lot of people, such as Chilterns and the RHS seed scheme, don't bother. So I supose it doesn't matter much if you don't want to keep the seeds for long.

Pamsdish - I am glad you said that. Some seeds are very clear, but for others its difficult to tell seed from chaff and just as difficult to seperate them.

[jmurray01]

My dream is a big box of seeds like Nigel Slater has! Knowing you have years worth of food in a few packs of seeds it truely amazing