November 2003 Newsletter

He who plants a garden finds happiness - Chinese proverb Collecting Seeds - Great Fall Fun! September, October and November abound with seed collecting opportunities. Everywhere you look you will notice dried seed pods and heads just asking to be clipped. Opening a seed pod or flower head to discover seeds can be an overwhelming experience, whether young or old, when you think of the magnitude of seeds. Just think how many opportunities this plant has given us. Each flower head or pod contains many, many seeds; and oftentimes the pods themselves are so beautiful you just have to stand back in awe. There is nothing comparable to the joy and wonder one feels when a seed germinates and grows into a beautiful plant from a seed you have collected yourself. Collecting seeds is a matter of timing. You must wait for the seeds to mature, so you can't collect too early; and if you wait too long, they may very well be gone when you come back. If collecting a certain seed is especially important to you, tie a small paper bag around the flower head once the flower is spent and wait for the flower head to dry on its own. You can tell if it's ready by tapping the flower head. If seeds fall or rattle about in the pod, then it is ready for collection. This is also an activity that can be quite fun for children. I like to collect with small paper bags you can write on. Before adding the flower heads or pods, write on the bag what type flower or plant it is, the color, and the date you harvested it. Let the children write on their own bags and plant the seeds they have collected in the spring. They will be just as excited as you are by the wonders of nature. Some ornamental plants that readily set seed and are easy to collect include: marigolds, cosmos, money plant, poppies, zinnias, morning glory, moon flower and cone flower. But once you start looking, you will be amazed to find seeds everywhere. It is vital that the seeds be dried thoroughly for about a week. Drying will prevent premature death of the seed. You do not want the seeds to mold, so spread them out and let them dry at room temperature in a well-ventilated room. Once dried, separate the seed from the debris or chaff. You can store the seeds, once dried, in a paper bag, an envelope or plastic bag (if they are truly dry). No matter what kind of package you use, be sure to label it with the seed type, color and date it was harvested. It doesn't hurt to include a small packet of silica gel to ensure they stay dry. Store your seeds where they will remain dry and be chilled; not frozen, but chilled. I do want to mention that seeds collected from hybrid plants can be very unpredictable and may result in an inferior plant. But you will learn which seeds you get the best results with; and truly, experimentation is half the fun. Happy Collecting! Below are some links you may find helpful in the process of collecting seeds. The Seed Site - a webpage about seeds: collecting seeds, storing seeds, sowing seeds, germinating seeds and exchanging seeds, with pictures of seeds, seedpods and seedlings. You Grow Girl - offers beautiful seed packet designs you can print and make yourself.