September - 2002
Harvesting and
storing seed
 It is very satisfying to harvest seeds from your own garden year after
year. Apart from saving money by not purchasing commercially supplied seeds, it is a good
way of collecting quality seed, producing masses of your favourite plants, and getting
some unusual results from plants that have cross pollinated. For example about ten years
ago I was given some petunia seeds that were brought back from Tenerife, having been
collected from a particularly vigorous strain. They were deep purple. Each year I have
collected seed from the resulting plants, and now have a variety of colours ranging from
almost white through to a deepish mauve. They are extraordinary plants, remarked upon by
many visitors.
Before you start harvesting seeds from your
garden, there are a few things to be aware of. If you plan on collecting seed from plants
that you previously planted as "hybrid" seeds, the results will be inferior. In
fact some hybrids are grown to flower profusely and not produce seed at all. Half the fun
of collecting seeds is to see the unusual colours that result from cross pollination when
plants such as petunias of varying colours are grown close to each other.
By studying the cultural needs of types of
seeds you wish to collect, you are more likely to have success. For example, seeds of
Astrantia and Hellebores need to overwinter in the ground before they will germinate, and
you may need to mimic these conditions by putting seeds in the refrigerator for a period
of time, to kick start them into growth. Personally with the two types I just mentioned, I
find they self-seed profusely if left to their own devices..
If you want to harvest seeds from certain fruit
and vegetables, let the fruit over-ripen on the plant, then harvest it and
gently pull it apart to get the seed, which you will then need to soak in water for about
two days. The seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the water are the ones to keep, so dry
them thoroughly on a piece of kitchen paper. The seeds that rise to the top of the water
can be discarded as they are either too dry or infertile.
Flower seeds need to be collected during a dry
spell. I find early evening is a good time when the morning dew has thoroughly dried
and the plants have had the benefit of a day of sunshine. I usually collect the whole seed
head of a plant, especially if the seeds are a little under ripe, allowing them to finish
the ripening process in dry conditions. For several years now I have been growing the
miniature sunflower "Pacino" which grows between 24ins and 48ins tall. Each year
it produces perfect, strong plants, and I usually collect one of the biggest flower heads,
overwintering it in the greenhouse. Who said sunflowers are for kids only? I have
taken a photo of some of them, above.
Proper storage is the key to strong, healthy
plants. Place your harvested seeds onto newspaper or in paper (not polythene)
envelopes until they have thoroughly ripened. Then remove any husks or seed heads, with a
sieve, leaving only the ripe seed, which can be returned to the paper envelopes. Make sure
the envelopes are correctly labelled and dated, before putting them in an airtight
container such as a biscuit tin, with a sachet of silica gel or some uncooked rice to
absorb any moisture. Finally store the tin in a cool dry place.
Allow for failures - it is all part of the
fun and satisfaction of experimenting, much the same as taking cuttings, which at the end
of the day, cost nothing..
 This year for the first time I have grown Cleome, a beautiful annual which
was very easy to grow, and standing at about 5ft in height (Taller than the packet stated)
will certainly be a welcome annual edition in my garden. I have just noticed that it has
big pods of seeds forming, which look very tempting...Ummm, I`ll save those. They are the
tall pink and white flowers in the centre of the photo.
Click on photos..
Next month I shall spotlight plants for
autumn and winter colour..
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