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Seed Collecting Woes

18 years ago

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this subject, but since I think the issue is mostly a result of the zone I'm in, I think my fellow far northerners will have the answers!

I've been reading up on the seed exchange lately and really wanting to get involved. I went out to see what seeds I could collect from my garden the other night and found that barely any of the seeds were ripe. I'm thinking that it will probably start to freeze before most of them get to the stage that I can collect them. Is this a problem for anyone else?

The only seeds I got so far were cosmos and marigolds. I was really hoping for some teddy bear sunflowers, gallardia, coreopsis 'early morning sunrise', larkspur, rudbeckia goldstrum, annual rudbeckia, nicotiana, snapdragons, pansies and sweetpeas.

Does anyone think that I might see seeds from some of these before it's too late? Thanks!

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Comments (5)

CrazyDaisy_68
18 years ago
Yes, it happened to me last year too. I was waiting for seeds to ripen and then we got hit with snow in early September and it was "goodbye to the tenders" for sure. Some plants keep going through a light frost so you may be pleasantly surprised yet.
savona
18 years ago
I find September rains turn everything soggy and nasty,makes it hard to get good seed. This morning while checking poppy pods I found several that were still very green looking but when I thumped them I could hear the seeds rattling inside. Last year I got prairie sun rudbeckia seeds from a flowerhead that didnt seem to be quite ready but had really good germination from the seeds. I dont think freezing weather will harm most seeds as long as you can collect them before they get too wet...savona
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luv2gro
18 years ago
I've been collecting pansy seeds all summer. You have to catch them just as the pod opens. Coreopsis should be ripening. They start to loosen in the seedhead when they are ready. I'm hoping and praying that I will get some seed from my sweetpeas. too. And, yes, there are certainly a lot of seeds out there that I'm not sure will ripen in time. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for a good hot spell for the next few weeks.
ABsweetpea, Did you get your message off of the Cdn. Exchange forum?
Here's the link, in case you didn't.

Shauna

Here is a link that might be useful: message for ABsweetpea
ABsweetpea
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for the info everyone! I guess I'll just have to hope for the best (weather that is!) along with all of you.

Shauna - I did get my message off the Cdn. Exchange forum. Thanks for making sure though, that's really nice of you.
lilmonicker
18 years ago
ABsweetpea,

I will have some mixed snapdragon seeds if your willing to part with some of those cosmo seeds.

-Andrew

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