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trudi_d

I'm a Seed Snatcher III

trudi_d
18 years ago

Well---I'm still at it. (who could resist?) But now I have a companion--sorta. Hubs has finally stopped resisting and now will hold open the kleenex for me to drop in the seeds I've just rescued.

I was walking the dog last night (late last night) and made mental notes about this or that coming to maturity. I'm currently keeping eye on a patch of overgrown mahogany and gold marigolds at the back parking lot of the local Duncans. I can feel the need for a Coolatta coming on...maybe I'll bring a baggie tonight too ;-)

A cup of coffee, a donut and seeds! Is there anything better than that?

Happy Seeds!

T

Comments (91)

  • albertar
    17 years ago

    There I was the other day removing seed heads from Stella de Oro and Cannas at St. Catherine of Sienna hospial grounds in Smithtown NY. The cannas stand over 6 foot tall, thank goodness I stand 5'8" tall, lol
    Alberta

  • gardenluv
    17 years ago

    Okay, so I spent awhile reading these posts and got curious so yesterday my kids and I took a very long walk where I was initiated into the seed snatcher club. It was so fun, they might need to make an SSA group (Seed Snatcher Anonymous). I think we will start taking a lot more walks now, and I will just use the excuse that I need the excercise! Thank you to all of you who motivated me to do this, I had a blast! (Although I am new and don't know what I snatched, or if it will grow lol)

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  • mercurygirl
    17 years ago

    I guess this is the place to confess. I feel a little guilty but don't know if I should, maybe you guys can help.

    Last month I got a beautiful bouquet of hydrangeas at our Farmer's Market. They were so great that I looked up propagation and planted cuttings. Well, they've rooted and I'm hooked. So last week I was at a nursery where I found a lovely specimen of hydrangea planted in ground, with no marker. I nipped off a little piece and it's now potted. Should I feel bad? Or return it?
    Oh, and I believe I'll become a seed snatcher too!

    MG

  • cmh35
    17 years ago

    I was walking through the park one day in the very very month of seed heads, I took some here and I took some there
    and now I don't know what I have...Just cause I wanted to join the seed snatching club of america. Time to go back and get more and make labels

  • butter_fly
    17 years ago

    Last Night I took my 2 and 3 year olds for a walk. I told them to pick mommy flowers, the dead ones, I thought they would look less suspisious squated down pcik flowers from in front of the bank than their mommy, but my baby accidently pulled to hard on a marigold and took the whole plant by mistake. you should have seen the ladies face when she came out of the atm booth and i am standing there with a bouquae of dead flowers with there pods and the roots handing out the the bottom. I thought she was going to call the cops. Oh what a horrible mother I am to enlist the help of innocent children, by the end of our walk my son was saying " you want one of those flowers, mommy?" :0) Maybe tomarrow we will go take a walk alittle later, say like dark!!!

  • butter_fly
    17 years ago

    Great I am not the only one. I was thinking I would send them out to "pick more flowers for mommy" tonight!! There are some beautiful marigolds that are going to seed at the NURSING HOME!!

  • lblack61
    17 years ago

    Trudi,
    I saw the title of the post and immediately had it pegged down to the tune of the song, "I'm a Girl Watcher"...lol. I can't stop laughing.
    Linda

  • katbird
    17 years ago

    I have to explain my duty to my BF everytime we pass by somewhere that has potential for great seed gathering and I scream "Wait!! I want some of those!!" I finally got him to stop at the exit of a McDonalds that had coneflower that looked like mexican brite, all going to seed, I was able to get about 3 tops and now if I can just remember what I put them in !!
    My problem is always remembering to keep something handy to place the seeds in, I have walked around with pockets full of different seeds and by the time I would get home, I have to sit and sort through them, then I got the idea of carrying tissues with me. It would be great to be able to just take containers along and not feel bad about others "knowing" lol, what I am up to!!
    I sent this forum link to BF at work in self defense so he gets a better understanding of why I have this URGENT NEED to gather SEED!!
    Happy Snatching!

  • nvteecy
    17 years ago

    I guess I am a little concerned that collectors would snatch and plant seeds when they have no idea what the plant really is!

    Plants should be ID'd before you put the seeds in to be sure they are not invasive. You could be creating a problem in your yard if you don't know what you are planting.

    Otherwise, happy snatching!

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    17 years ago

    I finally was able to replace my stash of giant celosia seed (5 feet tall, dark red) from street planters in Cooperstown, NY (home of Baseball Hall of Fame). It was so exciting to find these plants, my heart was pounding. I shook the flower head and got a handful. Nice town, too.

  • coldlime
    17 years ago

    This thread is sort of like AA

    Hi Im Dennis and I'm a seed snatcher

    Hello Dennis...

  • daylilydude
    17 years ago

    I have got to tell my story or i'm gonna bust!!! I went to Lowes getting for my yearly PVC pipe fittings just in case my or my neighbors pipes break and i just happened to come back thru the garden section and low and behold there were the Lemon And Orange Gaillardias just a flowering away! So i went to take a closer look and there were some ripe seeds so i went around the back side of them so i could see the cashier women and i got so carried away at getting seeds that i didn't see the other store cashier come up behind me OOPS! Busted i thought? But she just handed me a bag so i would have something to put them in.She said that the women that work in the garden center don't mind people getting seeds it saves them from having to do the dead heading just as long as we didn't hurt the plants. I knew it was my lucky day when i found everyone of my pipe fittings and then got free seeds to boot! Just call me LUCKY!!!
    Richard

  • west_texas_peg
    17 years ago

    I had a seed snatcher in my garden yesterday. I offered free hollyhocks and Flame Acanthus on a Trading Post Radio Program. She showed up while we were eating lunch; said she wanted the free hollyhocks. I told my husband I would get them for her, he offered her the free Flame Acanthus and came in to get them leaving her alone in the garden.

    I spotted her heading for the side of our house looking at other flowers...not to admire but for seeds! She climbed into the bed with my Flame Acanthus to take seeds off the plant...seeds that were not ready to be harvested!

    I went out with her free seedlings and seeds; she wanted to know what the Russian Sage was...wanted to know where the seeds were. Then she stepped into the bed where my Oxblood Lilies are, looking for seeds on another Russian Sage.

    Geez, she was getting free Flame Acanthus plants and free hollyhocks seeds...why did she need to step in my flowerbeds trying to snatch more seeds? None of the other people who have come to pick up the plants and seeds have attempted to jerk seeds off my plants.

    Peggy

  • debraq
    17 years ago

    So I go to my fav botanical garden to see how their gigantic corkscrew vines are doing, and to see how the seeds are coming along. I have been watching them all summer and the flowers were just truly awesome. They were almost 8 inches in length, while my CS vine flowers were the size of pencil erasers,:(..... sniff.
    Boy, was I excited to think about how big their seed pods would be. Mine were coming along fine, and I actually got about 5 seeds.
    Well, to my utter astonishment, while their seed pods WERE big and long, about 5-7 inches, they were EMPTY!!!!
    Why, oh why, is this happening? My flowers are teensy tiny, while my seeds are on steriods compared to theirs!
    Anybody have any idea of why this is happening?
    BTW, I should mention that I am having a incredible seed harvest this year. I have never in all my years of gardening, seen the size and amount of seeds that I am getting this year. I have done nothing different from any other year,either...
    Each and every item in my garden has not only three times the amount of seeds that I usually get, but I have to say that conservately my seeds are 10 times the normal size.
    Will this affect germination?
    Thanks for any and all hints & advice.
    Debra

  • graanieb
    17 years ago

    Funny stories, now I feel more like I belong...umm among the people who help spread the joy? You bet!
    I've been admiring this large Hibiscus like tree with shades of pink flowers, passing by it on the hwy, near New Orleans, planning on stopping one day, then the other day me and daughter went to the end of the side street, both of us noticing this same tree! and one of it's branches was broken on the ground, of course I wasn't about to leave without taking some cuttings and seed pods which were soft and barelly starting to get a beige tint, they'll rippen soon, we will go back and knock on the door for more seeds.
    Didn't know who the tree belonged to, it was on the side of the dividing driveway, but we'll find out.
    Beautiful Confederate Rose.

    Had a laugh when I found out the name, seen it listed on GW a few times and thought it was a rose, lol.

    Great to share good stuff,

    GB

  • lanaw
    17 years ago

    I must confess, I have become a seed snatcher. This past summer my sister was in hospital having a lengthy procedure and I was left with no supervision ;O) I was walking around in the front of the hospital and spied these beautiful plants that had leaves similar to aloe vera but thinner and long spikes of pretty red flowers coming out of the middle. Anyway they were covered with seed pods and I just acted like I knew what I was doing and pulled them off. The maintenance man came out and asked me what I was doing so I told him I was collecting the seeds otherwise they would come up all over the beds and the landscaper would have a problem. So he said I could all I wanted. Whew!!! But I had to have them. Turns out they are red yucca and I now have 2 flats of them growing. Love free seeds!!!

  • Chrissy Chris
    17 years ago

    I thought I was the only one who was cheap and innovative enough to do this;)

    I live next door to a nursery that believes in pretty landscaping - Enough said;)

  • moonphase
    17 years ago

    I went to Cherokee,NC to the casino this past week end,Had to have a break from the grands.As I neared the casino,I saw pot after pot of yellow violas and johnny jump ups.I spent over an hr. collecting seeds and will ws them.Now,I will have a pot of these.I love violas.Wish I had alot of other colors.But I had fun seed snatching.
    moonphase

  • larry_c
    17 years ago

    Compulsive....snatching seeds from attractive road side plots..I have them labeled like " Drury Inn plant..20" high.great red blooms"...." Serta dist. plant off of Page..yellow..airy..beautiful"..." Commercial...Cactus...hardy..round red 1" dia. stems on flat base"....now..the question is how do I ever ID these? Or do we really care?

    CrAzY LaRrY

  • manda3
    13 years ago

    After reading all of these stories, I snatched my first seeds yesterday. Actually my brother did. I kept seeing this red yucca at the post office with tons of seed pods hanging off. I drove by four times in two days but there was always someone parked next to it. I told my brother about it and he said I was silly for being scared to get out of the car and pick some. So he made my drive over and got out and picked them all for me. Most were already open, but I still got a ton of seeds. I can't wait to plant them this spring or start winter sowing them. Red Yucca is my favorite plant and I only have one. :P Hopefully I won't kill them. I think I know what I'm doing now. :P

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yucca can be WSed with success. I have a lovely set of yuccas in my garden now grown from seed I started several years back. The first year the seedlings are small and need to go (I think) into their own holding bed, then the next year they can go into their permanent places in the yard. By year number three they had started to bloom very well. The bloom period is just a few weeks but the plants themselves are robust and function much like an evergreen shrub--I can look at the year round. Very nice.

  • manda3
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the advice. :) I can't wait to get started.

  • riograndegal
    13 years ago

    Love this thread! Now it's time to confess. Today my aunts/bf went plant shopping from one end of the Valley to the other. It was my aunt Janie's birthday who was not present today and lives in Houston as do the 2 that were visiting over the weekend. On our birthdays we like to all get together and we buy plants for the birthday girl from her wish list, and take the opportunity to snatch some seeds and clippings here and there. Never from someones yard as I would hate it if someone did that to me. It was so much fun today and we got lots of wonderful seeds and I really call it a success when you can make a convert out of someone. One of my aunts usually tells she is walking away from us because we are going to end up in jail and today she took her first seeds, they were sungold gazinia silver leaf. I love that plant. She did good for her fist time. And guess what? They left back to Houston and she forgot them at my house....ahhh too bad. Looks like I am getting some gazinias in my garden. Josie

  • mavis07
    13 years ago

    Any more seed snatchers out there?

    Let's keep the thread alive!

    I love your stories!

    Mavis

  • nugardnrinnc
    13 years ago

    I've become a seed snatcher the last few years. I do handyman work for a small customer base and we have a small crew of four. I've got them all working for me on stealing seeds! Most of the customers know about it or they have headed back south for winter. Right now I have a flat of hardy hibiscus and one of cleome going along with some pots of barberry and a few different lilies.
    There's a doctor's office about 15 miles from here and I had everybody on the crew stopping to see if the seeds were ready whenever they went by! They had 2 different varieties of canna I had been eyeing. I also know the property manager in a condo community and she lets me know when seeds are ready and when plants need thinning. I'm running out of places to put things LOL!

  • Astroknot
    12 years ago

    LOL! You guys are all hilarious, I love your stories. And here I was thinking that I was a weirdo for scouring around for seeds when I'm actually not alone...

    I'm delighted to meet other seed snatchers! I've always considered it more as "seed collecting" and I don't really see it as a bad thing, i.e. I need to hide my actions. Although, I have yet to go so far as to collect seeds in a nursery, haha. My argument is, I'm just saving things that would have been thrown out anyway, and I'm doing the planet a service by adding more green, growing things.

    Of course, in the process of saving the planet I am also feeding an addiction. Seriously, it's kind of dangerous that I've stumbled across a website that encourages seed exchanges. I'm a seed junkie!

    I haven't taken seeds from nursery plants per se, but I have on occasion gone to my local nursery and wandered around actively looking for stray seeds. My nursery is pretty tidy though, I think someone must go around saving all the old seeding plants because I never see them. I think they actually take them out back and plant them in the wild, which makes a very pretty back alley. At the end of the summer I'm actually going to harvest some of those wild plants, haha.

    I'm always on the lookout for interesting plants when I'm out, though. I don't think it's weird at all to pick off a seed pod, most people pick flowers on the side of the road anyway, this is not that different!

    Most criminal I've been? I sometimes shoplift seeds from the bulk bin at Safeway or other grocery stores. I know they're not as viable, but I wanted to try anyway. I now have two baby sunflowers!

  • albert_135   39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
    12 years ago

    One morning after the first frost I walked to a nearby park and was collecting marigold seed. Someone called the cops and they sent a detective who was in the area to inquire as to what I was doing. I explained and the cop was amused.

  • eureka
    12 years ago

    I came across one of the first seed snatcher threads several years ago. I did do some collecting but usually forgot about pods or seeds in the pockets of my jeans.

    But this year I will be planting seeds collected during a vacation to IL. One day we went to a historic Swiss settlement town in So Wisconsin. There was the most wonderful nursery w/the most incrediable plants. The nursery had every one of the hybrid coneflowers I have been drooling over. I did take a couple of the dying flower heads from a Big Sky "Sunset" and a "Double Pink". I fiddled around so long, trying to bring myself to take one each of the dying flowers off the big 5 gal plants. I just grabbed it quickly, scared to death that the security camera would get a huge shot of me snatching a dead flower. She also had an enormous hot pink hibiscus, probably 6 in across with a very flat face. There was a dying flower on the ground and I grabbed that. She carried only Monrovia plants and they were all outstanding. I live in CA so I was limited on space for collecting. I also collected from the McCormick estate(former publisher of a Chicago newspaper)where the daylilies had just formed seed pods. The lilies were just gorgeous, very pale pink & of course I forgot the name. The pod was still green but I let it dry thoroughly and hopefully it will produce. The grounds are planted with such gorgeous plants and there were so many seeds & pods to be had but I was concerned about getting greedy & possibly being tapped on the shoulder by a security guard. My family members would have backed up and said they didn't know me if that happened.

    It kills me to see seeds and pods go to waste but in parking lots or even inside Lowes or Home Depot, I weed their plants as I look at them. If I see a pod I will snap it off and not feel bad. Love the story of the two yr old pulling up the entire plant, too funny. I don't think most businesses would mind giving permission if asked first. I carry a Leatherman tool that has a small scissors, perfect.

  • Astroknot
    12 years ago

    Well, Easter Sunday was spent hanging out with my Grandma and I found out she is a fellow Seed Snatcher! Now I know the addiction runs in the family, hahah! I not only inherited her green thumb, I've inherited her seed addiction as well. And she let me take home some of her seeds too -- "Sure, hun, have as much as you like" as I stare bug-eyed at the huge piles sitting on top of the table. Kid in a candy store.

    She is completely unembarrassed about it too. My Grandma thinks it was the most natural thing in the world to take a few pods from some wild hollyhocks in a field. And she cataloged them by color! So cool.

  • scpearson
    12 years ago

    I am brand new to collecting seeds, and stumbled by this unusual post. You all have me laughing!
    But,.... WHY NOT? As long as you are not trespassing on private gardens like one of the postings above, you are just "paying it forward" in the land of plants!
    The posting at the casino reminded me... worked at a casino, and of course, they had a landscaping service. They just tore out the plants that were not in season and placed them in a dumpster, where all the employees drove by to see what could be rescued on their way home.
    Come to think of it, my Grandma was an unabashed seed collector too, like Astroknot's Grandma. It was a very natural, practical and common sense thing to do. No one ever wanted to waste anything. I like that idea. We throw away and waste too much!
    Thanks for sharing all your secrets... this has been a wonderful thread for a newbie seed saver , kind of like "how to pan for gold!"
    Susan

  • pippi21
    12 years ago

    Trudi, a friend of mine bought me a beautiful Pinks plant and yesterday I was deadheading the spent blooms. Are the seeds for the pinks inside those pods sort of like marigold seeds are? I laid them out in an empty bird bath figuring the sun would dry them up even more and they would be easy to open up.

    Was at a local library and saw some butterfly weed plants and although I WS some, they still look like seedlings. I am going to dig it up and transplant it. Don't think it gets enough sun where it is planted now. The blooms on the butterfly weed are so soft when you touch them. I was surprized. Don't know why I figured they would be stiff feeling but I did. How do you gather seeds from that plant?

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Pippi,

    With most flowers that develop an elongated pod, like marigolds, or peas, or pinks, the seeds will be inside the pod. However, because you deadheaded them, the seeds may not have had enough time to mature. If I am saving seeds I leave the dead flowers on and watch for the seed pod to mature. Generally, the flower petals will drop from the bloom and you will see the base of the pod begin to swell. It will eventually turn brown, the stem beneath the pod will turn brown too. This browing is a sign of maturity--the seeds are developed to the point where the plant, which is a very efficient life form, will no longer send water and nutrients to the seeds because they're ripe. This drying action does turn the pods brown and will also shrink back the pod surface, in effect causing an opening at the top of the pod. From here, from this opening, the seeds can be released. A good example would be poppies or columbines where the opening is large enough that the seeds can simply tumble out of the opening. Dianthus will create an opening at the top of the pod. When you see this opening it's safe to cut the stems and bring them into the house where they can further dry in a safe place. Give them a few weeks and then put the pods all into a brown paper bag, roll down the top and give a good shake to release the seeds from the pods. Strain them off with a colander or sifter, plate the seeds to dry a bit more for a few days and then package them for storage.

    T

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    12 years ago

    Trudi, you seem like you might be interested enough for some further info. While checking to see if I was spelling things right, I came upon this Wiki blurb, which says it better anyway...

    Dehiscence is the opening, at maturity, of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part. Structures that open in this way are said to be dehiscent. Structures, such as fruit, that do not open are called indehiscent.

    Besides sharing the term, I wanted to mention explosive dehiscence because if one waits for all seed pods to show dehiscence, they may lose all of the seeds. Anyone who has toyed with the pods on impatiens or ordinary yellow sorrel is probably familiar with this phenomenon. Cleome also do this.

    pippi, here is info about seeds from buddleia davidii. They are so easy to grow from cuttings, though, I've never bothered with seeds.

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks Purple, I already the words, but it's not always needed to use them. And I appreciate you linking to the seed saving info on buttefly bushes from my website, WinterSown.Org.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    12 years ago

    Hey, Trudi, very nice job on the website! After reading your note, I re-read pippi's question again to see why you didn't include the link yourself. I interpreted the ambiguous term "butterfly weed" as referring to buddleia but it could be referring to asclepias, which was probably your assumption. I've linked to your pages for both of those plants by now so it's covered either way.

    After visiting your site, I can believe that you probably know a lot of technical terms that I don't but hope others who might read this will find it interesting. It's so much easier to digest this kind of info from a discussion than a textbook.

    If you have an interest, I would love to hear your thoughts on the GMO issue in another discussion on this forum.

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    GMOs are a neccesary evil. It's all about feeding a global population.

    Butterfly Weed is always Ascepias, Butterfly Bush is always Buddleia. I'm glad to hear you like the site, it's an AgNIC site--I was trained by ARS and extension folk on how to build it well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: AgNIC. Org

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    12 years ago

    Feeding a global population is a good idea. I don't know if you are aware of some of the proprietary aspects being researched. If feeding the population was the real result these companies are trying to achieve, then why are they trying to produce seeds that make sterile crops? Because they want to make sure the starving people can't save the seeds (there are none) and to ensure they will have to buy more seeds every year. They are investigating using GMO's to cause sterility to control populations. Another of their big ideas is to make seeds that will not germinate unless and until a proprietary chemical treatment is (purchased and) applied. The ramifications go way beyond breeding a little roundup into the genes of commercially grown produce, if that was the necessary evil to which you were referring. If so, I disagree. I don't want to eat roundup.

    Butterfly Weed is always Ascepias, Butterfly Bush is always Buddleia. If this were true, the latin names would never be needed. The old lady who used to live next to me told me I needed to "keep after those butterfly weeds" so they wouldn't get too big. She was referring to the lantana growing along the fence.

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I am well aware of many things, including proprietary aspects of several types of plants, lol. Some hybrids are sterile and some are not, this has been happening naturally for millenia before some businesses began using it as a 'desirable' trait.

    Starving people can and will save seeds. Not all seeds which are sown overseas, here in America and well, around the world are GMO or sterile. As the owner of an agricultural non-profit which shares seeds overseas, here in America and well, around the world too, I can assure you there are global programs focused on local farming systems which indeed save, resow and share their seeds. And, as an arrangement to get those seeds, the aided community must save seeds to resow and share.

    Don't be such a doomsayer!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    12 years ago

    Doomsayer? Just trying to spread information and elicit other's input. I don't think it's necessary or constructive to put this label on me, my desire to learn more about it, or mine or anyone else's attempt to let people know about it.

    It seems that I may have unintentionally offended you somehow. If so, I apologize.

    I never said all seeds were GMO or sterile. If this is a topic that doesn't interest you, or you feel like you know everything about it that's important to you, that's fine. It's my opinion that it's much too complicated to simply be dismissed as "a necessary evil" and I hope people will share my interest in learning more about it - both positive and negative aspects - by discussing it.

    I invited you to participate in a discussion about GMO's on another thread because this thread is about something else. Although, of course, you don't need an invitation.

    I respect and applaud your work and wish you continued success.

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    In all aspects of life, people must find balance.

    A few days ago I noticed the pods of my columbines were beginning to brown and open, though it was just a small percentage that were actually open. So, I cut the stems, keeping them long, and placed them all to dry in a large open tub. Today, I walked by the tub and heard the delicious rattle of dried seeds in their pods. It's so nice to be able to pick at the right time, to be able to give the stems and pods a warm open area to dry and then to be rewarded for the hard work with at least a cup of shiny black seeds. Columbines are among the easiest and most rewarding of seeds to save. In my garden they seem to readily cross with any other columbine and the progeny are always eye-candy gorgeous.

  • urmymom
    12 years ago

    Question. How do u know the names of the seeds u r taking. I'm really getting tired of labeling things pink a&p, etc. I have a lot of seeds and I have no clue what I will get Is there a site that I can go to and describe by color etc and find shat treasure I have. Lol.

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    There are numerous books available to help you ID the plants in your garden. For wildflower reference I can recommend Kansas State Wildflowers which is a great website with wonderful photos.

    Here is a link that might be useful: KSU Wildflowers, listed by color.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    12 years ago

    urmymom, if you have a cell phone it probably has a camera in it, and you probably have it with you about all the time. Snap a couple pics along with your seeds. If you post the (not too small or blurry) pics to "name that plant" forum, you should get an ID. Even if you don't find out the name, you'll have the picture to remind you. At this point, you could try posting pics of some of the seeds and see if people know what they are that way. I've found that it's best to investigate right away, while your memory is fresh.

    You could also check these places:
    The seed site
    seed information

  • Margie Crawford
    12 years ago

    Trudi, the KSU website is great. Thanks for posting!
    Margie

  • trudi_d
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    KSU Wildflowers is by Mike Haddock, who is a very talented photographer. It's an AgNIC site too ;-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: AgNIC.Org

  • Lewisbioed
    12 years ago

    I love this thread, the stories are great. I bought a house last summer and have spent a lot of time trying to dress up the place with flower beds, the problem is i'm a young school teacher with a family of 3, so there hasn't been a lot of money to do much with. However, what success i had this summer led me to collecting seeds from my 4oclocks and a spider flower i was determined to have more of next year and then the flood gates opened!! I pick my son up from day care and spend the evening driving around parking lots and parks snatching seeds here and there(labeling them " red thing from bank parking lot" and such thus far I have started an obsession that is occupying my kitchen counter and workshop!!! Its great and I love the fact that next year the amount i'll be getting from my home gardens will be huge!!! More for me to trade next year!!!! I love it, now to just get my son trained to pick the right things....

  • lovingmy4babies
    12 years ago

    I read this whole thread about a week ago, and honestly, I had never thought of getting seeds off flowers in public places before! Since then, I've been getting all KINDS of seeds! I usually ask permission if there's someone to ask, like a clerk at the front desk, or a shop owner if the seeds I want are out front. But, there are many places in my area where no one knows who to ask, so I just get a few seed pods/flower heads and be done with it. So far I've collected Balloon flower seeds, Siberian Iris, Daylily, dianthus, morning glory, oriental lily, and numerous others. I'm officially addicted now! Thanks a lot! lol

  • bookjunky4life
    12 years ago

    I've just recently snatched ornamental grass seed at the golf course and a daylilly seed from a restaurant which apparently fell out of its baggie and is lost in my gigantic purse.

    *paused to look through purse* Found it! I was with my sister and her friend who are both about 20 and they were mortified by my theft and subsequent celebration.

  • jessewo
    12 years ago

    EXTREME COLLECTING! A few years ago I visited an aboretum connected to my alma mater and was stunned by a huge stand of bamboo, not a common plant in the area. I met the groundsman and commented on it. He agreed to share some with me...as long as I dug it under his supervision. (more than fair!) We showed up with our shovels, buckets, trowels, and axes! And we needed them!

    The "cuttings" are thriving, but after using everything short of heavy equipment to harvest shared plants, I'm going to pay more attention to snatching easy little seeds!

  • rickcorey_wa
    12 years ago

    If a clerk or security guard at Home Depot asks what you're doing, tell him you're pulling "bug nests" off the plants before they hatch.

    Then try to pour the seed pods into HIS hands, so he'll tell YOU to keep them!

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