03-11-2003, 12:32 AM
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picking flower seeds
From: Frogleg
Date: Sun, Nov 2, 2003 6:55 AM
Message-id:
On Sat, 1 Nov 2003 14:06:56 -0600, Mark Anderson
wrote:
I've never been good at this but will try again this year harvesting
seeds from the plants. Do I need to harvest after the plant dies or can
I snip the seeds off now? I have a lot of moonflower and morning glory
seeds just waiting sitting there all closed up on the vine.
Most flower seeds, in my experience, express their readiness to be
planted by starting to spill from the plant. That is, if they're
enclosed in pods, the pods dry and split; on others, the petals drop
off and the center 'seedy bits' become more prominent and dry. As I
recall, morning glories form a round pod that gradually turns papery
and dry, and begins to split, exposing the black seeds within.
If the flower seeds are "ripe" -- usually tan, brown or black, not
green, and dry -- they are ready to be harvested. Of course, given the
variety of the plant world, there is no single rule for this.
And so it goes for morning glories. As you mentioned, there will be smallish
round pods (often in clusters, as are the blooms that open mostly one at a time
in each cluster). When these are ripe and dry, a slight pinch to the pod will
send the hard black seeds into your palm. Or you can cut them off and sort
the seeds into paper bags for storage. Keep 'em cool and dry and they'll be
fine for next season's vines. (Moonflower pods are much bigger, but the
principle of seed gathering is the same).
Mark: It's an excellent idea to remove most of the pods before they're ripe
(if you haven't been deadheading, which is a job-and-a-half on morning
glories), unless you want beaucoup de seedlings next year. Or just pull the
vines down before the pods have dried and toss 'em.
Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7
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