How to Harvest Flower Seeds? Detailed Guide to the Correct Method

Many people grow flowers at home, so what methods are there for harvesting flower seeds?

Flower seeds must be harvested when the fruit is ripe, and promptly selected for quality, with inferior ones removed and impurities cleared, then dried and stored, so as to ensure the seeds' germination rate. Here is an introduction to the harvesting methods for several kinds of flower seeds, for readers' reference.

How to Harvest Marigold Seeds

Use fruits that set from flowers blooming after September, keeping fresh, glossy ones for seed. When the ray florets have curled and lost color and the involucre turns yellow, they can be picked even if the main flower stalk is still green, then dried and threshed.

How to Harvest Snapdragon Seeds

When most of the capsules on the inflorescence turn brownish yellow, cut off the entire fruiting branch, dry it and thresh. If you want to keep seeds separately by flower color or type, be sure to keep strict isolation.

How to Harvest Coral Berry Seeds

From plants with a dignified, sturdy form and abundant fruit, harvest the red ripe berries, crush them, wash them clean in water, remove the skin, flesh and shriveled seeds, scoop out the plump seeds, and dry them in the sun for storage.

How to Harvest Periwinkle Seeds

Because the fruits ripen at different times, watch them closely: when the follicles turn yellow and the seeds inside can be faintly seen turning black, pick them in batches promptly, otherwise the fruits split open on their own and the seeds scatter.

How to Harvest Cornflower Seeds

Seeds can be harvested as soon as the inflorescence turns orange-yellow. If the inflorescence is over-ripe, the seeds scatter easily; generally, when the vast majority of the inflorescences have withered to yellow, cut the whole plant, dry it and thresh, then store in a cool, dry place. The seeds are capable of self-sowing.

How to Harvest Phlox Seeds

The capsules ripen at different times and split open when ripe; to prevent the seeds from scattering, when most of the capsules turn yellow, pick them off below the main flower stalk, dry them and thresh, then store for later use. The seeds' germination rate can be maintained for two years.

How to Harvest California Poppy Seeds

The seeds are spherical or slightly oval. They can be harvested when the capsule skin turns pale earthy yellow. The capsules are best harvested in the early morning when damp; if harvested under strong sunlight, the capsules split open easily and the seeds scatter readily. After harvesting, when drying them in the sun, cover the container with glass to prevent the fruits from splitting and the seeds being ejected out of the container.

How to Harvest Petunia Seeds

After ripening, the capsules split open on their own and scatter the seeds, so they must be harvested separately and promptly during the period from when the capsules turn yellow until they just begin to split.

How to Harvest Scarlet Sage Seeds

The nutlets fall off after ripening, so when the calyces of the small flowers in the middle of the whole inflorescence have lost color and the nutlets have just ripened, pick the entire inflorescence, dry it and thresh; this yields a relatively large number of nutlets. Be careful to store them so they are not damaged by rodents.