Collecting seeds

Today I collected some seeds from the garden in paper envelopes, these include Campanula, Scabiosa and Astrantia. My dilemma is, I have no idea what I am supposed to do with them now and at what point I sow them? tia

 

Make sure they are thoroughly dry and I just keep at room temperature, some will say store in the fridge, but I find most fridges are damp.

 

Interestingly this came up on R4 gardeners question time today. I do collect seeds from veg and flowering plants. I do not put them @pete says in a fridge. They are collected and left on a paper plate on the table in the garden room to dry out and then put into a labelled and dated envelope (one of many you get uninvited to subscribe to) and put them into the dark cupboard ready for sowing next year.

 

I collect a lot of flower seed. Once dry I store mine in ASDA glass herb jars, which have a top with two lift up parts that can be left open if need be. The jars are slim so you can store many together. They are all stored in a cupboard in my utility room. I slide a cardboard label inside each one with the name and date so that you can see this from outside.

I then make a list with dates to be sown - often have to look that up. My first sowing maybe in Feb - begonia perhaps.

 

I dry my seeds and then stow them in these.

I have two cases like this. One for flowers and the other for veggies, chillies and cannabis.

I have a new diary where I keep my notes alphabetically by plant .


And lastly I have a daytimer with plants entered to it by the start dates.


And I start a new daytimer every year because I keep changing my mind and starting things at different times

 

Really organised, @CanadianLori I have a shoe box.

 

Wow @CanadianLori That is so organised. Amazing. We don't have enough seeds to do what you do but again amazing on what you do.

 

I'm an "A" type personality. You can interpret that how you wish!

 

Many thanks to all who replied.

 

I keep my seed in whatever's handy at the time (small paper envelopes, small glass jars from herbs or from the jam you get in some cafes) and I keep those in a couple of old large-ish plastic boxes along with bought seed packets (part-used and not-yet-used). Those go in the shed normally, but when it's indoor seed sowing season they'll be in the house for several weeks. I don't think temperature is hugely important for most things as long as it's not too extreme either way. Keeping them dry is the most important thing.

 

That's a fab system @CanadianLori , I can only dream of being that organised. My seeds are in a drawer somewhere ...

 

We start collecting seeds quite early, bring them in put in whatever to dry like saucers, kitchen roll or teacups. Then the process of extracting the seeds, labelling ,going into those little brown envelopes which my grandkids used for dinner-money, then just like others into a shoe box, its very therapeutic you start wondering what next year might bring !

 

I obviously forgot to press Post yesterday. This was still a draft...

I like your style @CanadianLori
I try and emulate nature as far as possible with collected seed.
I make sure they're dried off properly before storing them, in paper bags that I often just make from old envelopes or any paper I have, and they stay in a box in the cupboard I have in my back hall, which is dark and cool.
Some will need a cold period, in order to get the seed germinating at the right time, so if you don't have cold enough temps over winter, that spell in a fridge is often recommended. I've never done it though, as our winters are usually ok in that regard. If a plant can be sown at this time of year or in spring, I tend to do both. They don't get sown direct though - they'd be in trays or pots, and left outside for that colder, dormant period.

I've never bothered with Astrantia seed though - I divide those to get more plants. Many seed grown plants don't come true to the parent either, so that may happen with the plants you have @Meomye

 

I confess I do not usually bother with collecting seeds because of all the sowing in trays and the potting on involved. Is it not possible to just scatter some around my garden and see what happens? after all you can be sure of things seeding where you don't want them!

 

Its certainly possible: nine out of 10 slugs will agree with you..........