Seed Collecting: 2013

Apart from sunflowers last year, I've never collected seed before

I'm wondering, which seeds (if any) you plan on harvesting this year? Do you have any particular 'techniques'?

This morning I have carefully gathered seeds, into an envelope, from:-

• Aquilegia
• Chive

I simply - and carefully - snipped the seed stem as low to the ground as possible, then gently upturned them into an envelope and wiggled, giggled the seeds out. Any remaining in the stems will have to take pot luck because I've simply discarded those stems onto beds where they can rot down/surprise me if they want to.

The lupin has formed seed heads but aren't ready to harvest and the same is true of a yellow iris thingywotsit which sprung up in huge clumps in the Copse this year (see photo below - if anyone can ID that would be a bonus, but as it is the same plant which grows in my pond, I'm guessing a pond iris?).



Oh and for clueless1 ... please note, despite extensive flooding in the past 12 months, those willow logs truly didn't sprout (as I predicted So, my hat is off the menu )

 

Oh yes, I have some really frilly poppies to collect, but they won't be ready for a few weeks I reckon.

Apart from the poppies and lupin, I'll need to look up the others you mention.

 

I do pretty much the same as you, "M" except I like to use a paper bag if I have one available or even a roomy carrier bag. I've just harvested G psilostemon which tends to drop before I get to them so I've cut the whole stem down and left them upside down in the bag to dry off.