Join Debi Holland as she takes you through the step-by-step process of saving seeds from your garden flowers for free plants the following year! From timing the perfect harvest to storing your seeds, Debi covers everything you need to know.
How to collect and store seeds
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Timing matters when you’re saving seed from garden flowers. Wait until the seedheads are crisp and dry. Mature seed is often darker and harder than unripe green seed. Give a pod a gentle shake. If you hear seeds rattle, it’s usually ready.
Collect on a dry, still day. Late morning is ideal once the dew has dried. Use paper bags or envelopes. For plants that scatter seed at a touch, such as aquilegias and foxgloves, snip the heads into a large tub and shake them to release the seeds. Check for insects and leave a few seedheads in the garden for wildlife.
Dry and clean the seed. Spread it on white paper in a seed tray or propagator lid. The white background makes it easy to see the seeds. Use tweezers to pick out larger bits of chaff and leave the seeds to dry thoroughly for a few days.
Label and store. Tip the dry seeds into paper envelopes, using the corner of the tray as a funnel. Label each envelope with the plant name and date. Keep the envelopes somewhere dry, away from direct sunlight and radiators, until you’re ready to sow in spring.
