Saving seeds

[seedcorn]

I have some zinnia's, marigolds, & few other annuals, I'd like to save seed for next year. I let the flower heads die, go brown, pick them and store them. Next year, nothing.....what am I doing wrong?

Diahlia's dig the roots up or let them over winter in ground? Northern Indiana.

 

[injunjoe]

I am sorry I don't have much in put on this.
Be sure to let them dry out before storing them.

Here is my cool seed collection center!

Good luck I hope someone gives you some info on this.

 

[Greensage45]

That's odd,

You let your flowers go without deadheading, and then you let them dry on the plant and then took them in. Is it possible the seeds shed out before you were able to collect them?

The marigold seeds would be an empty casing if they did not have seeds, so I am half thinking that you aren't missing the seeds. Very odd indeed.

Are you able to recognize the seeds but they just are not viable the following season?

Ron

 

[Ridgerunner]

With zinnias and marigolds, I let them go brown and dry on the plant, pick them, shred them into a flat tray, dry them further by raking my fingers through them for a few weeks, and store them when they are very dry. I did not try to separate the dried flower petals from the zinnia seeds but sowed everything. When I sow them, I scatter the seeds on loose soil and rake them in with my fingers. Mine germinated well.

Did you let the soil warm up before you sowed them?

 

[prism]

I have some zinnia's, marigolds, & few other annuals, I'd like to save seed for next year. I let the flower heads die, go brown, pick them and store them. Next year, nothing.....what am I doing wrong?

Diahlia's dig the roots up or let them over winter in ground? Northern Indiana.

How do you store them?

 

[orloff]

I have some nasturtiums that we acidentally tore up out of the ground today. I was wondering if the seeds can still be used because there green and really moist. When my scarlet runners died when we had so much heat and couldnt use water I pullet the seed pods off and tried to save the seeds but they got rippled up.

 

[lesa]

Save the nasturtiums- they will dry out. Just lay them out in a layer on a plate or platter- you might loose a few, but most will dry out... Good luck!

 

[injunjoe]

Save the nasturtiums- they will dry out. Just lay them out in a layer on a plate or platter- you might loose a few, but most will dry out... Good luck!

I agree. It is at least worth a try to see if they developed enough to be viable.

Orloff welcome to the board.

 

[ducks4you]

Just a thought because I seem to want to dry out seeds on the same high traffic places that all of us use for every other purpose!!!!--
pick a dry windowsill or table next to a windowsill in a quiet part of the horse that isn't frequented. You'll probably forgot about them, so mark it on your kitchen calendar to check in about 3 weeks. Then, store and label.

 

[Rosalind]

Definitely dig up the dahlia tubers and put em in the basement or garage to overwinter.

Seeds, depends--I would imagine you'd have noticed if there weren't any seeds in the casings. How did you store them? I usually put mine in the crisper drawer of the fridge, and they do OK. Some, like calendulas and poppies, I don't mind if they self-sow a bit.