When to harvest seeds of annuals

The simplest method for propagating annual plants is seed production. Collecting and storing annual flower seeds is not difficult. Even a novice gardener can handle it. But it’s not enough to just collect the seeds; you need to save them for planting after 5-9 months of dormancy.

What do you need to collect seeds?

It's necessary to prepare trays and jars in which to store the seeds. It's important to remember that they should never be mixed with each other. The containers should be easy to open for removing the planting material or for airing it during storage.

Place a label on the tray with the name of the plant whose seeds are stored there. This way, by spring, there will be no confusion about what decoration they will grow into.

Used jars should be washed and dried. Any foreign odors should be removed. The jars should be darkened to block sunlight.

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Where are the seeds of flowers formed?

https://youtu.be/tJpGF1yA38U

Depending on the type of inflorescence, the location of seed maturation also varies. Seed capsules are present on the flowers of the following crops:

1. Lupine.
2. Sweet pea.
3. Viola (pansy).

It's best to harvest the pods early in the morning or in damp weather. In dry weather and under the sun, there's a risk of crushing the capsule, causing the burst blades to scatter.

Asters are best harvested in dry weather, when the cotyledons have changed color and withered. If it rains constantly and the bulblets need to be preserved, they are harvested unripe and ripened at home.

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Dahlias are deliberately picked unripe, as seeds that reach home retain their nutrients (endosperm) better over the winter. Cornflowers are perhaps the most unusual in terms of harvesting. The seeds are removed along with the dried petals.

Morning glory is ready for harvesting in August, right when it's in bloom. The black seed pods are removed from the flower and dried indoors. Marigolds, pot marigolds, and lobelias produce small "helicopters" when their petals have withered but not yet fallen.

To preserve your favorite flowers and replant them next year, collect their bulblets in time, save them over the winter, and plant them in the spring. Periodically monitor the environment in which the plant's gametes are resting. If the humidity is high, dry the seed capsule. If any specimens show signs of spoilage or mold, sort through the entire capsule and discard any unwanted items.