Saving Flower Seeds for the First Time

Don't you just love flowers

especially if they're growing in your own back yard?

Me too!

Yet I have not been too successful in the past.

My trouble was that I just didn't pay attention when my parents tried to teach me.

So last year I joined a local Garden Club.

These little garden ladies are so helpful and packed full of knowledge

and are nice enough to share this info with me -

I can actually see my thumbs turning a little green!

So here, with their help, is my first attempt at saving some of my flower seeds.

I had great luck with marigolds this year.

I actually planted them from starter plants

but am told they are easy to grow from seeds.

The first step to saving the seeds is to pick the spent blooms.

I've shown you the fresh picked bloom above,

with a spent bloom below and to the left, and the seeds on the right.

Here's the close up of a "spent flower" one that has bloomed and dried up.

Make sure it is completely dry, then simply pull off the petals.

Each petal is attached to a seed!

If they are completely dry, as these are,

you can store them in a paper sack or individual envelope as I did.

Be sure to label accordingly.

Zinnias were my favorite flower this year.

I actually grew these from seeds!

I know, I can't believe it!

The same principle apply to the Zinnias.

Pick off the spent blooms and let them dry completely...

 store the dried seeds in envelopes or small paper sacks

 in a dry, cool space for next spring.

Here's a picture of the zinnias in their state of decompose.

Fresh picked Zinnias on top,

spent blooms - starting to wilt

and completely dry on the bottom.

Just one bloom will produce many seeds - I didn't count,

but probably around 30 is my guess!

Last year I spent $1.99 each for two packets Zinnia Seeds.

 

This year I plan to harvest 50 times that

from the blooms and expand my planting area.

It is the middle of August

 and my Zinnias are still blooming.

(I have a 3' x5' area on the NW corner of the house)

I cut fresh flowers every week for bouquets.

All I did was keep the soil moist until I saw the little sprouts forming,

then watered once a week.

Be sure to check back with me next spring

when I plant my harvested flower seeds.

(and we'll see if this worked!)

 

Keep Calm and Kerri On!