Written by Deric Stowell, Colorado Master Gardener since 2014 and Marge Vorndam, Colorado Master Gardener since 1997
Next Spring, many of us will be visiting the seed towers or procuring veggies or ornamental plant seeds from a plant nursery or big box store. Did you know that you can save your seeds from this year’s plants and grow your own plants next year? It can be a great hobby to be a plant master parent. What a great sense of accomplishment! Let’s investigate what’s involved.
First, you should identify the plant from which you wish to collect seed. (If you are unsure of exactly what your plant is, bring a sample to your local extension office for Identification. You don’t want to bring home a noxious weed!) That happens during summertime when the plant is flowering or setting fruit. Tag or label the plant to remember which plant you’d like to grow. In our part of the country, flowers mainly set seeds in the fall. So, that’s when we collect them. Make sure that the seed head is mature and healthy. In ornamental plants, wait for the brown pods to develop and be close to releasing the seeds within. For fruit, you must research when to harvest them. Mature corn seed dries on the cob. Beans develop in non-harvested pods. Tomato seeds come from fermented “over-ripened” tomatoes. So, there’s no one-size-fits-all way to harvest seed.
If the plant from which you are collecting seed is on someone’s property or public lands, first ask for permission to collect or get a permit. The Colorado Native Plant Society provides information about how to legally collect seeds if the plant is not on your property.
Collect the mature seed on a warm, dry day. Seeds should be harvested during the seed distribution season for the plant of interest, generally in autumn. Collecting tools such as scissors, shears and a collecting receptacle will be necessary. Use paper bags or envelopes rather than plastic bags to hold the seed initially. Seeds may not be completely dry when collected, and paper will allow the residual moisture to evaporate to ripen the seed. You can also lay the seed out on paper to further dry it.
After the seeds are completely dry, separate the seed from the hull in which it developed. A mallet may be useful in this process where the seed head is woody. For instance, the hulls of Penstomen are thick and woody-thus, a mallet breaks the seed-containing hull open to release the interior seeds. Once separated from the hull, store the seed in a ventilated glass jar or paper bag. Add a label that will remind you when the seed was harvested, what plant the seed is from, and the name of the collector (you). Store your seed container in a ventilated cool, dry place until you are ready to tackle planting in the spring.
Next, research when to plant the seed in the spring. Seeds may require scarification (nicking or otherwise cracking the seed coat. Pinon nut and Pinecone seeds fall into this category) or stratification (storing the seed in a refrigerator or freezer) before it can be successfully sprouted. Again, doing some research on growing the specific seed of interest is highly recommended. Generally, seeds should be started between March to early May.
Seed collection can be a very rewarding activity. Enjoy the opportunity to try it in your neighborhood.
Penstemon hulls that require the Mallet treatment to remove seeds.
Parsley Flowers in Bloom
Parsley Seeds ready for harvest
References
Colorado Native Plant Society. 2015. Guidelines for Collection of Native Plants
https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/guidelinesforcollection.pdf
Seed Savers Exchange. 2021. Seed Savers Exchange. https://www.seedsavers.org/learn