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Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
I'm sure there may be some people new to seed collecting, saving and trading.
Feel free to ask any questions and also give any advice you may have.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
The first thing of course is wait until the seed head is dried.
I take out little paper or plastic cup with small pieces of paper to write on and a pencil. I gather the seed and put it in the cup and write the name of the seed on the paper and put it in the cup with the seeds. You can also just write on the cups if you want. I use the paper label so I can recycle the cups for other seeds.
I leave them in the cups a few days to makes sure they are completely dry and bug free. If you do happen to find any type of creepy crawlies you can just pop them in the freezer for a day or 2. The exceptions would be tropical seeds and some tender annuals.
Once they are dry you can store them in small plastic bags or paper coin envelopes labeled with the name and date collected if you wish.
Some seeds are easier that others. Morning Glory seeds are easy, they are large, the seed heads are easy to find and open. Others, like annual asters are a bit difficult. They are small seeds full of chaff and hard to see. Coneflowers are a bit tricky, they are sharp
It gets easier once you get your own system. This works for me. Someone else may use a different way.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Name: Stormy Valley Forge Pa I Love MAM ~ So Happy Together
Thanks Ronnie. That was a very good description. I've also seen other people recommend collecting them in baggies. I've mostly used baggies for the small seeds that drop off easily.
Others, I've just collected the whole seed heads and brought them inside to remove the seeds.
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
I don't like putting them in the baggies right away. I've had some that I thought were dry and they went moldy. That's why I suggest to wait a few days. Sometimes I use paper plates and write the names on them. They can be recycled and used over just by crossing out the names.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Name: Stormy Valley Forge Pa I Love MAM ~ So Happy Together
A gal in another cubit posted this great link for winter sowing. it has a good bit of information plus a number of more great links at the bottom. It is from wintersown.org.
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
Great link Stormy. I remember getting free seeds from there when I first started many years ago.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Great idea for a thread Ronnie. I am new to seed collecting and only two seasons in for seed starting. The only collecting I've done this fall is the baptisia 'purple smoke'. I gathered all the seed pods and they are sitting in a glass bowl on my kitchen counter. I'll pop the seeds out one night while sitting in front of the TV. When the engineer came out to do additional drawings for the conservatory, he gave me a real funny look when he saw those pods on the counter - he either thought they were something foreign I was cooking up for dinner or some kind of exotic hallucinogen He had just gotten back from a Rush concert, so I think he was hoping for the latter
I have some seeds that I purchased for 2009 and 2010 seasons that I never did get planted - do you think they are still viable? In general, how long will seeds keep?
“Surely as cometh the Winter, I know there are spring violets under the snow.” (Robert H. Newell)
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
Terri most seeds if stored in a cool dry are can be kept for years. Germination just gets less as the years go by. Some exceptions I know of that should be sewn as soon as possible are Delphinium, passion flower. Calendula and Marigold the fresher the better. I'm sure there are others. I'll try to get a list together. What seeds did you purchase?
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Larkspur, Dianthus, Morning Glory (not Japanese - didn't even know about these until recently), zinnia, cup and saucer vine, purple bell vine, snail vine, moon flower
“Surely as cometh the Winter, I know there are spring violets under the snow.” (Robert H. Newell)
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
Dianthus, Morning Glory ,zinnia and moon flower will last forever The larkspur a while but not as long, but yours should still germinate. The cup and saucer vine the fresher the better. I always try anyway if it's something I really want Snail Vine should last a long time too.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
Here are a few links if anyone wants to get crafty and make their own seed packets. If you are feeling creative and want to save a few bucks...here ya go
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
Name: Ronnie Southeastern PA~Zone 6 I Love MAM~So Happy Together
That's seven more than me
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it last forever. It can not be borrowed or stolen, and it is of no earthly good until it is given away. So if in your hurry you meet someone who is too weary to smile, leave him one of yours, for no one needs a smile quite as much as he who has none to give...
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He had just gotten back from a Rush concert, so I think he was hoping for the latter 
Snail Vine should last a long time too.
That's seven more than me 
