Edited:
Nevermind...I'm answering my own question now...LOL
I've been removing the "fluffies" from these seeds and watching some of them float around our livingroom...Good Grief! Milkweed seeds are definately a pain in the behind to store...
This message was edited Aug 20, 2009 11:26 AM
Need info about harvesting milkweed seeds...
My cat used to get a kick out of them.
She was older though so she just kept an eye on them until they settled.
Probably not healthy to let a cat play with them....
OMG Susan, I did the same thing this winter! The silk was everywhere. And I was trying to save it for hummingbird nesting material. oy.
Hello Nilly,
What a cute story...HA! Thanks for sharing :)
Mrs_Ed,
You're a hoot! "oy"...ROFL...
After I plucked a few hundred from their respective fluffies, which I began carefully placed in a bowl beside me on the couch while I was watching TV...then the phone rang. I got up from the couch and the majority of the fluffies got caught up in the wind tunnel I created and they left a trail from the livingroom to the kitchen...AGH!
I was able to get the majority of them in the vaccum cleaner before my DH me home...but there were enough left that I missed that he asked me what the ----- was floating in the livingroom.
If only he was around before I vaccumed...so clueless...LOL
This message was edited Aug 20, 2009 10:29 PM
Just in case you didn't see this method of seed removal, here is a great explaination by onalee, complete with pictures.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/216026/
Hello Sheila,
Thanks for posting the link. I'll know for next year! I feel like such a dummy! Oh well, it's only my 2nd year gardening...
Well that's a great photo. But one has to not be lazy and wait until they're all really dry.
I wound up putting them all in a gallon ziplock bag and sort of rolling the bag to loosen the seeds and goosh all the silk together.
Boy, I have lots of seeds this year too, as I didn't trim.
I discovered that not-so-dry method earlier this summer, but wondered how to be sure the seeds are READY before I "hatch" them early!
Usually the pod will turn a pale green/yellow and you can pinch it and it will start to split. Holding the tip tightly and rakeing them is the best method I think. But when I have gotten seeds late, and already bursting, I put them in a paper bag without the pod and shake them well. But OUTSIDE Susan, LOL! Usually the fluff will hang inside the bag at the top and the seeds fall to the bottom. Clip a very small hole in one corner, and shake the seeds out. You may miss a few seeds, but you don't have to hassle with the fluff, just discard the bag.
Thaks, Sheila!