Harvest Victoria Blue Salvia???

Is there a simple way to harvest Victoria Blue Salvia?? I really enjoy this plant in the summer. I am taking each seed pod and pulling it apart and scraping the seeds out. This is very tedious and time consuming. I have tried to turn the stalk upside down and shake it, but it just rattles with nothing coming out. I have thought of taking a rolling pin and going over the stalks to seed if I can break the pod and then filter the seed out with a sieve. However, I don't know if it would crush the seeds. Please advise.
While I am asking, I would appreciate any advice on winter sowing these cuties. Baggies? I have had trouble getting much germination and plants. I get some, but would like more plants.

the blue salvia is beautiful isn't it! It's always a staple in my garden. Comes back year after year because I just let the seeds drop .. .sometimes I will strip the stalk roll the pods around in my hand to help open them, then scatter them around the garden.

Lucky you, I have never had them re-seed. I buy them every spring. I probably have too much mulch on my soil for the seed to sprout. I think I will scrape some of the mulch away and see if I can get some to reseed. However, I have done that before with other plants (larkspur) and grew 0.

I have the rubber mulch.. . they still seed thru it...bought the original plants about 4 years ago. . lil things back then. . now they're all over the bed.

dirtygirl71 how about sharing some of those beautiful seeds.... hint hint hint....


Janet

birder,
I just cut the stalks off the plant, then pull the seeds heads off over a paper plate and let them dry for awhile. Once they dry the fall out of the pod very easily. Also you can turn the stalks upside down in a paper sack.( lunch size) and let them dry for awhile then shake them out.

Thanks for replying. I haven't had that experience with mine. The tiny pods are dry, but the little black seeds have to be forced out by painstakingly splitting the little gray pod and then the seeds drop out. I must be doing something wrong!

I purchased some plants last year. collected some seeds, and I plan to WS them. Hopefully with good success -- then next year I should have a lot of seeds to trade.

I just stumbled onto this thread. 2 things crossed my mind.

1. are the seed pods still a bit immature when you picked them?

2. Are you using a weed killer like Preem, it will prevent seeds from sprouting, that could be why they are not reseeding.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I have used Preen. Doesn't Preen go away after about 6 weeks? I know the weeds sure come back!
I think the seed pods are mature when picked.
I have let my seed "set" for awhile--got distracted by other activities. I will try the paper sack idea. Hopefully, they will come out better.