how do you know when to take seed pods ?

Liz you say to "take the pods off when the pod stem (peduncle) turns beigish and the pod softens. Usually about 4 months. If you haven't grown seeds from your own pods before it's a thrill whoever the parents are."

the pods feel soft now to me ? & the stems (peduncles) are no longer green ? one of the pods is getting dry & brown on the tip, plus i have no idea how old they are. can seed pods be different ages ? from different bloom flushes ? can they stay on the plant too long ? there are 7 of them. maybe sacrifice one (the brown tip one) to find out ? if so then what ?

Dick Strever
Addicted Brugie Newbie

Hi Dick. Welcome. Great looking pods there! Sure you can have all ages of pods. And they can take a longer time esp if over winter. I just harvested one yesterday that was pollinated on 11/16/03.

Leave them on a bit more and they will start to be obviously getting old and ripe.

I have heard of some that never show on the outside they are ripe but the seeds have germinated inside and died. Bu thius is rare!

When I could not stand it anymore, I just dug out a little piece in the pod and looked in. I then just left it like that for another month until they matured. So take a sneak peek. Some slice a 3 sided window and then reglue the 3 sides down if the seeds are white and not ripe.

Dick, I don't have as much experience as a lot of the people on Dave's but I found that on my plants the pods ripen differently depending on the variety. I don't think yours look ripe yet. Some pods turned yellow, such as on Rosamond. The pods on my Whiskers stayed green but got mushy (no, they didn't freeze). All the seeds were nice & big & brown. I don't think any ripened in only 4 months (most were closer to 6 months) but they were in a greenhouse that occasionally got down into the high 40's during the winter. I've got a big pod on Logee's Species from Nov. that is really taking her time. It's been 7 months now for that one. Linda

here is a closer view of some of the pods
the arrows are pointing to what i think might be signs of age wrinkles, & hardening of the skin
but if you still think they are not old enough they stay on the plant.

Dick Strever

I can't tell by the photo. But I have shriveled up pods and I immediately plant seeds and I get babies so you have some room to play in. They usually look decrepit enough you can tell!

Thanks Kell

i will wait for them to get senile B4 i pick them :-)

Dick Strever

Hallo Dick and welcome!
The pods look like they are not ready yet to be picked. As long as the surface of a pod is shiny, he is not ripe.

Thank you Monika

i am slowly working my way thru your book
a lot of information overload at my age :-)

Dick Strever

one of the seed pods fell off
the stem was soft & wrinkled like it was rotting
the pod skin is also soft & ripped open easily
the seeds are all white
is there something wrong ???

Dick

I bet somehow the peduncle got hurt and the pod was withering from lack of nutrients. They are not ripe. I am sorry! They turn dark when ripe. Some say they have had luck with such immature ones if they quickly pot them up. I have tried, but I do not think I was ever successful.

A ripe pod shucked.