Harvesting Bat Faced Cuphea seed

I've gathered some seeds from my Bat faces, and would like to know when is it a good time to sow them and how. If now is not the right time, how would I store them? I was trying to find a good book, with lots of pictures (needs visuals here) on saving seeds and then planting them. I saw in the Bookworm section about a book called "from seed to bloom", but I can NOT find it anywhere at any of the bookstores here in town. Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
PiggyPoo :0)

I just bought a book, Success With Seeds by Chris and Valerie Wheeler. It lists lots of plants , how to grow from seeds, when to plant, how long to germinate,etc. It doesn't list cupheas,however.

I ,too, grow the batface. Last year I thought I was collecting seeds, but I ended up with nothing. Maybe they were too green or I didn't know what to collect ! ( I'm not too good in the seeds dept !) Anyway I tried to root some and had no luck there either although I was told it was easy. I waited until late winter and pulled up the dead plant. Much to my surprise, it grew back this spring ( so I didn't pull ALL of it up !). Let me know what you find out. Sorry I am no help.

Hey, thanks for responding! That's help enough right there. I thought this post got lost in the forest somewhere LOL

When I harvested the seeds, I found that there were some very very dark seeds, and some very light seeds. I know they were the seeds, because I'd seen a picture of them. I only took from flowers that had burst open, thinking that...if they'd done that, then nature says they are ready. I'm "assuming" that the darker seeds are the ones that have completely dried out and are "ready", and the lighter ones still needing to dry. I put them all in a little dish, and they are all starting to be the same, dark color. So, over the weekend, I stuck some in some dirt. I don't know if it is the right time of year, or if I needed to soak them, stratify them..or what. Time will tell!! Couldn't find any info on if it would grow from seeds, just softwood cuttings.

Oh, and I am sooo new at this seed stuff LOL And I'll have to check out that book

Thanks again,
Lorri