Expecting a hard freeze tonight ~ what do you think the chances are that this will ripen indoors?
Collecting seeds
I haven't tried it myself but I have read that some people in colder climes will cut the stalk and bring it inside. T hey put it in a vase and change water daily. Once the stalk/leaves are brown they aren't doing anything for seed nourishment. Then it is a matter of just letting the pod dry.
Oops, too late ~ I already snapped it off. Guess I'll just see what happens but thanks for the advice.
When moving from Ont. to BC in October long long ago, I drove out with a bucket of water on floor of front seat just full of stems carefully labelled. Only prob. I worried about was freezing overnight in the mtns. Seeds were just fine. Am sure your seedpod will be fine Moby. Maybe try to crack it open now to dry and make sure no baddies munching inside pod. Sometimes you can find tiny tiny thingys inside.
Inanda
I collected a couple seed pods that were not open. After about 2 weeks they were not dry yet. I opened them and a few had germinated in the pod! Thats my story any way, so maybe breaking the top open a little to help dry them?
And it is interesting how the seeds dry from the top down. I mean, not weird, because of course they would since the pod cracks open at the top and not the bottom. My point is that even though a pod cracks open, indicating the seed is definitely mature, there is always seed that is white and not dried out, yet still is mature.
Many, if not most, seed of all species(not just lilies) are ripe well before the "seed container" opens. If I were you, I think I would let it lay out of the sun inside for a week or so before I fiddle with it. Even without a source of water, there could still be some afterripening going on. And when I would crack it open (if it doesn't do it on its own), I'd only do it a little, so the drying will happen slowly. I can't help thinking that those moist white seeds are more vulnerable to both physical and pathogenic dangers, than dry seed.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and encouragement. I'm inclined to think it might be OK since it is very light-weight for it's size. It's from a henryi and wouldn't be a great loss if it didn't work out. Though I am really bummed that I found no ripe seeds pods on any of the japanese morning glorys... those I'd really hate to lose. Oh, well.... such is a gardener's life!
Never got any seed on my JM's either. And I am hoping I have a some on Ipomea obscura and I. trichocarpa...trichoderma...trichosomething. Was 25 F (-4 C) last night.
I'm still hoping that a pod will be found once the JMG leaves have dies back ~ all nestled safe and sound in the vines.