here are some pics requested by members as to what to look for in some seeds
Celosia. When the stalk is all white and dry cut stalk and put in bag and shake or tap vigorously. Has small black salvia like seeds
Seed Pods
Baleria(spelling)
Baleria seed pod
Mexican Flame vine- cuttings root very easy
Mex Flame vine dry seed heads.
I don't know what this plant is but I had it come up in purple, white, and yellow. thinking about digging it up and moving so it doesn't get mowed next year. also will collect seeds. Anyone know what it is. has tiny daisy like flowers smaller than a penny
seed heads ready
the seeds
Red Salvia
Salvia dry seed ready
Salvia Mexican Limelight
seeds ready
to collect Porterweed seed. Put seed stalks in bag, crunch, shake and tap vigorously. Throw away the stalks. It is that easy
Salvia I just pull my hand up the stalk getting all the dry seed heads. Put in bag and shake and tap vigorously. Gently shake seeds to bottom corner of bag and scoop out the dry seed heads
Great thread Donna! Do you know what that first Celosia is named? I got seeds from our Botanic Gardens a few years ago and grew some last year. They are beautiful! A local group of friends were just talking about it this week too.
I'm glad to know the Mexican Flame Vine does root easily. I just went out yesterday and took some cuttings and put them in water. I have never seen seeds on my vines tho. I think that because they are annuals here that they get wet from fall rain and then it freezes before they ever dry. Usually they are just a furry mess. I bought a larger plant this year that had been cut back and overwintered so I'm hoping it might actually come back next year.
just dropping in because I saw this link the other day that was useful
http://theseedsite.co.uk/seedpods.html
Thank you Al. That is a great site. gonna book mark it
Paige I think it is called Pink Candle Celosia
Thanks Donna and Al. Very helpful what you both have posted on this thread! Thanks, Donna for starting this thread!
Hi,
I have that celosia here in Ausralia it is known as Celosia 'Flamingo Feather':)
that's it Annette. Thank you for the name
Yes, thanks for that name. I need to remember to plant more of them next year.
I am going to dig mine up for winter and over winter them. The only reason I have a few now is they came up in the pot I originally had before the hurricane. Can't believe the seeds were still in the pot after being under 19' of saltwater and muck that I cleaned out of the few pots I found trying to salvage plants
I'd love to see more seed collecting pictures of other plants too. Wouldn't it make for a great thread! Thank you Donna for sharing these. The only ones I have that are posted here are salvia. Didn't know what to look for until now.
Deborah
Donna, did you not get the seeds I sent last spring? LMK, because I can put together another packet for you. You shared both 'Pink Candles' and 'Flamingo Feather' Wheatstraw Celosia with me, as well as a bunch of other butterfly favorites, and I did my best to return the favor... so if you need me to resend these seeds or any others, PLMK!
Great photos and instructions, thanks!
Yes I sure did get them but with the drought not much grew. I watered a hour every day in the wildflower bed and I am having a few thing bloom now. Nothing grew until we started getting some rain in late July. DH has been wanting to mow it since not much is growing and I won't let him so I can collect a few seeds lol. I even replanted in July without any luck. Desperately need lots of Zinnia seed for next year. I am good on the celosia. I already potted up one of the plants a couple of weeks ago and it is fine so will dig up the other 2 plus will be able to collect some seeds from them. Thanks for thinking of me
Good! When I read your post, I couldn't remember if you'd mentioned whether or not the seeds had made it to you...
Needing zinnias here too... I will check with a friend of mine and see if hers did better than mine... If you think of anything else you'd like for next year, please ask, and I'll check my stash. I remember with gratitude that fat pack of so many varieties that you shared with this newbie when all I had to offer in return was a baggie full of zinnia seeds! I sure wish I had another big baggie to send you... I will ask around! :-)
Thankyou Critter
Well shoot Donna, I just sent your stuff out today and would have included more zinnia seeds if I had known! I did send you some of my most favorite red one with a yellow center. Everything loves them! We just had a lot of rain so when they dry more I'll collect a lot more.
I have seeds from several different ones I had last year and some this year too. I wasn't sure how long seeds were good so I only sent fresh ones. In the past I let them dry, put them in paper envelopes then stored them in a plastic bin. Are they still good? I guess it wouldn't hurt to throw them out.
Pardon my hand, but this is the red zinnia. ...arghhh, I never saw that spider on it before!!
This message was edited Nov 8, 2006 9:22 PM
beautiful Paige. Don't throw out the old seeds. I will take them. I have had 2 year old seeds grow. Just keep in cool, dry, dark place and they are usually good for a couple of years. I read somewhere that Morning Glory seeds are good for 50 years!!!
I have seeds for these orange zinnias in the bottom right corner of this picture too. They reseed great and never fail to attract many things.
Picking out the seeds is a little time consuming. It's really easier to just take an entire flower head and send it to someone. Is that acceptable behavior in seed trading? lol
I've noticed everyone has sent me such nicely packaged seeds! Where do you get those tiny little clear bags for them? I've discussed this before with others because we weren't sure if storing seeds in plastic was good. Is storing them safe as long as they are thoroughly dry? I have used up all my coin envelopes and was debating on which to use, or just use Baggies.
Love that red zennia the most of all too Paige, my daughter gave me several plants in Spring.. All the butterflies that came through stopped at them, and the hummers too. :o)
Red is the color to have for sure! This year I really became fond of them.
o/
The paper ones are probably best. Some I had in plastic that weren't quite dry enough did smell a tiny bit.. If ya do use the plastic ones maybe perforate them with several breathing holes. I got them at Staples by the hundred, for justa few bucks.
I love the red ones the most...and the orange, and yellow...lol These are red tho, less orange than the picture looks, and about 3' tall. The ones in your pic look to be hot pink and I have tall ones that color too. It's probably a tie between those and the red ones as to who draws the most attention. The best part is that I got them all from one packet of cheap seeds from a friend about 4 years ago!
That's what I've heard about the plastic, but they sure are nicer. My cheap brown paper sacks work great for collecting and storing but I like the clear bags for saving them so I can see the seeds. The problem with the coin envelopes too is that they don't reseal.
Paige I don't mind whole seed pods. Just make sure when you offer to let the person know it will be whole seed pod, has chaff, etc. I look at it this way if it is free I'll take them any way I can get them lol. What seed I harvest for the wildflower bed i just kind of crunch them and shake them up to all mixed together
LOL, I know that big baggie I sent to you was dried flower petals and seeds mixed together... I still haven't figured out a good way to separate the zinnia seeds from the chaff, so my answer is to sow a generous amount of both. Actually, the dried petals help me see where I've tossed the seeds... :-)
I like the little plastic baggies, and the cheapest price I've found on them has been in the craft department at WalMart. The trick is to make sure your seeds are really, really dry before sealing them up in plastic... moldy seeds are no fun!
Ok yeah hot pink.. they came up darker and darker as they got taller though, Iove em any shade of red or red-orange or red-pink. lol. (So do the creatures.) I actually use the lil plastic ones too, some did get a tad bit of mold though. We need to invent some little paper ones with a cellophane window on them. Or plastic ones with lots of tiny perforations, maybe?? Your red-orange ones really popped paige. Give me any color of red, and I'm happier that a lil pink pig. hehe. I'm with critter, I don't mind the chaff atall when trading like we do, just so I get some.
Donna I really really appreciate your thread, it is important people know just how to glean the seed. Many are only viable when they are taken after they 'rattle' in the pods. Spotting them on other flowers can be very difficult at first. wtg!
I am sending out 7 or so parcels this week, and still have a lot of spare seed. Expecting more new & unusual things in the mail too. Then will need to update the list. I really enjoy trying out new cultivars until they are successful.
The forecast is still reading for a rainier than normal winter this year, that should make for a bountiful Spring! I really have to fight being anxious about it all.
o/
Anyone know how to get plumbago seed?
Karen just look where the flower blooms. There should be some sign unless it drops off
The flower does drop off.