Seed catching pouches

This is my first time to the seed forum because I don't normally collect or grown from seed. I do, however, collect my hellebore seeds because everyone that falls germinates and them I have a clump of seedlings. Now, by collecting them, I can spread them more evenly over the soil and seed bed. Like I said, these are the only seeds I collect because they are the only ones I've been able to throw down and they grow.

Anyway, at the risk of y'all already know about these, I just found a great way to collect the seeds and wanted to share it. I use to use little nets that came off of store bought flowers that held the plowers closed until you brought them home. NOW, I've discovered these cheap wedding favor mesh bags at Wal-Mart. They are wonderful because they have side drawstrings and allow you to tighten the neck of the bag over the flower. I love them!

Thanks for sharing that 3 gardeners. I staple modified paper envelops on them and it looks pretty ugly compared to those cute little bags. Hope our Wal-Mart carries them too!

Great idea! It would work great for those datura seeds that pop out all over, and much cuter than the old pantyhose I was using, lol!

Love the idea. I've been tying ziploc sandwich bags and putting lots of little tiny holes in it. Think it will be ok.? Course if it rains much, it will get rain in it, where the mesh will let it drain out.

The little wedding favor bags are great, just don't tie them too tight. When the knot gets rained on, it's almost impossible to untie. (been there-done that)

The ones I get don't tie, you just pull the two knots on the side and they slip together, sinching in the middle.
I can just see me trying to untie a knot that had been "sealed" by getting wet and then drying. I can assure you they would end up being cut open and only a one time use product! ^_^ LOL

I have never collected seeds before, and this is my first year of actually growing from seed and had fantastic luck! So I am hooked! I was wondering how I was going to be able to collect them from my existing plants, so as not to have to spend money next year....What a fantastic Idea! I love of. I will be going to Wally World this afternoon and stocking up....thanks.....from the Noob


TJB

For those that shop online, you can find these for a much lower price than the ones at WalMart, and in a variety of sizes.

http://www.giftsintl.com/organzabag.php has 3x4 bags in a 30 pack for 2.40 (8 cents each). I've not bought from them before, but the price is great.

You could also try muslin drawstring bags if you want something that's not a poly blend http://www.sunburstbottle.com/bags/tea-muslin

Are the 3 x 4's the best size. Do you use them on all your plants, or just certain ones. I haven't done this except with a baggie and had no luck with that, so want to do it right.

When do you put the bags on? When the seeds look ready to pop?

I'm really n ot stupid, just my questions are! lol

Those are all the questions I have as well.......New to the seed collecting. I planted from seed this year for the first time and some very nice folks from this site donated seeds to me, I want to collect as many seeds as I can so that I can help others as well.....also, I want to make sure that I do it correctly...


TJB

This was such a great idea! I went to walmart today just to get some! I love that you don't have to worry about tieing them! Thanks for the great idea : )

I use old pantyhose... yup... I'm old school. Works very well as it lets air in and out. I tie it off with string or a twisty tie. The toes of the stockings work best, but you can use all of the legs... and knee highs are great too.

Donna

Such a cool idea. Now are the organza (I think that is what they called it) net, or????

Thanks,

Jeanette

Thanks for the tip!

They're organza and you can also find them at most craft stores like Michael's, MJ Designs, and Hobby Lobby.

Stephanie

Thanks Stephanie. I never thought about that, but my daughter works at Michaels. I had an order made out for muslim, burlap, and organza bags on one of those posted, but by the time they added not only the shipping which was bad enough, but then the handling fee, and something else, those were more than a third of the total so I canceled the order. I refuse to be taken advantage of.

I will ask my daughter to take a look where she works. She works in a store 400 miles from me but I am sure her shipping, by just sticking them in a padded envelope wouldn't be as much as they were going to charge.

Jeanette

Like Donna, I use old pantyhose and they work great. I collect them from my Mom and from friends. And they're free. I'm cheap :-)

Karen

That's also a good idea!

I did that also when I was working. Now that I am retired and moved out rural, I don't have those things anymore and don't know anyone else around here that does either. Most everybody out in this area is in the same boat.

Oh well good thought anyway. Thanks,

Jeanette

Thanks tinabeana for the gifts international site. It is really cheaper than WalMart. I have been ollecting seeds in this manner all summer and WalMart does not carry the bags all the time. Thanks again. André

At roughly $3/yard for organza and $4/50 yds of grosgrain ribbon, you could likely make these quickly- straight seams, easy to mass produce. Nice little gifts for gardening friends too.

Maggie

Smegtone, my daughter got me some of the 3x4 and the next size up pouches. I tried them on my verbena but didn't get anything. No seeds. Have you tried verbena? It is one of my favorite plants but I just don't have any luck collecting seeds.

Jeanette

Hi Jeanette, I did collect some seeds from verbena, but didn't put a pouch on, I should have. I didn't get any growth from what I collected also. I have more success with lantanas. André

Really!! So, where are the seeds on the lantana, those little cone shaped things? That's interesting. I brought the only lantana I have in, cut off the stems for cuttings, which rotted, and now there is new growth coming out of the base.

The seeds on Lantana are really easy to see. They are just little black balls , kind of like 4 o clocks. Mine haven't put on any this year and I don't know why. Oh well, mayabe later.

So Andre, why wouldn't Lorraine's put on any seeds? See, I think that is the problem with my Verbenas. I don't think they are producing seeds.

Jeanette

Hi Jeanette, if you look at the plant files, most of the verbenas set seeds.

I've had a DGer send me pictures of her verbena seeds lying all over the place. Mine have nothing like that. Ever! I think I have sterile plants. I wonder if it is something in the potting mix I use. I have about 7 or 8 different verbena colors and no seeds. Very frustrating.

Jeanette

Jnette: What type of verbena is it? A tall one, like verbena bonariensis, or an annual, trailing type? Do you know the name, or can you post a picture?

My annual verbenas are setting seeds.

Karen

They are container size. Some trailing, some uprights but not big. Spreading. How do you know they are setting seed Karen? Someone sent me pictures of them looking like bones but no matter what stage mine are there are not any of those. Even when I put the pouches over them. I am sure they are all annuals. At least up here they are. Maybe in a warmer climate they would over-winter.

Jeanette

The sun is going down now, and it's way too windy to get pictures. If the weather settles down tomorrow, I'll try to get a picture for you if any are ripe.

Are you waiting until the seedheads are mature, brown or mostly brown?

Karen

Yes on all of the above. I told my sister of the trouble I was having so she was going to show me. She couldn't find any either.

Jeanette

Here you go, Jnette.

Here is a mature seedhead. Note it's like a bunch of brown sticks on a stem

Here I pulled off one of the little brown sticks from the stem, opening it to reveal the 4 seeds on the right.

Karen

Well Karen what happened to the ones that looked like bones? Weren't you the one that had the site that showed the seeds so clearly?

I found a seed I still had in a pouch. I pulled it out and pulled it apart and all I have is a pile of of of of crap. LOL

Let me ask you, if some of these are seeds and I plant them now will they germinate? What do you think? What if I sprinkle them in some soil mix?

Jeanette

Karen, I found a pack of verbena seeds left from last year. There are nothing in this thing I pulled apart that look like those.

Jeanette

Hi Karen, that would be a good picture to add to the plant files.

Jnette: I guess it's possible that it's sterile, or that it wasn't pollinated? Could the seeds have fallen out of the pouch, or through the pouch fabric? Could some be stuck inside the pouch?There are sterile plants out there, though I don't know if there are sterile verbena.

If I could magnify these seeds enough, I'd still call them bones. (One of the reasons I have a good magnifying glass, to ID seeds. It can be very helpful). They're like little splinters, but thicker on one end. I just can't get a photo that close, I'm a much better gardener than photographer. Have you looked at your collected material very carefully with a magnifying lens?

I do harvest and save a lot of seeds, I guess. But, you know, sometimes it's just easier to buy seeds. I'll be doing that with the angelonia I think. I have one hunk of them that I grew from commercial seeds last year. They have pods which are just taking forever to mature. I think it will be winter before they do, and I'll be in hibernation mode. I'll just buy more seeds next year.

But, yes, you could try planting the stuff you've collected and see if anything grows. Sowing seeds with chaff doesn't decrease germination.

Smegtone, I don't know the name of the verbena from which I collected those seeds. They were just cheap annuals that I bought at garden center. So I'd hate to list them in plantfiles under the wrong plant. (Maybe one like Jnette has, which doesn't produce seeds).

Karen

No to all of your questions in the first paragraph. After seeing how different my stuff was compared to the seeds I had in the package I threw mine away. I am going to try to get a picture of those seeds to show you.

Yes, it is easier to buy seeds, but I had about 7 or so different shades of blues, purples, lavenders that were just gorgeous and I really wanted to grow some next year. Unless you buy seeds from every place out there and get all they have, you won't get that range of color. I just took a picture, not magnified like you say but these are out of a T&M package.

I tossed the stuff I had Karen, but we gathered some from my sister's plants yesterday and once they dry a bit I will try again. And get back to you if you aren't sick of the subject. LOL, here is the picture.

Jeanette

I use the mesh baggies also to collect my dutura seeds. they work worderfully and don't look bad hanging on the plants.