Collecting Seed at Home
Toward the end of summer, the seeds of many native plants begin to ripen and disperse. Seeds for each species should be collected when they are mature – too early or too late and the seeds may not be viable.
Collection guidelines
Confidently identify the species. Most plants are easier to identify from their flowers. Good obsrvation skills re important. Learn to notice what the flowering stems look like after the show of flowers. Even in a home garden setting, species are easily confused after their flowers have faded.
Do some research We cover some general germination and storage requirements below, but find out what each of your species need– improper storage or delayed processing can destroy a season of seeds.
Responsible collection To encourage a species to fill in and spread more naturally, limit seed collection to ~5% per individual plant. Collecting too much seed from one plant or one area can lead to diminished populations and limited genetic diversity. However, if you want to prevent a species from reseeding itself around the landscape, remove all its seed, sow what you harvest, and plant the seedlings where you’d like them to grow. If a species is not filling in as much as you’d hoped due to site conditions, collect and sow more of its seed to build and diversify the population the following season.
Sow what you harvest Collect only as many seeds as you plan to sow.
Store leftover seed properly Dried seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, temperature-controlled location. We recommend storing any unused seed in tightly sealed plastic bags or glass jars in the refrigerator until the following season. Label each jar with the species name, collection date, and collection location. Keep in mind that humidity (like in a damp basement), temperature swings (like an uninsulated structure), and high temperatures (like a hot car) can damage seeds.
Seed Ripening & Collection: Trees and Shrubs
Oaks: Collect acorns as soon as they fall (otherwise the squirrels will). Soak them overnight in a pail of water, discard the floating acorns, plant them immediately, and protect them from rodents with wire screens.
Maple: The wings of the green keys take on a dry, papery appearance, while the seeds remain green. Collect and sow them immediately, and protect them from rodents, who relish the seeds.
Viburnum, dogwood: These shrubs and small trees have clusters of fleshy fruits. Remove the flesh and sow the seeds immediately.
Wild rose: Pick the small tan-to-brown seeds out of the flesh. Sow in fall for the long, cold stratification needed for good germination.
Witch hazel: Tan capsules ripen in October when the shiny black seeds explode from the pods. The pods can be collected before they open and stored in a paper bag. The seeds pop out, which is entertaining to hear if you are nearby.
Wildflowers
Milkweed: Canoe-shaped green pods turn from pale green to yellow and split along one edge. Pick the pods and put them in a paper bag to dry.
Penstemon: Dry, brown seed pods are filled with tiny brown seeds. Let them dry in paper bag before sowing.
Iris: Large, brown seed pods split into three parts. Store the seeds dry for fall sowing.
False Solomon’s seal, Hooker's Fairy Bells: Harvest the fleshy fruits when they turn color (red or blue), remove the flesh, and sow immediately.
Coneflowers: Rub your fingers against the central cone and seeds will fleck off when they’re ripe. Store dry until sowing.
Aster, Joe-Pye weed, and goldenrod: Flowers turn to fluffy beige seed heads. Gently rub your hand across these fluffy clusters and ripened seeds will easily come off. Put the seeds in a paper bag and let them dry for a couple weeks to “after-ripen” (a wild plant strategy that prevents seeds from germinating in late-fall warm spells). Germination is most successful with fall sowing.
A note on sowing fleshy seeds
We find that, with most species, trying to replicate how they best germinate in nature works well when growing in pots too. For many of our fleshy fruited species that means passing through the digestive tract of a bird or other vertebrate. We find collecting fruits in a plastic baggy and squishing them for a few days to a week can help mimic that process. You will likely notice the flesh starting to ferment the longer they are kept in the bag. We then wash off the flesh and sow immediately, not allowing them to dry out.
Comments