Fall seed saving

Calendula, marigold, and some native plant seeds.

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As the growing season winds down and the vibrant colors of fall take over, it’s the perfect time to think about next year’s garden. One of the most rewarding tasks for any gardener is seed saving. By collecting seeds from your favorite flowers, herbs, and vegetables, you’re not only preserving the hard work you put into this season’s garden but also ensuring a sustainable future for your garden next year.

Why Save Seeds?

Seed saving is an age-old practice that offers numerous benefits:

1. Sustainability: By saving seeds, you reduce the need to buy new seeds each year, promoting a more eco-friendly gardening approach.
2. Cost-effectiveness: Collecting seeds from your own garden is free, helping you save money on future plantings.
3. Preserving Unique Varieties: When you save seeds from your garden, you can preserve heirloom or hard-to-find plant varieties, ensuring their continuation.
4. Locally Adapted Plants: Seeds saved from your garden are already adapted to your local climate and soil conditions, making them more likely to thrive in the future.

Best Plants for Seed Saving

While you can save seeds from many types of plants, certain flowers are particularly easy to start with. Here are a few great options for seed saving this fall:

• Native plants: I will be harvesting lupine, echinacea, wild indigo, and a few more this fall.
• Marigolds: each bud dies off and contains hundred of seeds which are super easy to harvest.
• Cosmos: these simple and easy to grow flowers are so easy to harvest seeds from!
• Sunflowers: These beautiful flowers offer abundant seeds, perfect for saving.
• Zinnias: One of the easiest flowers to collect seeds from, zinnias produce plenty of seeds from each bloom.
• Calendula: One of my favorite seeds to harvest because they are so easy!

How to Save Seeds This Fall

1. Harvest at the Right Time: Seeds should be collected when they are fully mature. For flowers, this means waiting until the seed heads are dry and brittle. Right now I’m seeing zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, and a lot of native plants that are ready for harvesting
2. Extract the Seeds: Depending on the plant, extracting seeds can vary. For flowers, gently shake or brush the dried seeds from the plant. You can specifically research a flower through books or the internet, there’s so many great resources! You can also send us an email and we’d be happy to help you.
​ 3. Clean and Dry the Seeds: It’s crucial to clean off any plant material from the seeds before storing them. Allow them to fully dry in a cool, dry space for about a week. Make sure they are completely dry to prevent mold during storage.
4. Store Seeds Properly: Once dry, store your seeds in a cool, dark, and dry place. Use envelopes, small glass jars, or paper bags to store them. Label each container with the plant name and the date collected.

Pro Tips for Successful Seed Saving

• Choose Open-Pollinated Varieties: When saving seeds, it’s important to know that seeds from hybrid plants may not produce true-to-type plants the next season. For best results, save seeds from open-pollinated or heirloom varieties, which are more likely to grow plants similar to the parent.
• Avoid Cross-Pollination: If you’re growing different varieties of the same plant close together, cross-pollination can occur. To maintain the purity of a specific variety, isolate plants of the same species or save seeds from only one variety.
• Test Germination Before Planting: Before planting your saved seeds next season, perform a germination test by placing a few seeds between damp paper towels. If most seeds sprout, they’re ready to be planted.

Benefits of Seed Saving for Flower Growers

If you run a flower stand or love to grow flowers for your own enjoyment, saving seeds from your most beautiful blooms ensures you’ll have abundant flowers next year without the extra cost of purchasing new seeds. Seed saving gives you control over what you grow while preserving your favorite varieties.

Additionally, if you sell floral arrangements, promoting that your flowers are grown from saved seeds can be a unique selling point for eco-conscious customers who value sustainability.

Seed Saving: A Tradition Worth Passing On

Seed saving isn’t just practical; it’s a tradition that connects us to nature and our gardening heritage. By saving seeds this fall, you’re not only preparing for a flourishing garden next year, but you’re also contributing to the preservation of plant diversity and sustainability for future generations.

Final Thoughts

As fall approaches, take the time to collect seeds from your garden. Whether you’re growing flowers for your business or vegetables for your kitchen, saving seeds is an excellent way to close the gardening cycle and ensure a strong start for the next growing season. If you’re not quite ready to save your own seeds, be on the lookout on our website this fall and next spring for seeds that we harvest and sell!

-Amanda
​fleurish flower co

Echinacea ready to be seed harvested

Lupine almost ready to be seed harvested.