How to Extract Seeds From Annual Flowers for Replanting

Extracting seed from seed-tossing annual flowers

• 1

  Identify seed-tossing annual flowers by observing which annual plants appear to self-sow and spread naturally by scattering their seeds. These include violets, pansies, some poppies and some asters.

• 2

  Begin observing these annuals shortly after they bloom. Begin collecting annual flowers with their seeds intact before they fade and wither.

• 3

  Snip the flowers and allow them to dry naturally in a brown paper bag. Be sure to label the bag with the name of the flower and the date you collected the blossoms.

• 4

  Allow the flowers to dry for two to three weeks. Check the bag for loose seeds. Seeds should be brown and dry before they are stored.

• 5

  Store the seeds for your annual flowers in a small airtight container, such as a canning jar. With masking tape, label the jar with the name of the seed source and the date you harvested it.

Extracting seed from seed-dropping annual flowers

• 6

  Identify seed-dropping annual flowers by looking for seed pods that emerge on a stem or stalk after flower blooms fade away. These include petunias, trumpet flowers and cosmos.

• 7

  Watch the pod for signs of ripening or maturity. Typically, the stalk or stem begins to dry out and the seed container begins to turn brown.

• 8

  Clip the seed pod off the stem or stalk before the pod opens and drops its seeds. Choose only healthy plants from which to extract your seeds.

• 9

  Place the seed pods in a brown paper bag to fully mature. Label the bag with the name of the flower and the date you collected the pods.

• 10

  Keep the bag closed and out of sunlight for a week or two. Seeds emerging from the pod should be brown and brittle.

• 11

  Carefully remove the mature seeds from the bag and place them in an airtight jar. Label the jar with the flower name, date stored, and approximate date when seeds may be planted in the spring. Store in a cool, dry place until planting season.

Extracting seed from seed-keeping annual flowers

• 12

  Identify seed-keeping annual flowers by noticing which flowers don't shed their seeds until they are completely dead and dry. These include morning glories, bachelor buttons, hollyhocks, snapdragons, marigolds and sweet alyssum.

• 13

  Collect stalks or stems after most of the blooms are spent and when most of the plant appears to be withering and finished for the season. Snip several inches below the flower-head or closed seed-pod.

• 14

  Keep the seed-heads or pods in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry place until they are very dry. Label the bag with the date of harvest and the type of annual flower.

• 15

  Check the bag periodically after a week to see if the pods have completely dried, and if seeds have dropped from the pod.

• 16

  Place dropped and mature seeds into an airtight container, labeled with the seed type and date of harvest. Use your thumb and forefingers to rub open the dried pods that have not spilled their seeds.

• 17

  Keep immature seeds in the bag to dry until they are brown and brittle, then harvest and store in an airtight container, labeled with the seed type and date of harvest.