How Do I Extract Seeds From a Flower?

Seed Selection

• Like in every other strain of genetics, the seeds are the "offspring" of a parent plant and, therefore, flowers grown from these seeds will take on the characteristics of their "parents." The choice of seed plays a vital role in whether or not it will germinate and whether the flower that results is healthy and strong.

  It is important to only select mature seeds, as immature seeds aren't fully developed and so cannot produce plants. Immature seeds are usually flatter, smaller or a different shape than mature ones. It is advisable to harvest seeds from multiple plants to improve chances of germination, but if one plant appears to be more disease-resistant than the others, you should definitely harvest its seeds.

Extracting the Seeds

• Try to get your seeds from multiple sources to increase the chances of germination. Before harvesting your seeds, you should ensure that they are mature. This is because immature seeds are unlikely to sprout. It is better to err on the side of caution in this case.

  Many flower seeds don't mature until a few weeks after the flower has died back. Thus, as a rule, you should wait several weeks before harvesting any seeds. You can harvest the seeds either by shaking them onto a piece of paper or using tweezers, whichever method is the most effective for you.

Storing the Seeds

• After harvesting the seeds, you should wash and rinse them in lukewarm water. Do not, under any circumstances, soak them or wash them in hot water, as this will kill the seed and ruin any chance of it sprouting when planted. After this, you should drain the seeds and let them dry for at least three weeks. Don't cut corners in this respect, as often the seeds will appear "dry" when they actually aren't.

  After you have dried out your seeds as much as possible, you should sort them. Dispose of any apparently immature seeds, which can be identified because they are usually smaller and deformed. You should then store all your "good" seeds in a bag or envelope in a cool, dry place in preparation for planting next season. Don't use an airtight container, because if your seeds aren't totally dry, the moisture will cause them to rot.