Annuals: zinnia problem, 1 by brendak654

brendak654 wrote:
ZM,

This seed saving technique that you are sharing is exquisite and oh YES, I cannot wait to give it a try. At the beginning of the season it is always the goldfinch that start feasting the seed from the zinnia heads, so that will be another reason in addition to the wetland issue for saving the priority specimens. I was under the assumption that I needed to let the zinnia flower dry on the stem for good seed - so this is a great alternative to the wait.

Yesterday I sat down and went through all of this years zinnia seed that I had saved and by the time I had separated seeds from chaff, I think I had way more chaff than seed. In the past I did not always do the separating quite in such detail because by planting chaff and seed it probably kept me from planting them too close together (even though I have a tendency to plant them close and then I do NOT want to thin them). Therefore many of mine are crowded, but heaven forbid I miss a different bloom.

Usually I make notes of things I want to remember to do, but your technique of seed saving for the zinnia will definitely be one I will remember. Thank You ZM for sharing that technique.

Brenda