You know you're a seed saver when ...
You're eager for your colorful flowers to turn brown and die, so you can collect more seeds.
You know you're a seed saver when ...
You're impatient for the February Round Robin before the October Robin flies.
You know you're a seed saver when ...
You collect seed pods in the rain because they might rot before a sunny day.
You know you're a seed saver when ...
It seems natural to have earwigs and damp coffee filters all over the kitchen table, and chaff on the floor.
Corey
(And I'm just a NOVICE seed saver! Look how quickly I lost my mind. Will it get worse, doctor?)
You know you're a seed saver when ...
Yes, Corey, it will get worse. Welcome to the club.
You keep ziplock bags in your purse and in your truck, just in case you see interesting seedheads when you're out and about.
You've had to get a bigger box for all your seeds three times in the last year.
The dining room sideboard is covered with bowls and cups... full of drying seeds.
The local craft store thinks you may be a drug dealer because of all those tiny baggies you buy regularly.
Saturday is Seederday: process-n-package-the-seeds-drying-since-last-weekend and harvest-more-seeds-to-process-and-package-next-weekend...and it takes much of the day to do this.
Your spouse cleans up areas "so that you can make a mess there".
You have more seed types in your gonna-sow-this-winter stash than you can probably sow (even if you start at Christmas)....and it's only October....and you will likely do more trades yet, too.
You trade for seeds that you have already traded for...so that you can sow them thicker.
You sow things (ahem, perennials) that you are already growing....you even saved those seeds from your own plant, so it really will be just more of the same plant.
You sow things, that you already have...with the intention of "trading the plants".
Thank you Pony, you used the exact right word.
I'm a seedhead now.
Oh no. I bought a 300 pack of little baggies at Hobby Lobby. I think I'm becoming a seedhead too! :O
When visiting a garden center you are on the lookout for dry dead flower heads.
merrymath - Oh no! I did that too! Although in my defense it was a really pretty hibiscus...
It is very contagious - my boys (10 and 13 years) actually come home from school with seeds they harvested for me, not knowing the plant's name, but with descriptions about the plant, way beyond there years. LOL!
**LOL** My 7 year old helps me pick seeds off plants while in garden dept. too!! ~LOL~
>> My 7 year old helps me pick seeds off plants while in garden dept. too!!
I hope you have given him the advanced Fagin training in case some officious clerk doesn't know what you're doing but wants to scold someone anyway.
Let him know ahead of time that he gets a free ice cream cone if the clerk scolds him, and you have to act surprised (while you're hiding a dozen ziplock baggies and labels in your purse): "Oh JOHNNIE! How could you DO that!!??"
Depending on the clerk, you could probably hand them the seed pods and then tell them you were picking off bug cocoons and they wouldn't know any better.
Corey
I went out picking Jewelweed seeds today with a light rain. The heavy rain last night caused almost all the seed to pop. I did find some and a wild hydrangea. Was good hunting today.
OK, wait a minute! I work at a garden center, and I wouldn't be mad at anyone for taking dried seedheads off of plants. You're only making my job easier. I would only be mad if I had been waiting for those seeds to develop, and you got to them before me! Where I work, it would be rare that seeds would be allowed to develop. We are constantly picking the faded flowers off. I work at a local garden center, not a chain.
Here's another couple, You know you are a seed saver when:
You buy brown paper lunch bags, and you don't carry a lunch to work. They are strictly for collecting seeds.
You go to the craft store to buy the little 2 x 3 bags (a pkg. of 100), and the clerk asks you "didn't you buy some of those last week?” and you did.
or you buy brown paper lunch bags and you are retired.
MARY
You know you're a seed saver when almost all neighbors and passers-by have asked you what all those little (organza) bags around the dead flower heads in your garden are for.
perennial - OH I hadn't even thought of the organza bags. That's a great idea. THANKS! lol
It wasn't my idea. I learned about it here on DG, but you're welcome.
You check for discarded venetian blinds on bulk trash day to cut and use for labels. Often.
You know you're a seedhead when you go to the nursery even when you can't afford more plants, just so you can pick up discarded pots for free.
Well I do all the things that are listed here.
But this is one that's not yet named:
My husband and me are making a mineral hunting trip on Cyprus next month, but I didn't tell him my main goal is to collect seeds of Cyprus native plants.
Might be a problem to identify the plants that already set seed, but will identify them after growing them.
You guys/gals are hilarious! lmao! =D
Erin
I read about an expedition to Central Europe when it was "behind the Iron Curtain". I think it was an SSE expediation. They were real garlic enthusiasts, and wanted to collect local heirloom garlic strains.
The people they saw were also garlic fans, and eager to share, but the local commissars sometimes gave them trouble and forbid it.
They told a story about one guy who wanted to share but was forbidden.
He walked away, then tiptoed around behind their bus and tapped on the window.
"Pssst!"
They opened the window, he threw in a news-paper-wrapped bundle of garlic, winked and scurried away.
You know they were ALL seedheads! It transcends politcal and ideological boundaries.
Corey
Well, the same might occur on Cyprus. There is a fight between the supposed Turkish part of the island and the supposed Greek part of the island. We will try to visit both parts, but boarder control will be very strict. Fortunately seeds are very small, so I hope they won't find them. Will hide them everywhere to escape customs. Think they will be more interested in the minerals. They are bigger and we can't hide them.
Pretty sure I mentioned this before. When I go seed grazing in
garden centers I take out my cellphone & take a pic of the flower
I'm collecting, This way the label I put on saying "red flower" can match
up with something visual later on.
And.. you know you're a seed saver when you have finer mesh sifters
for your seeds than for baking.
ALL my sifters are in my 'seed room' . If I want to bake, or need any sifter for cooking, I have to visit my seed room first, haha.
JonnaSudenius, I'm ROFL, because I just got done telling my sister that when our next check comes in we have to get me a new sifter for my seeds or for cooking as I'm using the only one I have for seeds right now.
WOW, Jonna, you are so lucky to have a seed room! I have part of the basement with a gardenbench, shelves, and was feeling pretty good about having a seed table (the top is a sheet of 4 x 8 plywood). The table is all mine, and my husband isn't allowed to use it or put anything on it.
This comes from cue_chik of Palm Coast, FL, from the "Free Seed for Newbies! 07/04/09 Directions to get your seed" thread.
"I feel the NEED ... the need for SEED!"
Post #8181778
You use innovative ideas to capture seeds that are a challenge to harvest.
New Guniea Impatien
MARY
When your house smells like a barn in haying season.
When you pray for self control over prime plant candidates at the botanical garden (and look furtively about for cameras).
When your prayers are not answered.
When you turn your friends, SOs and children to enabling your habit (pathetic).
When a tree goes through your roof in the middle of a major storm and both the insurance company and the emergency tree cutting company guys give you looks about all those dried and tied up plants in the attic.
When you're more concerned about salvaging the dried and tied up plants than the rest of the possessions in your home despite water pouring in everywhere.
When you tell your children they can't come home again (not because they're grown but because you've got newspaper and dried plants all over their beds). Of course the floor is not an option either.
When you give up on thinking green and turn on heat or air 'cause the house is a tad too humid for optimal drying.
Laurel
OMG I'm so glad I'm not the only one. You might be a seedhead if all cooking utensils are used for the processing of seeds. Cookie sheets are used for drying seedsballs, bowls for mixing, counter space is covered with packets of seeds that I'm going to sow next week. I carry clippers in my truck so I can get out and get seed heads anywhere.
Lisa - I need to put my cruddy scissors in the car next! Already have the envies and baggies (and need to stop for organza tomorrow. lol!)
It's an addiction. ACK.
I don't have a seed room, a basement or an attic. Needless to say I also don't have much room on my kitchen counter either.
It could be worse, we could be running around with little bags of things much more dangerous than the most noxious weeds. Some of the children in the neighborhood hang out with me while I am gardening. They especially like planting and seeing new kinds of bigs/butterflies/hummingbirds. Perhaps they will develop healthier interests. I have given them seeds, but some of their parents won't let them plant anything.
GQ-You are so right about it could be worse.and, i dont have any of those things either, just a table outside under the awning. What you said about children is so true. the wonder on their faces when you show them something new is priceless. sad their parents wont let them plant seeds. i have a lot of space, so i let my grandkids plant pumpkins. we had so many that they invited their friends to pick some. some parents did not want their kids to get dirty. seems like playing in the dirt is a lost art. One little guy did not believe pumpkins grew on the ground, he thought i bought them at the store and put them there. One parent could not believe i gave them away. He said no one does that anymore, i must want something. told him to look at his son's face as he picked his out, that was all the payment needed. he did not get it. then again, i do live in calif, that pretty much explains it.
I let them help me plant a few things in the garden.They always check them. Yesterday I was moving roses (can't wait until my editor calls me back so that I can go out an finish). There are lots of rocks here, so I dig a hole, fill it with water and see if it drains. Well, it didn't. My helper said that I should get some goldfish.
Scarlet runner beans and hyacinth beans are a favorite with the kids if you are looking for something"fun" that doesn't take much space.
I don't have kids, but I enjoy spending time with the neighborhood kids when they stop by.
The parents are missing an opportunity for the kids to learn about science. A few seeds and a trip to the library are an affordable beginning biology lab project.
One of my fondest memories is a neighbor that let me help her in her yard. We planted a rose bush and she told me it was mine and i could pick the flowers when it bloomed. Will never forget that.
And you are right, seeds are a great lab project. who knows what kind of interest it will spark in later years.
When I lived in Santa Paula, Calif. thats in Ventura County, I had an avocado tree and a naval orange tree in the yard. Plus the old couple next door had 2 avocado trees. I collected all the extras and gave them away to people especially the homeless people in Ventura. People thought I was crazy for giving them away much less to those Homeless beggars. Some people did not know that my sister and I lived homeless for almost 6 months and it was the "homeless beggers" were the ones who showed us were to get showers and some help with food. After we got back on our feet, we made sure to help when we could.
>> I have given them seeds, but some of their parents won't let them plant anything.
You're a PUSHER! Good for you.
I hope those kids whose parents won't let them plant anything grow up to be gardening rebels, shamelessly planting flowers and vegetables, beautifying and feeding the world!
Rebels!
Hippies!
Seeeeeeeedheads!
Corey