picking seeds out with tweezers

I am currently trying to propigate a very unusual rudbeckia which is about 6 feet tall. Large, thick stems with big single flower at the top. The head is very large, about 2 inches long. My only plant is above mulch so it will not reseed. I have brushed the head to pull off the seeds. Now I am pulling the seeds out of the little "flowers". I have to use tweezers, will that ruin the seeds? They are dry but some are stuck inside anyway. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks, Susie

Sorry to have been such a newbie....I am now rolling the driest ones which then makes the seed dry out.

Susie... we all were newbies at one time or another, and many of us still are, LOL. Never apologize for it!

I think that ruddies are like echinacea and you can soak them for a teeny bit and soften the nasty spiny bits that you don't want and then the seeds should roll out less painfully. Just let them dry on a bit of paper spread out so they don't rot.

Thanks Daisy- I am only partway through, I'll try that with the rest. I will have some for trade (I try them first to make sure they will go).

Ruddies are much easier than the purple coneflowers. Conflowers have sharp spines that hurt your fingers. Ruddies need to be thoroughly dry, then you can sorta roll the seeds out with your thumb. The only way I can seperate the seeds from the tiny threads that come with them is to put small amounts on a sheet of white paper and push the seeds in one direction and the threads in another. You'll end up with a bag of black shiney seeds.