nasturtium seeds

We have had a frost and freeze already, and I want to collect some of the red nasturtium(sp) seeds. The pods are still soft and green. Should I collect the pods and let them dry, or should I let them dry on the vine? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, Lou

Lou, it's always good to let the seeds ripen on the vine, but a freeze can do real damage. If the seeds are still firm, I'd say they are viable, if not, I'd be in doubt. I collect my nasturtium seed when large and green, spreading them out on a flat surface to dry. They will eventually shrink a bit and turn brownish tan. Don't store them in an airtight container until they have dried completely.

Often times you don't have a chance to let them dry on the vine - if they are in pots, they drop, get blown away, etc..... I've wondered this same question as well.

I have gone ahead and picked mine and put them in a brown paper bag (not plastic or sealed) and am going to try them out in the Spring, to see if they will germinate.

Believe me, Karrie, they will do fine. Our summers are so short here that seeds just don't have time to mature on the vine. I've saved the green ones, dried them, planted them in th spring, and they do fine.

kewl - then I will continue saving them that way! thanks! :-)

You are welcome, Karrie. As a matter of fact, I just ran through town today and picked about 2 cups of seeds. I am shameless, visiting city planters and businesses alike. Everybody just walks on by. I guess I am infamous by now!

lol!!!!!

when stealing seeds, always look like you are supposed to be there. I have been identified as a groundskeeper, landscaper, an just a crazy old woman, but I still get my seeds!

I used to be known as they crazy lady in the stone house with all the cats...now it's the crazy lady in the stone house with all the cats who walks her dog and rips off seed pods! Whatever...I'm harmless! (Just possibly some people think the bag I carry is for dog poop - HA!

LOL! Just love it, Sequee. A seed thief of my own ilk! I've just spent a couple days of combat seed stealing, so I can appreciate your efforts.

When I came in the other day and PekeBoo was covered with seeds and a pod or two from playing in the underbrush I gave him an extra treat. Doggie done good!

Ah, you have a henchman!

Well, I highly doubt that their REAL groundskeepers or landscapers are going to gather those seeds, so I see no wrong in doing that! :-)

True enough, Karrie. The city beds are maintained by city employees, and once the season is truly over, they go around and pull up all the plants. I've considered contacting them and offering to help, since some of the plants they pull up, such as dianthus, are truly perennial here. Folks often allow tuberous begonia or dahlias to sit in the pots or beds over the winter, and they will not survive here.

Thanks for the question AND the info on the nasturtium seeds. I picked up a few during the summer that were ripe, but when I pulled out the plants a couple of weeks ago, I picked up all that I could find...and, trust me, there was a lot! But some *were* green...good to know they're probably still viable.

(Please don't get put in jail, Carol...we NEED you! LOL )

~julie~

You can get away with a lot when you get older, Julie... people just shake their heads and move on.

Same's true when you have over 10 pets - just let her be, she's obviously not stable...

Do not, I repeat DO NOT eat the seeds. They are SO spicy as to burn your throat out! (I had to try...hmmm. Maybe they're right about the not-too-stable thing, eh?)

I like the leaves and flowers, and this year, I tried the seeds. It's the last time I'll do that! Wish I'd have talked to you sooner, Sequee! LOL!

Flowers are the mildest, then the Leaves, Then The Stems, THEN THE SEEDS!!!!! I like to set the flowers into an omelette. just before it sets! Looks really cool. I chop the stems up and use them in deviled eggs, too. Adds a nice tang!

I've heard of placing the blooms as a liner in deviled eggs, but I like your idea better... can't picture those blossoms after a day in the fridge!

hehehe...I *didn't* eat the seeds. :-D But I got hold of one HOT leaf. They said nasturtium leaves had a "peppery" flavor...I also remember reading something about a difference between younger/older leaves. I guess I didn't remember THAT when I decided to try one. LOL (I'm glad I wasn't alone in 'trying' stuff, though.)

OLD! That's *MY* excuse...thanks girls, I'll *use* it! :-D

~julie~

I'm relieved that the seeds don't taste good. If they were yummy, I'd be torn between my two greatest loves... collecting seeds and eating!

Well, we're CERTAINLY safe on that count!

LOL Carol...I should have expected that comment from you. ALWAYS *save* first...east *later*
:-D

Oh...did anyone know that nasturtiums can be propagated by cuttings? (HEY! Carol! That solves your problem! EAT them!! Take cuttings to get more! hehehehe )

~julie~

I had no idea! Great news...I will clip a bit tomorrow. In water or root started and soil?

I found out about them rooting quite by accident. I broke off a shoot when I was weeding, and it had a pretty flower on it, so I stuck in a drinking water bottle. Of course I forgot about it. When I was cleaning off the picnic table a week or so later...IT HAD ROOTS!!! Here's a link to the thread I posted showing it. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/454626/

~julie~

That is very cool! I'm sooooooooooo excited! Did it still flower and do the whole routine?

IT sure did! I've got three more in a bottle now. They weren't kept under lights so they're *really* stretched and they weren't put in soil so they haven't gotten any nutrients...but...LOL...they are *still* alive, still setting flowers and, because it was the vining or trailing type, they are twining themselves all around my plant stand. Maybe I'll actually *plant* them in the next day or so...just to see what happens when they're treated "right." ;-)

~julie~

Well thanks to you guys, I am in serious trouble here. I had been watching my nasturniums and the seeds were just hanging on the vines, still green, so I had left them. I read this thread late yesterday, and we were scheduled for a pretty cold night last night so I decided to collect what I could green or not, and bring it inside in case of a freeze. So, ok, at dusk thirty, I'm outside crawling around with a flashlight, trying to collect the seeds when DH comes to see what I'm doing.

Anyone dumb enough to question what I am doing gets to help, right?

So we're out there, by flashlight, I'm simply trying to get the right seeds in the right baggie. All I did was yell at him for grabbing seeds before I could follow the vine to be sure if they went in the baggie for solid yellow blooms, or the orange or red or yellow with a red center.

Now he says I ought to be committed. Nobody is supposed to get that silly over a seed. Don't get me wrong, as many of you know from other posts here, I have no problem with having a little padded room and a long sleeved white jacket, but I want to pick the facility. If he is allowed to commit me for being gardenophrenic, they probably won't let me dig in the windowboxes.

You could stuff lots of seeds up those loooong sleeves!

Well you just come to NY Terre, we'll take good care of you. I do gardening clubs at an Adult Day Care facility and a nursing home...there's always room for one more!