Seed procedures

I just wondered if anyone had any special seed collecting, sorting or saving tips they can share? Am I missing something terribly obvious, like a manufactured seed sorter?

I collect trays, containers, and anything else I can find, cut and store the pods and such in the trays for a few weeks out of the sun. I have a hard fast rule about popping a scrap of paper with the name on it, even though I think I will remember what that was. Too many times, unless the plant is truly unusual, I do forget. After they are completely dry, I pop them in zip locks with the name.

When I need sitting time, I take the huge box of ziplocked seeds, a pie plate, a coin envelope (or something larger depending on the plant and seed volume) and a pair of tweezers, my grannie glasses and sort the seeds. For hours.

I was sorting out my Amaranth seeds, put the tray down and spilled it onto my carpet. Groan. But, what happened was that I discovered that my little finger nail could sooo easily scoop up the seeds (the size of well developed sage seeds) and gathering them was a breeze compared to tweezing each one out of the pie pan. That led to a cookie sheet covered with a piece of tight knit weave but thick fabric. I spill the pods and debris out on to the fabric and scoop up the seeds. This won't work for anything but the roundish smooth seeds, but it is such an improvement.

Boy, would I like to know also. Some of the seeds are soooo tiny that it is extremely hard to pick them out. I use a kitchen sieve but that is not always reliable depending on the size of the seeds.

I tried a sieve but I had to get the sluff (not the proper word, can't think of it at the moment) down to dust first. I found even blowing gently in the pan to blow out the sluff works, leaving the heavier seeds to roll towards me, on SOME seeds but not all of them. Puff. Whoops. Oh well. Sigh... Honey, don't shampoo the bedroom, k?

I use paper plates or Coffee Filters to dry seeds on. On each one I use a sharpie to write what the seeds are. I buy the big bag of 500 (or is it 300) thin cheap paper plates from Sam's and they work great. The coffee filters are better for things that are very small so they won't get away. As far as tweezers or finger nails, I still use my finger nails. I have heard of people using tweezers, but just have not bothered to try yet. Lightly blowing works well too, except for things like zinnia where the seeds and chaffe are about the same weight. :/

I pop the seed heads into a paper bag and holding the stem with the bag closed, I beat it gently against a wall to get the majority of the loose seeds out. Those that are still attached to the seed head (rather than just trapped in a bit of pod) may not be viable since they haven't matured enough to dehisc (shed from the pod) properly.

If the pod has smashed and I have a mix of seed and broken pod, I place it all on a piece of paper that has been folded into 4 and opened back out (so there is now a dip in the centre). I shake the whole lot gentle and the large pieces of pod rise to the top of the little pile and is easily picked off. Once the big bits have gone the tiny bits of pod can be separated from the seed by your finger pad.

Baa, the paper idea is grand, thank you! Also love the idea that the seeds that don't loosen easily aren't worth saving. I would fear the coffee filters would blow away easily, but I definitely can see some real value in those, Sweezel. Thank you!

My father was a watch maker and had what we called watch bench tweezers, which end in an extreme and dangerous point. Very handy for slivers. He damaged the ends of one pair, cut the ends off bluntly, ground out a teensy groove in both sides, on the inside of each leg, just a hair about the ends. A seed just POPS in there. They are grand. Unfortunately, they are under the deck, to be retrieved when one of has the courage to go under there.

Lucky you with those tweezers ladyannne! They sound great. Under the deck huh? Were you doing your cleaning out in the fresh air?

Lol...I was seeding on the deck to keep my baby boy hummer company, and because of the high volume of seeds already in the bedroom carpet. And out there I can blow the sluff (oh I just had that word!) out without covering the bed. Boy, do I regret it!!

Chafe maybe

Ladyanne

If they don't detach easily, they can still be good but it's often due to immaturity and, in my view, less likely to be good. Today I was easing some Lily seeds out of their pods, (it's been raining quite hard and they were all damp) and the seeds towards the bottom were still attached. I pulled them out and sorted through them but they were all empty, but I had enough good seed from the plants anyway. I think we sometimes get stuck in trying to get all the seed out when we probably don't need it all.

Baa, I totally agree. Last year, I was so 'greedy' after discovering seeds (where HAVE I been all these years?) that I didn't want to forfeit one. I have relaxed this year!

Chaff, or chafe, I MUST remember that word!!!! : )

ladyanne, check out my new Wallyworld find: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/462127/

Oh wow! Thank youuu, Shaz, I need TWO! I bead extensively. Oh, jumping here, grabbing purse, glasses, car keys. Seriously, it's on the Wally World list. I may try and get there today. You didn't sand the bottom? Thinking......

Another thought, if the holes are too big....a piece of cardboard with the right hole in it, held in place by......two pieces of, no....hmmm...ok, will play with that one. There is nothing like a challenge. Neccessity is the mama of invention!!

I have several different 'sifters' for chaff. Most often I use a small sieve that will fit over a cup or bowl. For smaller seeds, I use a screen tea ball. For larger seeds, I use that rubber mesh shelf liner or place mats. Some chaff can be removed by shaking the container a bit and blowing gently. Someone suggested using the vacuum (with care).

There are certain types of seed I do not attempt to entirely remove the chaff from... such as sedum. In some cases, you've just got to trust the seed is there and get out the larger chaff, leaving the rest... at least, in my opinion.

I store most all seeds in those little poly bags with the ziplock. However, for very powdery-like seed, glassine or wax is much better because there is no static cling. I've also added coarse sand to seeds at times, to make sure the seed will shake out of the bag.

I really appreciate hearing all this. I won't be so fussy about getting all the chaff out of the teensy miniscule seeds. I thought I was being lazy or frustrated, but will be greatly relieved of hours of eye strain!! Thank you!!!!

Ladyannne... I usually strain out the larger stuff with a sieve or tea ball, then consider the rest has to be packed up with the seed. It's a good idea to let people know that some chaff is included. A couple weeks ago, I collected seed heads from our local pink pyrola. I crushed the seedheads, ran them through a strainer, then attempted to blow away the chaff. I blew away most of the seed and was left with the chaff. The seeds are a saffron colored powder!

Totally off the subject, sorta. If one kept their smaller quantity of seeds in coin envelopes, and they were accidentally left outside, and it rained unexpectedly all night, and the coin envelopes were soaked by the morning, can the seed be saved by drying them out quick or is it already too late? Of not, may I cry now?

I don't think any harm is done, if you dry them out right away. Otherwise you risk mold or the beginnings of germination. Set them out on a plate with some paper toweling under them and let them sit for a day or two. Then put them in a cup or paper container to let them continue to dry for another few days before airtight packaging... at least that's what I would do. Consider that seeds get wet and dry many times when on the plant.

Oh, didn't even think of that. Panic will do that. Blessings! Now, all I need is the room to dry 100 varities!!! Thank you for a calm voice amidst confusion!

If you are overwhelmed with seeds, at least open the coin envelopes to get some air circulating into them. Also, be sure any attached foliage, etc. is removed, if you haven't already done that. I put my seeds in those tiny bathroom cups. They get air that way, and you can fit lots of them in a flat or box. Of course, you've got to be careful about bumping them or you have lots of 'mixes'! LOL! (I write the name of the seeds on the inner rim of the cup so I can see it when I look into it.)

Thirty cottage cheese containers later....whew. Half way done. Then back on the roof. All this happened because we are replacing the roof and I totally forgot about doing a yard rain walk. The coin envelopes are all sorted seeds, just not many seeds in them. Sorta the private stash when there weren't many seeds or I have not tried them as I won't trade seeds I am not sure of. Just last week I took all the containers (chaff with names on paper scraps), sorted out the seeds and packaged them. Back they go where they were then, but at least they ARE sorted out from chaff. LOL!! I quit writing the names in pen on anything so I can re use the containers and zip locks, etc. Those poor scraps of paper have been around! Guess who is buying more coin envelopes this week?

I just put in an order with a company online for glassine bags and tiny poly ziplock bags. They had a nice selection and were great to deal with: http://www.papermart.com/?GOCMP=Papermart_Campaign+%231&GOMTC=Phrase&GOKEY=Packaging+Products

I strongly recomment the inner glassine or wax paper packets for seed, particularly with the coin envelopes. Most I have seen have the glue on the very end of the flap, and once tipped every which-way during mailing, seeds can escape. Inner packets make it much easier to deal with tiny seeds.

Laughing, I bought all my bags from them. The seeds that got wet were the ones that didn't make it in them!! LOL!

Here is my paper on seed collecting and processing the seeds for all who are interested. I couldn't remember which forum or forum part that I posted it, but it is on my website for those interested. The link will take you to my article.


[HYPERLINK@www.gardening101usa.com]

This message was edited Oct 20, 2004 7:56 PM

Here is a photo of intentionaly mishandled Butternut Squash seed - experiment # 23 of 25. The experiment was repeateable though I do not like to admit it. A cat liter box was handled by cleaning and then touching seed in this case. In each of the 25 samplings 20 batches of 25 did not grow what was perfectly good seed. 25 Samples from the 25 batches handled with care all batches grew successfuly. The shell could not be cleaned from the bacteria enough not to affect the seed and when growth was not noticed a white mildew was surrounding the seed when uncovered from good potting soil. Care was taken not to over water and climate/light were kept moderated in all the experiments. Since then I have handled other elements that were not as pronounced as this but did affect the percentage per seeding of growth greatly by as much as 70% non germination. The same potting soil was used as well. The bacteria on the shell of the seeds did not show up until 4 to 6 months later in each instance. The contaminated and non-contaminated seeds were treated exactly like others in the way they were dried and stored, except for hand handling. As well the link o my paper written on saving seeds.
http://gardening101usa.com/seeds/Savingseeds.html
www.gardening101usa.com/seeds/Savingseeds.html

Very interesting, Ed!

Thanks for the link to your site Ed! I saved it to my favorites for later reference. Looks like you are going to have a nice, informative one there.