longiflorum seeds

Hello, asking your expert advice. I have several longiflorum lilies that have been blooming for the past two months (some still are). Some have very large seedpods that still look quite green. They do not seem to be dry at all, and are not popping open. I picked one, and the seeds in it are still quite green. With bad weather coming soon here is there anything you would recommend I could do to harvest these seeds? Thank you as always, everyone is so helpful here. Polly

Well, I was hoping one of those Lily experts would happen along to help you with your question. What zone are you in? I would think you'd still have some time before a hard freeze.

I can only offer some advice that I read in another forum: Leave the bud as long as you possibly can, then when a freeze is expected (a sustained 28° will do it) cut the stem and place it in water, just as you would if it had flowers. That may buy you enough time to ripen the pod.

I honestly have no idea if this will work for you, but it's worth a try. You would have lost it anyway, or you just might get lucky!

Yes, cut it with a long stem. Place in water with a drop or two of chlorox (sp) Change water weekly. It should eventually ripen. Then you put seeds in open container to dry for a few days, bag in airtight container and put in freezer till you want to sow them.

I once drove from Toronto to west coast with a container of lily pod stems. Was more trouble than almost anything else on that trip. Lily seed ripened and survived.
Inanda

Thank you both. We do have some time before a sustained freeze. I am Z5b, up along Lake Ontario. I will do exactly what you say, but if the seed pod starts to ripen and pop before that, should I go ahead and plant the seed outdoors, or hold it over? Thanks again! Polly