cleaning tiny seeds

I can clean seeds with the best of folks, but am having difficulty cleaning these.

What to do about microscopic seeds such as Goldenrod and Downy Aster? They have the 'fluff' like a dandilion, but the seed attached is smaller than a hair follicle.

I always just plant the whole thing, but have several folks wanting some of these and hate to send uncleaned seeds out. I want to remove the fluff before packing up.

I know that you can clean larger fluffy seeds by shaking in a paper sack, but these are so tiny, they disappear.Any suggestions?

Mel...can you gently roll them around, with your finger, in a small-mesh strainer/colander? Maybe the seeds will drop through onto a tray and the hair will just stay inside the strainer.

Other than that I wonder if you can rub them between the palms of your hands over a container of water; the fluff should float. The seeds, being lightweight, might also float at first but I'm wondering if you gently stir the water if that would cause them to sink to the bottom. Then you can pour off the water and dry the seeds on paper plates or something.

Curiouser and curiouser,
Shoe

"I always just plant the whole thing, but have several folks wanting some of these and hate to send uncleaned seeds out. I want to remove the fluff before packing up."

I'd tell those you share with that you send the whole thing. I can't even see some of those seeds, but can break them apart when i'm sowing. My 2 cents

Melody, just a few posts down I ask the same question and got some very good advice.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/761803/

I just read Lala-Jane's post, and my seeds are even smaller than that. They're more like the ones Weeze described. I can clean anything as big as one of these periods at the end of a sentence, but these make that look giant.

I'm loosing more seeds than cleaning chaff. I may see if my group cares, as I really hate to send chaff, but am seeing no alternative. I have a very fine tea strainer, but the chaff is just crumbling and falling through the mesh also.

Hi, Mel
I have sent a few seeds with the fluff included. It is not worth the loss to me. No one seem to mind if they are wanting to trade.
Teresa

Actually, I think the fluff makes it easier to sow those really teeny seeds.

I have read at several places to mix the seeds with sand to separate them. Then plant sand, seeds and all )

Cissy

I vote for sending with the fluff attached...I would find it easier to plant them that way too. I would think in cleaning these, you may lose more seed in the process, too.
RatherB

I ended up sending the microscopic seeds with fluff attached. I just made sure that I put plenty in the pack. Anything as big as the period at the end of the sentence, I cleaned.