The latter stages of summer and early fall are a good time to collect seeds from your garden flowers. However, there are some general guidelines, if you want to avoid seed storage mistakes. Whether you want to sow the seeds in your yard or share and swap them with friends, learning how to store seeds after collecting is a satisfying and savvy way to save on garden expenses.
It's a simple task but it does require a few basic considerations. We've asked gardening experts how to avoid the pitfalls when it comes to seed storage. By following these 7 simple steps, you can prevent the disappointment of rotten seeds or un-sprouted seedlings and look forward to beautiful blooms come spring and beyond.
Storing seeds takes a little time and effort, so the first key to successful storage is to ensure your seeds are of good quality before you begin. 'Always choose seeds from the best looking examples of a flower,' says Kim Stoddart , garden expert and author of The Climate Change Garden and The Climate Change Resilient Vegetable Garden, available from Amazon . 'You want the seed you save to be the best it can be, as this impacts on the quality of the flowers it will produce.
So choose seed from healthy plants (and avoid any that have been diseased or weakened), this way you can plant breed for the best flowers for your garden.' Many self-seeding flowers and fruits produce their seed in late summer and fall, however, the best time to collect them will vary from plant to plant and your US .