Tag Archives: practical gardening

Save Your Seeds?

Do you save flower seeds for next season? Several garden flowers and vegetables are easy to save their seeds.

Cosmos. These simple, fun flowers come up all over if given the chance.

Cosmos seeds are easy to save. They grow happily anywhere it seems. However, late in season mildew can be a problem on their leaves. Spray if you desire.

Leave a few flowers to dry on the stem.
Look at all those seeds from part of the seed head!

Coreopsis are just as easy.

It is important to allow the seed head to completely dry on its stem.
Seeds come right off when dried.
Simply dropping seed back in flower bed.

Truly, I have success with sprinkling the seed simply back in the bed. They will winter over and produce next season. I also put some in a marked envelope, save for next season or share with friends.

Lettuce gone to seed.
See the tiny lettuce seeds?

Allowing lettuce to go to seed will produce enough to share with others next season.

Note: Saving vegetable seeds works only with Heirloom plants. Hybrids are not dependable, only purebred seeds.

Dill is another easy one.
Beautiful flower head of dill.
Drying sunflower.

These big, full sunflowers heads dry on their stems. I will cut them, save some seed and leave the flower head in the garden for birds. It is fun watching the Goldfinches eat from them.

There is much joy in sharing too. Would you like some? Let me know. I would be happy to mail some for your garden!

Happy end-of-season to you!