Helpful Harvesting Tips

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”…
Whoops! Too late for rosebuds. However, this is the perfect time to start
gathering seeds to plant or share next spring.

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HARVESTING

Here are a few things to remember if you do want to harvest seeds:

1. Collect seeds from healthy plants only.
2. Collect seeds on a dry sunny days.
3. Be sure the seeds are fully ripened. Seeds come in various forms
   of “packaging.” The most common kinds are berries, capsules,
   catkins, cones, exploding capsules, nuts, pods and winged seed.
   If the seeds are in a pod, the pods should be brown and crispy
   and starting to split open. Capsules also turn brown and dry and
   start to split open when the seeds are mature. Seeds from many
   flowers are ready to harvest when the flower is brown and dry.
   Information about determining seed maturity of specific plants is
   available online.
4. When collecting the seeds, place them in a paper bag or
   envelope and be sure to label the plant name, date harvested.
   If the seed is from some place other than your yard, adding the
   location is also helpful.
5. Separate the seed from any chaff, husks, or pods and let the
   seeds air dry for a few days.

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STORING

1. Once the seeds are dry, again store them in paper bags or
   envelopes with the same information and put them in a dry, cool
   place. It is recommended they be stored in an airtight container.
2. When removed from storage, it is best to allow the seeds to come
   to room temperature before opening. and then let them rest a few
   days at room temperature. This allows the seeds to reabsorb
   moisture and gives them a better chance of germinating.

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Wait patiently for the return of spring planting season…

And then the fun part: bring them to Princeton Public Library for
adding to our Seed Library and let the sharing begin!

HAPPY HARVESTING!!!