How to Dry Flowers For Seeds
Why buy seeds from the store when you can harvest them from the flowers in your own garden? Every flower produces its own seeds, and you can save them for planting again next year if you harvest and dry them properly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Wait until your flower forms its seeds. Flower seeds are formed and ready for harvesting after the flower has faded and died. If you cut your flowers and bring them inside before they have matured to seed stage you will not get any viable seeds. Wait until the petals on your flower have died and then look in the center of the flower or just under where the petals had been for the seeds. Your flowers should dry naturally on their own while still planted.
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Harvest the seeds from your dried flowers before they fall on the ground. Once seeds fall on the ground they begin to mold and can get wet causing them to become unviable seeds. Watch your flowers carefully; seeds that are ready are usually dried out.
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Gently shake the dried flower over a paper bag. Seeds that are ready to be harvested on a dried flower will sometimes fall off easily. Shaking the flower over a paper bag will cause the seeds to fall off and be easily caught so you won't have to search the ground for them.
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Remove seeds from the flowers that will not shake off. Some flowers will hold on tight to their seeds, but if you know they are ready for harvesting, gently remove the seeds from the dried flower.
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Spread seeds out on a paper towel in a dry place. Make sure there are no drafts in the area where you are giving your seeds their final drying or they might blow away! Your seeds should dry for up to a week before you store them.
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Put your seeds into envelopes or containers that are labeled with their names. You will not remember which seeds are for which plant by the time the next season comes around. Keep your seeds in a dry place so they will not mold or mildew. Also, do not keep your seeds in a place such as a garage where mice or other rodents might decide to snack on them!
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