I love the varied forums, but I have a little trouble deciding just where to post questions.
I have a half dozen, year old, spinach plants, and a couple of rank jungle like 3 year old chard. 42" tall.
I would like to make seed from these plants. (they are seeding now)
How can I maximise the seed I get from them? I'm afraid of losing some if I leave it on the plants too long etc. I've never saved much vegie seed and I'm not just sure when it becomes seed and when it's too early.
Appreciate any tips
douglas
"As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take the course he will. He will be sure to repent." - Socrates
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 31060
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Wow no one answered this? I wish I knew the answer. I've never saved those kind of seeds so I'm not sure how it's done. I CAN tell you that I often save flower seeds when the seed head *starts* to brown and crack open by putting a paper lunch bag over the whole umbel or stalk, then bending it over, turning the bag upright. I might leave the bag tied to the plant for the rest of the day to dry a bit, or more usually (since I don't always expect to go back to the garden AND summer Mid-Atlantic East coast weather forecast ALWAYS calls for afternoon thundershowers... that never materialize 
) cut it and dry the whole thing indoors. Once the seedhead is fully dry, I winnow it over a tray and save the seeds in an airtight container.
Hope that helped a little bit.
) cut it and dry the whole thing indoors. Once the seedhead is fully dry, I winnow it over a tray and save the seeds in an airtight container.Hope that helped a little bit.