Saving Seeds for Next Season

This is a photo of the bloomed out flower of a Marigold plant.  I started to collect seeds for next spring while I was at the home of a relative.

I spent some time babysitting for two darling dogs.  This is Chloe,

and this is Sophie.  While I was there I decided to collect some of the seeds from flowering plants that were in the garden.

 There were Nasturtiums in planter boxes.  They were beautiful and

 I found some of their seeds on the deck below.  The seeds look like shriveled peas.  They were stuck in the cracks of the decking boards!

 Nasturtiums are lovely plants and come in several warm colors.  The seed pods are green while attached to the plant, but turn brown later when dry.

A selection of Nasturtium seeds

There was a very impressive boarder of bushy Marigold plants in the garden.

 I couldn't resist dead heading and collecting the seed pods. 

 The Marigolds of this variety made lovely mounds of flowers.

In my garden this year grew Marigolds that had a very tall nature.

Their flowers were striking with blazing color,and they stood up very tall and strong.

Thses Marigolds would make excellent cut flowers, and they lasted in the garden many days without fading.

 

 Their seed pods look like this.

 I saw a basket of Indian Blanket flowers and ornamental peppers near the driveway.  You can see the spent flowers and the potential seeds.

 I even thought I might try to propagate the pepper pants.

 These are  fading Cone flowers.

When they are finished they look like this.

These are the seed pods.

This is a photo of the spent blooms of  several Rudbeckia plants.  The seed pods turn black and they can be collected for next season.  You can take a chance and sprinkle the seed pods in the garden hoping that they will re-seed by themselves.  Usually this works.

Rudbeckias in my garden.

 Another plant that is easy to propagate is the Phlox.

 After the flowers drop off, seed pods become evident.

 In this photo you can see the Balloon flower and its seed pods.

I couldn't identify this plant but I thought that I would try to save the seeds,

 and see if it came up in my garden next year.  That would give me time to find out what it was.

 The garden boasted colossal heads of Sun Flowers,  The seeds heads were so heavy that they were bending over. 

 Sun Flower seeds are easy to collect, and you can use them to feed winter birds, especially the Cardinals and Blue Jays, for next year's plants, or toast them for a snack.

 When I got home I put the seeds in brown office envelopes and labeled them.  Paper envelops or paper bags will allow the seeds to dry.  Plastic bags might retain too much moisture and rot the seeds.

 This was a beautiful Marigold plant that had it all, color, a mounding form, and abundant  lasting blooms.

 I collected this plant's seeds too.

The doggies finally took a nap, and I had enough seeds to start many, many plants, plants enough to share with all of my friends!