Gardening expert Monty Don has urged gardeners to collect seeds from perennial plants this October, saying they can "save a fortune" by doing so. As summer plants fade and days shorten, this task can help gardens bloom better next year.
Why Collect Perennial Seeds
Many gardeners grew perennials over the summer and enjoyed watching them bloom. These plants die back over winter but re-emerge in spring. Unlike annuals, which complete their life cycle in one year, perennials grow back and produce lasting colour, offering value to gardeners.
In his blog, Monty wrote: "Save yourself a fortune by collecting seeds from perennial plants, using paper (not polythene) bags." He added: "Always label seed packets immediately. Store in a cool, dry place until ready for sowing."
How to Collect Seeds
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also encourages collecting seeds from garden plants. It said: "Growing plants from seed is generally straightforward and inexpensive. It is an opportunity to increase the number of plants in your garden for free."
According to the RHS, seeds can be found in berries (e.g. holly), capsules (e.g. poppy), catkins (e.g. birch), cones (e.g. pine), exploding seedheads (e.g. Euphorbia lathyris), nuts (e.g. hazel), pods (e.g. sweet peas), and winged seed (e.g. Acer, sycamore).
Storing Your Seeds
Collect seeds on a dry day when the seedheads ripen, indicated by a colour change from green to brown or black to red. Pick the seedheads and lay them out to dry. If they don't open when dry, gently crush the pods to release the seed.
Seeds from fruits and berries can be collected by mashing them in a fine sieve and rinsing away the pulp, then leaving the seed to dry. Nuts can be collected by hand-picking when they naturally fall, or by placing a sheet under the tree and shaking the branches. Clean off any surrounding material.
Once collected, place seeds in labelled paper pockets in an airtight container with some desiccant to remove excess moisture, as this can cause them to rot. Some seeds, such as walnuts, oaks and magnolias, don't like to dry out, so they should be stored in a plastic bag with damp vermiculite or sand.
