Gardener Monty Don has encouraged gardeners to make the most of what is in their garden at present, suggesting they can save money by collecting seeds from perennial plants this month.
Many gardeners will have grown perennials over the summer and appreciated watching them flower. These plants die back over the winter but reappear in the spring. Perennials provide value to gardeners, as they return and deliver enduring colour, while annuals complete their life cycle in merely one year.
Save money for next year
Monty says gardeners can "save a fortune" by gathering seeds from perennial plants this month. In his blog, Monty wrote: "Save yourself a fortune by collecting seeds from perennial plants, using paper (not polythene) bags."
"Always label seed packets immediately. Store in a cool, dry place until ready for sowing."
How to collect your seeds
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also encourages collecting seeds from plants in gardens. 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).
Gathering and storing seeds
Gather your seeds on a dry day once the seedheads have matured. This can be identified by a colour change from green to brown or black to red. Remove the seedheads, then spread them out to dry. If the seedheads fail to open once dry, carefully crush the pods to release the seed.
Seeds from fruits and berries can be harvested by mashing them in a fine sieve and washing away the pulp. Again, allow the seed to dry thoroughly. Nuts can be gathered by hand-picking when they naturally fall, or by placing a sheet beneath the tree and shaking the branches. Remove any surrounding material.
Once you have gathered your seeds, place them in labelled paper pockets inside an airtight container with some desiccant to eliminate excess moisture, as this can cause them to rot. Certain seeds, such as walnuts, oaks and magnolias, don't like to dry out, so they should be kept in a plastic bag with damp vermiculite or sand.
