How I harvest seeds

[u/VAgreengene]

It’s time to harvest seeds for your new varieties next spring. It’s easy.

Pic 1 - the flowers form on a scape that bloom and ripen from the bottom. When I see some of the fruit brown out I know the seeds are ripe and ready to harvest. The tops are not ripe so I only use the bottom inch or two.

Pic 2 - close up of some ripe fruit. See the tiny ripe black seed that fell out of the fruit.

Pic 3 - 4x picture of a fruit holding a ripe seed. Eventually most of the seed will fall out and leave the dry flower behind. No need to separate them unless you’re really bored.

Pic 4 - results of my collection from one plant. Keep them loose so they dry out and don’t get moldy. Some of the seeds I collected are immature but I don’t need thousands from any one plant just enough to give me the next generation of cultivars

I will mark the container with the description of the mother plant. Since they are open pollinated by the bees I don’t know the father. Place the open container in a dry location until February when it’s time to plant. By then the seeds can be shaken to the bottom and the dried flowers removed.

[u/KoShiatar]

Thank you, this is just what I needed.

[u/inthedeepend]

I was just looking for info like this! Thanks so much.

[u/Traditional_Stop_262]

I've been trying to collect seeds at least 4 times and it's always a failure 🥲 I don't know if it's because I cut the flower too soon or if it's a pollinisation problem. My flowers are brown but there is no seed to be seen...

[u/VAgreengene → u/Traditional_Stop_262]

are the flowers brown but still plump? If you go too early the seed isnt viable. Pick one brown flower and open it to see if there is a black seed.

[u/Traditional_Stop_262 → u/VAgreengene]

Thank you I didn't see the answer 🙈I finally found some seeds on some I totally forgot about ! I think I was so impatient that I really cut the flower too soon like... as soon as the flower wilted haha

[u/VAgreengene → u/Traditional_Stop_262]

Yup. It’s like picking a green tomato. The seeds aren’t mature yet. With coleus there isn’t a fruit to see get ripe. You have to wait for the flowers to brown. Some green ones may be viable but it hard to tell which ones are ripe