Late spring and summer, is an intensive time of seed collection. For those who has captured the virus of "seed collection fever"!

Preparing for the next season - why buying seeds? The garden produces plenty of them! Collect seeds when it is dry and sunny When seed cups have not opened completely Store collected seeds in a dry and airy place, on a hard paper "tray" Remember to leave a note with the plant name....seeds and seed cups can be tricky to identify later! In a dark winter evening you can make seed bags for seeds from your own garden and give them as presents for X-mas to your friends gardeners!!!!

HERE you will find a seed bag design to use!

Some tips about growing plants from seeds Seed out only a portion of seeds you have in a seed bag. They might not germinate in a first attempt, and this will give a chance to try out other conditions. Seeds germinate with a different speed, depending upon the species. Therfore some patiency is needed for those, who take weeks before showing up.... In some cases, like for instance sweet peas, seed can be gently scratched on a piece of sand paper, to prompt germination In many cases germination temerature is important: in our climate many native perennials to germinate might require a period of low temerature, therefore their seeds can be stored in a freezer or you can put the seeds into small pots, protect them with a plastic bag over and dig under the snow in February/March. It works!!! Do not forget small signs with names of plants. Even though we think so, our memory is not so good, when dealing with many small pots which look the same....I write the names on the piece of transparent and stiff plastic with a pernament marker. Many times I have not succeded....Primulas hardy mix, Lilium martagon (white), Maconopsis, are amoing those seeds which I have not been able to find the right conditions to grow in my hands. But I am still trying.

Seed cups for decoration Suitable are many flowers of perennials; Some examples: Astilbe sp.;Aquilegia sp., Eupatorium sp.; Echinacea sp; Lilium martagon (on a picture to the left), Iris sibirica; After collection, flowers should be dried "heads down" in a warm but not sunny place Many grasses can be used as well There are also many annual plants which are suitable for dry arrangments (and they are not SO difficult to grow) Generally, I try many different leafs, flowers, seed cups and stems and if I do not like the effect they just end up on the compost