How to Dry Flowers for Seed

Overview

Instead of purchasing packets of flower seeds from the garden department, harvest seeds from existing flowers in your garden. While this takes a bit more work than simply buying seeds that are ready to plant, bringing a second generation of flowers to bloom can be a rewarding gardening experience. Harvest seeds before they are released by the plant or eaten by birds. Wait until the last bloom of the season and allow the flowers to remain on the plant, enabling them to go to seed.

Step 1

Cover the flower heads with a piece of cheesecloth or old stocking, do this several weeks after the flowers stop blooming. This will protect the seeds from falling off the plant or being eaten by birds. Secure the stocking or cheesecloth (which you form into a bag shape) to the stem of the plant using a twist tie or rubber band.

Step 2

Harvest the seeds in late summer or early fall by removing the covering from the dry flower head and shaking the seeds into a large envelope.

Step 3

Lay the collected seeds on sheets of paper and allow them to dry for several days. Do this inside, so the wind doesn't blow the seeds away.

Step 4

Soak the seeds overnight in warm water.

Step 5

Spread the wet seeds on a fine meshed metal screen.

Step 6

Brush the seeds with a stiff bristled brush to remove the outer coverings. Allow them to dry.

Step 7

Store the dried seeds in an envelope, and keep in a cool, dry area until you are ready to use.