The Art of Saving Seeds in the Cut Flower Garden
Saving Sweet Pea seeds in Cut Flower Garden
There’s something deeply satisfying about saving seeds, especially when it comes from a favorite plant that has brought you joy through the season. Seed saving is like capturing a little bit of magic; a way to celebrate the hardiest, brightest, or even quirkiest blooms in your garden by giving them a chance to return next year. It’s a small act of stewardship, connecting us to the cycles of growth and renewal that stretch far beyond our own gardens.
This article will walk you through the basics of saving seeds—focusing on those found in seedheads and seedpods. Together, we’ll explore how to identify, harvest, and store seeds so that next season, you’re not just planting flowers but sowing the stories and successes of your garden’s past. Whether you’re nurturing the first sweet peas you’ve grown or hoping to try your hand at creating new varieties, saving seeds is a rewarding adventure that just might have you hooked.
A unique white and pink bi colour poppy from saved seed - variety Icelandic Poppy ‘Spring Song’
What to look for when Saving Seed
Saving seed is a fun and easy way to breed the best plants suited for your garden‘s climate. Ideally you should select the healthiest plant to save seed from. Usually it will be the plant that flowers or fruits first, it may be the tallest, tastiest or a unique colour variation that you like.
There will be something special about this plant that will intrigue you and leave you wanting more.
When you have selected a plant that you would like to save seed from, firstly it is important not to cut the flower or vegetable off until the seed is mature.
Green poppy head in the garden not yet ready to harvest seeds.
Mature poppy head in the garden that is brown and ready to harvest seed.
Flower vs Fruit
Flower seeds will form a seedhead or seedpod. You know it is time to harvest the seed once the pod or head turns brown.
Fruit seeds, like tomato or pumpkin are located inside the vegetable. You must wait until the fruit ripens on the vine before you harvest. (If you are worried about a bird or other animal, then you can protect it with a mesh bag until it is ready to pick).
For the purposes of this article I will talk about how to save seed when it is located within a seedpod or seedhead rather than a fruit.
Harvesting
Now there is a fine line when it comes to saving seed. You do not want the head or pod to get so brown that it explodes and disperses the seed.
This will happen with flowers such as foxgloves, nigella or poppies or vegetables within the brassica family.
But if you pick the pods when they are still green, then the seed may not be mature or viable.
~ Allow seed head to go brown.
~ Wait until a sunny day to harvest so the seed is as dry as possible.
~ Harvest in the afternoon or once the morning dew has dried.
~ Cut off the seed pod and place it into a brown paper bag or box and store in a cool, dry area of your home for two weeks.
~ The bag or container that you store the seed pod in must be breathable.
The seed pod will still need to dry out fully and if it is locked within an airtight container, the trapped moisture may cause it to rot.
Separating the Seed from Chaff
After two weeks you can separate the seeds from the chaff (the brown seed pod).
There are different ways to remove the chaff.
~ Some seeds are large and can be manually removed, this is the case for plant within the legume family like Sweet Peas, Peas, Beans and Lupin.
~ Some seed pods can be placed into a glad bag and given a good shake to loosen the seed, this is a helpful method for flowers such as Hyssop, Snapdragons or Sweet William.
~ Foxglove, Nigella or Poppy seeds can be tipped upside down and if the seedpod is ripe then the seeds will fall simply out and into a designated bowl.
~ Other pods like Cosmos or Cornflower can be broken apart and given a gentle blow to separate the chaff from the seed or placed in side a colander and allowed the seed to fall through the gaps with the remaining chaff left at the top. I find this technique helpful for Leek or Coriander seed.
~ Scabiosa, Calendula, and Orlaya are another easy to harvest seed which can be broken up with your fingers.
Storage Tips
1. Store in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
2. Clearly label with the plant name and date of harvest. In my experience with seed, the fresher the better.
3. Use within one year if possible as the viability will decrease every year after that.
** However, I have still used seed two, three and even four years old (if not more). The germination rate isn’t as good but it is still viable. You can increase the life of your seed by storing in a dark, cool place out of the direct sunlight and extreme heat. I will save my seeds in the fridge inside a food grade container for optimal freshness.
Cross Pollination vs Self Pollination
Another thing to note is that many flower seeds can cross pollinate. This means that there is a chance that the seed will not come back true to form.
A notorious example of this is Dahlia. Seed saved from a Dahlia flower will never come back true to the parent. You may get a flower that looks similar or something that looks completely different.
Cosmos, Poppies and Zinnia are flowers that have a tendency to cross-pollinate. Unlike dahlias, you are most likely to get something that is the similar or the same as the mother plant (especially if you have only grown one variety in your garden).
But if you have more than one variety growing in your garden then you may be surprised with a blend of the two when you save seed. This essentially is plant breeding new cultivars which I think is pretty fun and interesting to do.
Sweet Peas however are an example of a flower that self-pollinates and therefore the seed that you save will come back true every time. Sweet Peas were my very first flower I ever grew and saved seed from. It is so easy and rewarding I promise you will be hooked once you start.
Sweet Pea seeds self-pollinate and therefore will come back true to form when saving seed.
As you tuck away your carefully saved seeds, you’re not only preparing for next season but also nurturing a connection to your garden that grows deeper with every harvest. Seed saving is a gentle art—one that invites you to notice, cherish, and continue the unique stories your garden has to tell. Whether these seeds bring back the familiar faces of your favorite blooms or surprise you with something new and unexpected, there’s a thrill in watching that first sprout emerge, knowing you’ve been part of its journey.
In time, seed saving becomes more than just a practical skill; it’s a way of growing with your garden, season by season, one small miracle at a time. So here’s to you, your garden’s future, and all the seeds that will carry it forward.
If you are interested learning more about what’s in season throughout the year in the cut flower garden and what seeds to sow when, then make sure to visit the following articles for more information and advice.
