Harvesting and Collecting Cilantro, Dill and Leek Seeds - The Basic Method

Harvesting and Collecting Cilantro, Dill and Leek Seeds:

The Basic Method

You can save a lot of money by letting a few plants fully mature and go to seed. Collecting seeds for flowering vegetables and herbs is quite easy. It is just a matter of getting the flower/seed heads into a brown bag.

The videos show you the whole process and the timing in cutting the seed heads. The process it is pretty simple. Cilantro, dill and leeks will all flower. When the flowers mature and finish, seeds are created. You want to let the flower/seed heads turn brown and fully dry. Timing is important because if you wait too long, the seeds will fall to the ground. Another great way to save money is to let your herb patches self seed.

You want to collect your seeds on a sunny day. You want everything to be dry. If it rained that week, make sure you wait 24-48 hours as to let everything dry. Wet seeds can get moldy.

Collect your seed heads in a brown bag. Paper will absorb any moisture and dry quickly. You can let your seeds sit in the bag about a week if you pick them a tad early to brown out. It is good practice to leave the seeds in the bag a couple days just to ensure they are dry if you have any concerns. Just shake them in the bag each day.

To collect the seeds for storage, just dump the heads onto a plate and pick away. Each seed has its own characteristics. Leek seeds are hard and covered in a husk. You can crush them free. Cilantro seeds are large and round and have a thin husk. You don't need to worry about the husk on cilantro. If you roll them too hard, the seeds can break. The dill seed just hangs on the old flower stems.

It is good practice to let the collected seeds sit 5-7 days on the plates. Again, it is just to ensure they dry. It also lets any critters walk away from them. The videos highlight the process for collecting cilantro, dill and leek seeds.

Good Luck in Your Gardens!

Tweet

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (2500+ Members!)
250 HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
Follow and Organize The Rusted Garden on Pinterest
Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden