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How to collect Nigella seeds

borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
in Plants
My Nigellas have formed seed pods, but the seeds inside are still green. Can I harvest the seed pods now for sowing next spring, or should I leave them on the plant until the seeds turn black?

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    You don't really need to harvest them. They will self - seed all over the place - forever. 
    If you want to harvest them, wait until they are black
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Simone_in_WiltshireSimone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073
    @borgadr you leave the nigellas as they and at some day, when you shake the flower heads over a bowl, they will fall out as black seeds. 
    This is how I collected them two years ago 

    I ♥ my garden.

  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    Thanks guys - I'll wait as you advised

    @B3 - I get what you're saying about self seeding, but they're in pots and I want to sow them elsewhere in the garden. I'm worried that if I wait I'll miss it and they'll pop (like geraniums.. do they?), but I'll move the pots to where I want to sow, just in case.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    They don't pop without warning😊 . when the heads get brown, you could put some in a paper bag. You can also move the seedlings if they're in the wrong place.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    I read somewhere that you can collect the seed heads at any time ,that the seeds will mature even when picked Is that not right then? 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    No, if you collect unripe seeds, they will not ripen once off the plant.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Oh right just shows that you can’t believe everything you read ……….even on a Gardeners World website .Thank you for putting me right .
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Some seeds, just to make life interesting, are best sown before they are ripe, Primula for example.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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