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Collecting seeds

peteSpeteS Posts: 966
in Plants
Is it OK to collect annual poppy seed heads before they have dried out. I pass a rather lovely annual 'wild' flower bed...cornflowers, Californian poppies, etc...and I worry whether it will be chopped back before I can 'pinch' a few seeds if I delay too long. Many thanks.

Posts

  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    You do need to let them dry out as the seeds may not have fully ripened otherwise. You can always try your luck though!
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    If you go past regularly, a few at a time until your luck runs out?
    East Lancs
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Is it a bed that's been deliberately planted up and is maintained? If so, it would be normal for the people responsible for it to wait until it's all self seeded before cutting it down. If that's the case, it would be easier for you to be able to collect the seed at the best times.  :)

    Otherwise, you'd just have to keep going past and try your luck, as already said. Many plants won't 'take' if they haven't dried out and matured properly on the plant. I find it difficult even in my own garden, because when seed heads are at the right sort of time, they often get too much rain and rot off, so it isn't always the easiest process. It can be hit and miss. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    I was reading an article about taking cuttings/seeds from plants that aren't yours. In certain situations it is regarded as theft. If you can find out who owns the area then you can ask them when they are going to cut back and could you have some of the seeds beforehand. When asked people rarely say no.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Even if it's council-owned in a public area, if lots of people took seed there'd not be enough to produce next year's flowers there (assuming it's being managed to let the seed fall before it's cut back - even our rather backward council seems to get that right).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    As @bertrand-mabel says, when asked, people rarely refuse when it is privately owned.  
    However, as the N Trust pointed out years ago, their visitors  were often tempted to " just take a cutting/a few seed pods - it won't hurt" without considering that several hundred other people had exactly the same idea when visiting the properties. 
    It can be hard to resist but trying to find out who owns the ground and how they intend to use it is a safer bet.
  • peteSpeteS Posts: 966
    Many thanks for your replies.
    The flower bed in question is just a tiny strip (barely 5x2 metres) where somebody has scraped the top layer of the grass verge away and scattered the seeds a few weeks ago. I have been cycling past the spot to work for years, and this is the first such venture I've seen, so whether it is a one off to use up some old seeds I don't know.
  • a1154a1154 Posts: 1,108
    edited August 2022
    The seed won’t be viable unless it’s dried out. You could ask for some poppy etc on the seed swap thread. 

    There were some beautiful bright orange poppies (but the annual type) in the park near me, a public/council area, but a wild bit. Someone cut all the heads off really before all the petals had dropped, so there was no way it was ready. They won’t get any plants and there won’t be any in the same spot next year. It struck me as a particularly mean thing to do. ☹️
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've had poppy seed heads taken from my garden when they're within reach of the front wall, also before they're ripe. If they'd knocked and asked I'd have saved some for them to collect when ready.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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