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Collecting nicotiana seeds

D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184
in Plants

I have some beautiful enormous white nicotiana plants in a tiny pot, they have been lovely all summer. However, I didn't plant them and I am sure they would look so much better in the border rather than the silly pot.

Is it possible to collect the seeds, will they grow the same as these ones if I do and if so how do I go about it?

I pulled one deadhead off and opened it up, al I could find was a big green pip thing at the bottom attached to the stalk - is that the seed or have they already blown away?

Thanks in anticipation. 

  • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Hi DD, if they're enormous they're probably N. sylvestris. These are perennial but not that hardy. They do sometimes come through an East Anglian winter but are very late to flower. 

    From seed is quicker.  The seed pods turn brown and the seeds can be tipped out. Make sure they're brown/black and ripe before you collect them. Store cool and dry and sow in very early spring.

    I think yours  haven't reached seeding yet if they're still green, they hang on to them well and they drop, they don't blow



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,887

    given their size, I was amazed to find, when I'd bought a packet of N. Syvestris seeds, that the packet said there were 2,000 seeds  inside.

    You'd need a large field to plant them all out.

    Devon.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    They make thousands of seeds don't theyimage

    I'm too hopeful of ripening anything that's still green now though. I haven't grown sylvestris this year but I'm waiting for affinis to ripen with hope reducing rapidlyimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184

    Thank you for the advice, I managed to find a really brown one and got the seeds out, will keep my eye on the rest of them. image

    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    That's good. Sticky things aren't theyimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184

    Hope the rest of mine don't misbehave - they are such lovely flowers.

    Going to have to invest in some small envelopes too so can keep all these seeds safe and labelled until spring. So exciting, never done this before. image

    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    I get really exited with every germination DD, image



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • granmagranma Posts: 1,931

    Dordogne  Damsel

    If you have several heads waiting to turn brown, when we get another dry day why don't you cut one off near to the ground  pop it into a paper bag tie the bag around the stem  tightly  and hang it up either in greenhouse by the stem or some where inside warm and sunny.    The seeds fall out as they ripen I have done this with Foxgloves and it works.the seed head must be dry though or it goes mouldy.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    I think you're right Philippa, also with foxgloves they going to be sown immediately (at least mine are). Nicotiana aren't hardy so they've got to be really ripe and dry to store till spring



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Jacqueline-19Jacqueline-19 Posts: 2

    How do you collect seeds from nicotania red? My neighbour has these plants and we would like to try and grow them again for next year 

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