You Grow Girl™

Ancient Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 1380 Location: Toronto

Ciao all-

I've never saved seeds from calendulas before. I cut off two flower heads today, but what I think are the seeds, sort of curled things around the edges of the spent flower heads, are very green still. Should I let the spent flower heads mature until the seeds are black before I cut them off or will the seeds mature off the plant if I cut the flower heads off now?

Posted: 08-08-09 16:19

Yes, the seeds are the curly things Smile

.

To save calendula I've always let the seeds mature fully on the plant. I've never actually tried drying them off plant, but my guess would be the seeds aren't fully mature if you cut them off before they've dried fully. Kind of like trying to save seeds from a cuke that you haven't let fully mature on the plant.

Posted: 08-08-09 18:06

Hi Julianna,
i let the seed mature fully and dry before i harvest them. They will dry to a straw/brown/ grey colour.
http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/flowers/calendula/calendula-seeds3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/flowers/calendula/calendula.htm&usg=__asbQVynLMUzmo1fIA-1aCysXG8c=&h=300&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&start=20&um=1&tbnid=enJaAq_MuDI2jM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcalendula%2Bseeds%2Bpic%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1
O.K that is a looooong link from google
but it gives you the visual.
good luck!

Ancient Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 1380 Location: Toronto

Excellent link, Audrey, thank you. That's exactly what I needed so I can see what the seeds will look like when it's time to harvest them. Very Happy

Posted: 19-09-09 18:34

your welcome!(' Very Happy

')

Posted: 04-11-09 13:29

They're one of my favourite seeds for that reason. I never save them either since the plants just seed themselves. But I grew several varieties this year so it's nice to have some extras.