Laura Walters
The flowers may be fading as we enter fall, but that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye forever to your favorite flowers. If you let some of these flowers go to seed, you can harvest, save, and plant those seeds for a glorious spring and summer garden next year.
Here, we have some tips on how to collect flower seeds in fall and which flowers are best propagated this way. From perennials you can sow right away in fall to annuals for next spring, these are the best flower seeds to collect and save for next year.
So grab your sharpest pruning shears, a few paper bags, and get working on your autumn seed harvest!
How to Save Flower Seeds
There may be a variation or two depending on the type of flower, but generally, saving seeds is a consistent process from one to the next. Saving seeds is a great way to save money. It’s also a good way to keep growing the flowers you like best. If you have a particularly pretty color of zinnia from a mixed seed packet, save its seeds to get more of that color next year.
- Flower seeds are typically ready to harvest a month after they’ve faded. The seed heads should be fully brown and dry.
- Harvest seeds on a dry and sunny day after the dew has dried in the morning.
- Label paper bags with each flower’s name.
- Use shears or scissors to snip off flower heads and place them in the appropriate bag. Fiskars micro-tip pruning shears, available on Amazon, are precise and sharp.
- Inside, separate out the seeds from other plant material for each flower head you collected. This is much easier to do if you’ve allowed the seed head to fully mature and dry outside on the plant.
- Even if the seeds seem completely dry, it’s best to spread them out on paper, a cookie sheet, or a screen in a dry, sheltered area for a few days. They need to be totally dry.
- Finally, save seeds in labeled brown paper bags or envelopes. Store seeds from your garden in a dry, cool spot away from light. This cute and sturdy seed storage box from Amazon comes with paper seed packs and plant labels so you can keep your harvest well organized.
The Best Flower Seeds to Save
Of course, some flower seeds are better suited for collecting, saving, and propagating than others. For example, hybrids aren’t really worth saving as they won’t give you the same variety when they are sown later. This list is just an example of some of the flower seeds that are most worth your time harvesting and sowing.
1. Sunflowers
One of the easiest seeds to save is the big seeds that sunflowers produce. They are large and clearly visible, easy to handle, and easy to collect. Wait for the petals to die and fall off, and the back of the flower head is yellow or brown. If the seed head doesn’t seem completely dry, cut it off and hang it in a dry place until the seeds are dry and easy to remove. They should fall out easily by rubbing the seed head with your hand. Sow sunflower seeds directly outside in spring after the danger of frost.
2. Zinnias
Zinnia flowers are easy annuals, but it’s best to collect seeds from open-pollinated varieties, not hybrids. Examples of open-pollinated zinnias include ‘Green Envy,’ ‘Canary Bird,’ ‘Candy Cane,’ and ‘Cut n Come Again.’ You can find all of these open-pollinated zinnia varieties from Ferry-Morse if you aren't sure if you have hybrids in your garden.
Allow the seed heads to dry to a dark brown shade before you harvest them. To harvest zinnia seeds, you can hit it gently against a surface or rub it between your fingers. Plant zinnia seeds outside after the last frost, or start them indoors four to six weeks before the last frost.
3. Calendula
Calendula flowers are pretty orange annuals that produce large, curly seeds that are easy to identify and separate. Let the seed heads turn brown and dry before removing them. Rub the seed heads between your fingers to release the seeds.
Sow calendula seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost for the best start, or outdoors after the last frost. This Burpee reusable seed-starting tray from Amazon is a favorite of our gardening editors. The silicone cells allow you to easily remove your seedlings for transplanting without damaging their delicate root structure.
4. Nasturtium
Nasturtium is a vining annual that produces edible flowers and leaves. Nasturtium seeds are easy to harvest because they develop in pods. Look for the pods to form and wait until they are brown and dry before you remove them from the plant. You can plant your dried seeds next spring after the last frost. It’s better not to start them indoors as they don’t transplant well.
5. Cosmos
Most cosmos varieties are annuals, and they are easy to grow from seed. If you have some now that you like, harvest the dried seed heads. Harvest cosmos seeds by gently cracking the seed head with your fingernail. You can also rub them between your fingers to remove the seeds, which are long, narrow, and slightly curved. Cosmos grow well from direct seeding in spring after the last frost. You can also start them indoors four to six weeks earlier.
6. Snapdragon
Snapdragons are tender perennials that many gardeners treat as annuals. Snapdragon seeds are unique and easy to identify. Their pods resemble skulls. Once you see these brown, dry skulls, you can remove them. Gently rub or roll the seed pods and then shake them to release the small, black seeds for storage. For the best results in spring, start your snapdragon seeds indoors, eight to ten weeks before the last frost.
7. Coneflower
Coneflowers are perennials, which means you can save the seeds to plant next spring, but be aware that they will take a couple of years to mature and bloom. If the seed heads develop and dry in time, you can collect coneflower seeds and sow them in the same season.
If sown in the fall, they should go in the ground 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost. To collect coneflower seeds, you can place the dried heads in a paper bag and shake vigorously to loosen them, and then use your fingers to scrape off the rest.
Collecting and saving flower seeds is one of my favorite fall garden tasks. It is a sustainable and budget-friendly way to make sure your garden looks fabulous next year. Try harvesting these flower seeds or others from your garden and start planning for the spring. It will be here before we know it!
