Nasturtium Seed Harvest – Tips For Collecting Nasturtium Seeds

With their bright green leaves and vividly colored blooms, nasturtiums are one of the cheeriest flowers in the garden. They’re also one of the easiest to grow. Collecting nasturtium seeds is just as simple, even for the youngest gardeners. Read on and learn how to gather nasturtium seeds for planting later.

Nasturtium Seed Harvest: Tips on Nasturtium Seed Saving

Collect plump nasturtium seeds when the plant is winding down in late summer or early fall, before the rainy season or first frost. Don’t gather nasturtium seeds too early because immature seeds aren’t as likely to germinate. Ideally, the seeds will dry and fall off the vine, but you may want to harvest them before they drop.

Move the leaves aside to find the seeds in the centers of the flowers. The wrinkled seeds, about the size of a large pea, will usually be in groups of three. You may also find them in groups of two or four.

Ripe seeds will be tan, which means they are ready to harvest. If the seeds have dropped from the plant, nasturtium seed harvest is just a matter of picking them off the ground. Otherwise, they’ll be easily picked from the plant. You can harvest green nasturtium seeds as long as they’re plump and easily picked off the vine. If they don’t come loose easily, give them a few more days to ripen then try again.

Nasturtium Seed Saving: After Nasturtium Seed Harvest

Nasturtium seed saving is almost as easy as collecting the seeds. Just spread the seeds on a paper plate or paper towel and leave them until they’re completely brown and dry. Ripe seeds will dry within a few days, but green nasturtium seeds will take much longer. Don’t rush the process. Seeds won’t keep if they aren’t completely dry. 

Once the seeds have dried, store them in a paper envelope or glass jar. Don’t store the seeds in plastic, as they may mold without adequate air circulation. Store the dry nasturtium seeds in a cool, dry location. Don’t forget to label the container.