Seeds

Growing plants from seed is great fun, but seed collecting can be tricky because some plants have dry fruits that split open as soon as they’re ripe. The seeds then drop to the ground, fly away in the wind, or they may be eaten or carried off by birds and animals.

About a month ago, Don demonstrated a method of collecting seed using mosquito mesh which he bought from the local haberdashery store. He made a bag to fit over some ripening grevillea pods, and secured it around the stem with a plant tie. An alternative to mesh is a bag made from the lower part (foot end) of an old stocking. This method of seed collecting works particularly well for busy people who don’t have time to constantly monitor their plants. Don checked his grevilleas and found that seeds had dropped safely into the bag, ready for sowing.