Wait until the flowers are finished blooming and the flowers are drying up a bit...Sometimes I have taken a container and tipped the flowerstalk sideways into it and given it a shake over the container and often the seeds will come out when they are ripe and dry. Then, I take the bloomstalks off carefully and quickly dumped them into a large tupperware or metal bowl. I put the bowl in the house, in a warm dry place and leave them to airdry for a month or so.

Last year I gathered the flowerstalks in September and in November cleaned up the flowerstalks. By November they were dry and the seeds easily fell out. The seeds are the size of pepper. I put mine into plastic dollar store envelopes as they were very dry. Into the fridge they went until I started the seeds in the beginning of January.

When planting they are to be placed on the top of the soilless mix as they need the light to germinate. I had nearly 100% germination rate from last year's seeds. Gulp...that is why I am still transplanting...

But ohhhhh...you should see the colors and variations of patterns that are showing up already on them. I had planned on only keeping a few, but as they are maturing it is becoming really hard to decide which ones to keep and which ones not to keep...

So Valleyrimgirl, you seed started indoors with a grow light and transplanted later in the summer. Can you just directly sow in the spring?

Yes, I started my seeds inside. I didn't start them outside in the spring, but I don't see why you couldn't. I would think that you may not get as good as a germination rate as I did in my more controlled environment. I also wanted to get a head start on the seedlings so that they would be a good size when fall comes so that they can make it thru our cold winters up here in Manitoba.

I've wintersown heuchera seeds and had wonderful results. In spring, I transplanted them into a holding bed that has tiny trillium and first-year foxglove seedlings. This way I can keep all my babies watered easily and the tiny sprouts don't get trampled or lost. When they're bigger, I'll move them out into the real grade.

Does anyone know how easily heuchera cross with others? Are most of the plants grown from OP seeds surprises? If so, I may as well just throw all my seeds into the same bag.

Martha