I can't. I clearly state in my posts and on my web page that my rudbeckias in particular contain chaff. I make sure there is plenty of seed, so it's a larger than fair trade.

Chaff doesn't seem to bother winter sowed ruds. Life is too short.

Well,

I don't have a definitive answer but here's how I did it. I tried shaking a dried head in a plastic bag but chaff came off with the seed. I kind of ran my thumbnail across the dried flower head and stuff fell to the paper plate. I finally just analyzed the pile of stuff until I determined what was seed and what was chaff. I discovered that the seeds look much like the chaff but are shorter and totally black while the chaff seems to have a little tannish end to them. They (the seeds)also have more of a dimension to them. They actually make a *plink* or *thud* or at least more of a noise when they drop on a paper plate. Then I take my tweezers and remove them to another plate. Not the most effective way to gather, but it was all I could come up with.

Sorry I don'thave a better answer.

Ann

I have to agree with Bakemom on this. Make sure there is plenty of seeds and don't worry about the chaff. If you have nothing but time, feel free to separate but I don't think it's worth it.

I put mine in a cup or bowl (a clean cottage cheese or yogurt cup works well) and shake gently in a side-to-side motion. Because its lighter, most of the chaff "floats" to the top. I then scoop the layer of chaff off the top, and viola, seeds! Actually, rudbeckia seeds =)

Well thanks for asking this, because I was just about to post a question asking if it was REALLY a problem to have chaff...is it just an aesthetic thing then? Doesn't really matter?

pbaby, it's absolutely an aesthetic thing. Mother Nature doesn't worry about chaff :)

I only clean the seeds that are easy to clean. But, that's just me.

would hate to offend anyone, but my direction seems to be let the chaff stay,

Hello!...I am trying to sort out some perennial Black Eyed Susan-Rudbeckia Fulgida "Goldstrum" seed heads I have gathered from my plants...I see the chaff(lots of it!), but am trying to discern for sure what are seeds(it mostly looks like a big pile of chaff to me).....PM mentioned the seeds have more "dimension" to them....I do see some debris thats just short brownish gray colored woody splintery looking bits that have ridges....are those the seeds?...is there an actual picture of them to be found anywhere?...Thanks!..GardenLove

The seeds tend to be shorter and more uniform - like little sticks. They look harder and more substantial. I'm not doing very well describing them, but "dimension" is a good term.

I clip off the mature seed heads and stash them into a large open bowl in the attic. In a few months the heads are bone dry and I place them into an empty butter cookie can, put on the lid, and shake like mad until my arms wear our or I've had enough of it, lol.

Then a I open the can and put it all into a kitchen sieve. I tap the sieve and the small seeds fall through the sieve and the heads remain.

There is also some chaff and dust. It all goes into a glass pie plate and I go outside with it and gently, GENTLY puff away the chaff and dust.

If its a very windy day or I've got more gust in my lungs than puff, I pack the seeds with the chaff and add a small tag that says to surface sow the entire packet contents as chaff is included.

I don't go nuts over removing chaff. If I can do it I will, if I can't my sanity is saved with the sowing instructions.