Harvesting Celosia & Coleus Seeds

18 years ago

Can someone tell me the trick on when & how to get the seeds from Celosia & Coleus plants. I know both type have small black seeds from the pods, but do they have to be dried on the plants before I take the branch off, or can I cut the branch and just let it dry in a tray? How do you separate the little seeds from the rest of the pod? I tried placing pieces in a glass jar and shaking the jar until the seeds fell out, but then I had all the other mess mixed with it! Yea, I guess I could sit there with a tweezer picking the seeds out, but there must be a "better way"! How does everyone else do it? Thanks! Paul

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Comments (5)

Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
18 years ago
I can't really tell you the best time to pick the Celosia and coleus, but can tell you how I have done the celosia in the past. Cut the flower head, and if it is good and dry (no dew, recent rain), Put it into a bag, and give it a good shaking. A lot of the seeds will release from the Celosia, depending upon the variety, I think. What does not release you can then get off the flower stem yourself, by scraping the stem of all seeds and chaff.

I then use a metal strainer similar to this to separate the seeds from the chaff. There will still be a bit of very fine chaff in the seeds, which I sometimes don't worry about because it is so fine. Other times I will put the seed and chaff in a kind of shallow bowl, and gently blow from one side, and the chaff will go up and out the other side of the bowl. I do see that as kind of 'overkill' though to try and get them almost perfectly clean. A few seeds 'may' be lost as a result of blowing the last of the fine chaff.

Sue
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
18 years ago
I found some info on collecting Coleus seed.

This is copied from another thread with credit being given to the person who shard the info.

* Posted by bakemom z6 Central Ohio (My Page) on
Thu, Aug 28, 08 at 15:51

Coleus are a lot like salvias - the flower stem produces small papery like pods and the seeds shake out. You do have to be careful though as once the pods open, the slightest breeze will blow them out.

Sue...again
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rocklandguyZ8,SC
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks Sue, My coleus seem to be taking forever to dry out on the plant. The leaves are falling off, but the flowers are still green/blue with all the bees around! It doesn't seem that there are seeds until they are dried out. The placing in a jar and shaking seems to be working OK, I'll try your method for removing the chaff. Paul
sheliac
17 years ago
When I pick the celosia and place it in a paper bag, I let it set for a few days so it will dry out more. Then you can shake them inside the bag and seeds will fall to the bottom.
znia
17 years ago
I just leave it on the plant and every once in a while take a plate or something and shake the celosia over the plate. If its not ready I'll just get a few and if it is I'll get tons. Either way I normally get some and don't have to feel guilty I didn't let the other ones finish.