Seed Gathering Season

The best seeds to gather depend on the time of year and the type of plant you want to grow: 

  • Early autumn: Seeds to sow in August include calendulas, cornflowers, forget-me-nots, and wild carrot. 
  • October: Collect the bright pink pods of spindle, the orange seeds of spindle, the berries of guelder rose, the black seeds of the wayfaring tree, and the black berries of the buckthorn. 
  • November: Collect hawthorn haws, which stay on the bushes well into winter. 
  • December: Collect holly berries. 
  • Pine cones: Collect pine cones from trees when they are closed, before they fall. 
  • Rowan berries: Collect the fruit as early as possible to get there before the birds. 
  • Birch cones: Collect the cones from the lower branches of the tree and dry them in a paper bag.
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Tips and info for gathering seeds:

  • Seedheads can ripen quickly, so watch them carefully. 
  • Collect seeds from healthy and vigorous plants. 
  • Most seed germinates best if sown as soon as it ripens. 
  • Some seeds need a period of cold weather before they will germinate. 
  • Store seeds in quite dry, cool conditions if they tend to rot in wet weather. 
  • When planting winged seeds, leave the wings on but separate the seeds from each other and from any stray twigs. 
  • In the UK, it is illegal to dig up wild flower plants. However, you can gather the four F's (flowers, fruit, fungi, and foliage) in moderation and for your own use.
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