How to collect St. John's Wort plant seeds #gardening, by Harmony Art and Garden Grow on YouTube. 2 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Wait until late summer or early autumn. The seed pods are ready when they turn brown and papery and feel dry to the touch, not green and soft.
Check a pod by squeezing it gently over your hand. Ripe seeds are small, dark and loose inside, while green pods are still firm and closed.
Cut the flower stems holding the seed heads with pruners. Leave a few centimetres of stem so you have something to hold.
Hold each stem upside down inside a paper bag or over a bowl and tap it. The ripe pods split and drop the seeds without scattering them across the garden.
Rub the dry pods between your fingers to release any seeds still stuck inside. Do this over the bowl so nothing is lost.
Tip the seeds onto a paper towel and pick out the dry pod pieces and chaff. Blowing gently helps move the light husks away.
Leave the seeds on the paper towel in a dry room for a few days so any remaining moisture escapes.
Write the plant name and the date on a label. Place the seeds in a paper envelope or a dry jar and store them somewhere cool and dark.
Sow the seeds in fall straight into a pot or a prepared bed, or keep them dry and sow them in spring.
Tips and common mistakes
Pick the pods just as they turn brown, because they split and drop their seeds quickly once fully ripe.
Never seal damp seeds in a jar, as they will go mouldy. Dry them first and use paper if you are unsure.
Label the container straight away, since the small dark seeds look alike once they are mixed together.
This is the ornamental Hypericum inodorum or Tall Tutsan shrub, so check the label if you want the medicinal herb.
Keep in mind that seeds from hybrid shrubs may not grow exactly like the parent plant.
Questions
When are St. John's Wort seeds ready to collect?
Look for brown, dry, papery pods in late summer or early autumn. A ripe pod feels light and splits easily when you squeeze it, while a green one stays firm.
Can I sow the seeds straight away in fall?
Yes. Fresh seeds can go into a pot or a prepared bed in autumn and will come up the following spring. You can also dry and store them for spring sowing.
How long do the saved seeds keep?
Stored dry in a cool, dark place in a paper envelope or sealed jar, the seeds usually stay usable for a year or two. Label them with the date so you use the oldest first.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
