How To Save Celosia Seeds: The #1 Guide For Beginners, by Jen Caputo on YouTube. 2 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes plus 2 to 3 weeks d
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Gently pull back the bottom petals of a celosia bloom and look inside for tiny, shiny black seeds. If you see them, the seeds are ripe and you can cut the flower.
Cut the flower heads off with scissors or pruners, leaving a short piece of stem. Take a few heads so you have plenty of seeds.
Place the heads in a single layer in a cardboard box and keep the box indoors. Leave it for a few weeks while the flowers dry and drop their seeds into the bottom.
Hold any stubborn dried heads over the box or a bowl and rub them gently between your fingers. The seeds will fall out as you rub.
Blow softly across the bowl to push the light dried petals away, or pour the mix through a fine kitchen strainer to separate the seeds.
Spread the clean seeds out and let them dry completely before storing, so no moisture stays trapped.
Tip the seeds into a labelled paper envelope or a small glass jar. Write the plant name and the year on the label.
Store the envelope or jar in a cool, dark, dry place until spring, then sow the seeds as usual.
Tips and common mistakes
Cut your flower heads on a dry, sunny day so there is less moisture to dry out indoors.
Seeds from hybrid celosia may not grow into plants that look like the parent, so save from open-pollinated types if you want a repeat.
Let seeds dry fully before sealing a jar, or trapped damp can turn them mouldy.
Take care with scissors and pruners, and keep the blades pointing away from your fingers.
Questions
How do I know when celosia seeds are ready to pick?
Pull back the lower petals and look for small, shiny black seeds inside. If they are there, the flower is ready even if the bloom is not fully dry.
Do I have to let the flowers dry on the plant?
No. You can cut the heads once the seeds are visible and finish drying them in a cardboard box indoors.
How long can I keep saved celosia seeds?
Kept cool, dark and dry, the seeds stay good for more than one season. Label them with the year so you know how old they are.
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.
