Backroads mom

Don’t discount those end of summer plants! You know the ones, they look half dead, they are on clearance at your local home and farm store. Buy them, plant at home, give them some love! If they don’t bounce back and start showing signs of life, cut their heads off!

That’s right! Cut them off!

Seed saving is all about those spent flowers. You can still benefit from last years mistakes if you take the time to think ahead. Cutting the seed heads off your plants and letting them dry out gives you a wonderful start on that dream garden for spring! You can also plant seeds in the late fall just after the first frost! Just store your gathered seeds in a baggie or paper sack in a cool dark place. If you plan on saving more than one variety label your bags.

Wait! Don’t stop there. All your successful plants also have seeds! Be patient and when fall arrives, when your plants are good and dry, harvest some for next year using the same method! Pick the best performing flowers to gather from. Don’t forget to leave a few flowers on the stalks to allow for wild life in your yard to snack over winter! After all we don’t want to be stingy! Once you have some seed saving experience under your belt you can share with friends and neighbors!

The best part, less money spent on those grocery store seed packets! Not to mention, you will begin to look at those half dead plants a little differently from now on!

Aren’t these past their prime flower head’s beautiful? Look around and gather, there are so many gifts left for us to find!