Harvesting Marigold Seeds

Saving Marigold Seeds

A year ago in May, I received the cutest little plant!  My 2 adorable little grandsons gave me a potted Marigold for Mother's Day.  Into our front garden it went.  Yes, it was given special treatment- watered every day with our sprinkler system, fertilized and boy did it flourish!  Last Autumn I saved some of the seeds from my very special beautiful Marigold plant.  

This past Spring the seeds were planted in a pot.  Somehow, a few seeds also found a home with the Zinnia seeds in our side garden.  How did that ever happen???  Then, we had a lot of rain.  Oops, not good for germinating seed! Well, one plant did grow in the pot & 3 other Marigolds were lookin' good with the Zinnia plants.  A little transplanting to the pot was in order.  Guess what???

Early this Summer- Marigolds growing from saved seeds!

I've been enjoying my healthy Marigolds from the boys all summer.  My pot has been filled with beautiful bright orange flowers & green buds that will open!   Now, it's time to harvest some of the seeds, so a 3rd generation of Marigolds will grow & flower next summer.  I am so onto this!  Now, I've saved a few of the dried blossoms to harvest my seeds for next year's plants!  Inside the dried blossom pods are next year's crop!

Seeds located in dried blossom's pod

Harvesting the seeds is easy!  Remove the dried pod from the plant outdoors.  Then, separate the seeds inside the dried pod from the dried flower & pod.  I store the seeds in an envelope to continue drying.  See top photo.  A few weeks later, label & seal the envelope.  This is my treasure for next year's beautiful orange colored Marigolds in our yard!  

If you've been enjoying Marigolds all summer, save some of the seeds, too!  Next spring after all danger of frost has left your area, plant the seeds outside.  They can also be planted inside in containers in early Spring, if possible.

I have plans for next year's gardens!!!  It's so cool to grow plants from seed, especially when you've harvested the seeds from the previous year's flowers!

Do you save seeds from flowers in your garden to grow the following year?  

Enjoy!