Looking To Flex Your Green Thumb? Here’s How To Harvest Dahlia Seeds For Next Year’s Blooms
Dahlias produce beautiful blooms of varying hues during midsummer and last all the way to fall. The petals have a velvet-smooth texture, and some have an ombre effect, causing the colors to fade into each other and creating a striking display in your garden.
If you just can’t get enough of dahlias, you should consider harvesting seeds from your existing flowers to grow new ones! Dahlias are most commonly grown from tubers, but it’s entirely possible to sow them from seed.
However, there is no guarantee that the seeds you grow will turn out to be similar to the parent plant. It may result in a brand-new plant with its own unique look.
If you don’t mind being surprised about what dahlias you get, then here’s how to harvest the seeds so you can have lots of distinctive-looking dahlias come spring!
Fall is the time to gather seeds from dahlias in your garden. Toward the end of the growing season, pull off the petals of some of your fading blooms to reveal the stamen of each flower. This way, the bees will be more likely to visit those flowers and pollinate them.
Pollination is crucial because it’s how dahlias produce seeds. Once the dahlias have been pollinated, the flower heads will begin to form a green seed pod.
The process takes between four to six weeks. You’ll know it’s ready to be harvested when it dries up and turns brown.
To harvest, use pruning shears to snip off the seed heads and collect them in a brown paper bag. Leave the seed heads in the paper bag and store it in a cool, dry area for a couple of weeks.
Afterward, you’ll need to separate the actual seeds from the pod. Dahlia seeds are flat and dark brown or black in color. There can be up to twenty seeds in each pod.
Irina Schmidt – stock.adobe.com- illustrative purposes only
Make sure the seeds are completely dry before you store them away for the winter; otherwise, they can become moldy. Once dry, place them in a tightly sealed container and label it with the date you collected the seeds.
The following spring, plant the seeds in a sunny spot in your garden!
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