It's seed-saving season

Harvest seeds for flowers and crops, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

THIS is the prime season for saving seeds from around the garden, allowing you to propagate your favourite plants where you want (as opposed to at Mother’s Nature’s whims) and save money at the same time.

Whether you are saving annual, perennial or biennial seeds, or stashing away edible varieties, it’s a great fun thing to do, saves a lot of money and is incredibly satisfying when the results of your labour come to fruition.

Collecting seeds is done when the seed heads or pods have ripened and turned from being flexible or soft and green to dried, brittle and usually brown or red.

Gather them on a dry day, ideally after a run of rain-free days, as unless they are completely dry when stored they will go mouldy. Timing is key as pods can ripen and shed their seeds overnight, so do daily checks on your favourite plants so you don’t miss out.