10/21/2026
**Fall Seed Collection**
Autumn is the time of year when most of our native species ripen their seeds in preparation for sending them off to new homes. The late summer bloom is winding down, the air is getting a little chilly for pollinators, chlorophyll is degrading, and the sparrows are returning, expecting their feast. This is also when breezy conditions and drier air make for effective wind dispersal of those fluffy asters. Here is a quick rundown of the seed collection process and a few important things to remember.
Where Can I Collect?
The goal is to target wild (unplanted) populations of plants. Old pastures, fencerows, woodlots, and large tracts of forest are good places to look. Make sure you have permission to collect. Virginia state lands and national parks are off-limits without a permit.
How Do I Collect Them?
Put the seeds in a small paper bag. Seeds should be just about ready to fall off the plant. For fluffy aster seeds you can just gently pull them right off the plant. If the seeds are contained within a capsule of some sort (e.g. mountain mint), you can usually just place the bag over the plant, turn it upside down, and shake. Alternatively, you can clip small sections of seed head off and worry about getting the seeds out after they dry. Label your bag with the species, date, and location.
Do I Need to Dry Them Out
For the most part, yes. Keep the paper bags containing your seeds in a warm (not hot), dry, rodent-free spot for a few weeks and they should dry right out. If you collect fleshy fruits like spicebush or Pawpaws, don’t let them dry out. Put them in a plastic bag with some damp sand or peat moss and right into the fridge.
What Then? Seeds are perishable. After they are dry, they should be stored in an envelope in the fridge. Don’t let them freeze! Check Prairie Moon Nursery's website to see if the species needs cold stratification to germinate. If they require a long period (60 to 90 days) you might want to stratify them right away. Remember that dry seeds stored in the fridge are not stratifying. They need to be mixed with a damp medium and placed in a ziploc bag for that.
Other Important Considerations Only collect seeds from plants that are abundant. If there are only a handful of individuals, skip that species. To maintain genetic diversity, you want to collect seeds from as many different individuals as possible, just make sure to take a small amount from each plant.
For more information come to our seed collection workshop on October 31st!
