Okay, so you want to know how I got peony seeds from my plants? It’s not rocket science, but it does take a little patience. Here’s how I did it, step-by-step:
Waiting for the Right Time
First things first, you gotta wait. Don’t go picking those flowers expecting seeds right away. I let the flowers bloom and do their thing. Once they’re past their prime and start to look a little sad, that’s when the magic starts to happen.
Watching for the Pods
After the petals fall off, you’ll see these green pod things start to form where the flower used to be. These are the seed pods. Keep an eye on them. They’re not ready yet!
Checking for Brown and Open
I kept checking those pods every few days. You want them to turn brown and start to split open. That’s your sign that the seeds inside are mature and ready to * the pods is brown and didn’t split open,I’ll gently pry them open with my fingers.
Collecting the Seeds
- Once the pods are open, you’ll see the seeds inside. Some will be big, dark, and shiny – those are the good ones!
- Some might be smaller, lighter-colored, or shriveled. I usually toss those because they probably won’t germinate.
- I just picked the good seeds out of the pods. Easy peasy.
Storing the Seeds
I’ve heard different things about storing them, but I just put mine in a paper envelope and keep them in a cool, dry place until I’m ready to plant them. Some folks say you should put them in the fridge with some damp peat moss, but I haven’t tried that yet.
That’s it!
That’s all there is to it. It’s a pretty simple process, and it’s super rewarding to collect seeds from your own plants. Now, I’ve got a bunch of peony seeds ready to plant, and hopefully, I’ll have even more beautiful blooms next year!
