In contrast to enduring perennials, annual flowers flourish for just one season, fading away as the weather cools. Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply that you must purchase new seeds for annual blossoms every year. By choosing the appropriate annuals for your garden, you can gather and preserve their seeds for the following year.
From the vibrant poppy to the low-maintenance sunflower, here are 9 top annuals perfect for seed saving, along with collection tips to help you keep your favorite flowers thriving for years ahead.
Bear in mind that not all flower seeds are worth the trouble of saving. Opt for heirloom or open-pollinated annuals, which are “true to type” — meaning the seeds they yield will produce plants that are identical to the parent. Hybrid plants, however, offer unpredictable outcomes and frequently yield flowers that are nothing like the parent plant. If you’re uncertain whether your annuals are open-pollinated or hybrid, verify the seed catalog or conduct an online search for the variety.
Sunflowers are among the simplest annuals to cultivate and are ideal for seed saving as well. Merely allow the blossoms and seeds to dry on the plant until the petals drop off and the sunflower’s head turns brown on the back. After that, gently rub the seeds from the flower head into a paper bag, or snip the entire head from the plant and hang it indoors to dry until the seeds can be easily released with your fingers.
Seek out heirloom sunflower types like ‘Lemon Queen’ or ‘Mammoth Grey Stripe’. To prevent birds from snacking on the seeds before you harvest them, you might also want to cover the flower heads with a paper bag.
Fast-growing zinnias are a staple of flower gardens and make excellent companion plants in vegetable beds and containers. Go for open-pollinated zinnias such as the well-known ‘California Giant’ or the ‘Queenie’ series.
Once your zinnias turn dry and brown, gather their seeds by cutting the flower heads off and placing them in a perforated paper bag. Let them dry indoors for a week or two, then roughly rub the fully dried flowers to separate the seeds, discard the remaining debris, and store the seeds in labeled envelopes until it’s time to plant in spring.
Cosmos seeds are harvested much like zinnias. Be cautious, as many cosmos varieties are hybrids, so ensure you select open-pollinated types such as ‘Sensation’ or the ‘Picotee’ with its bi-color charm. Harvest cosmos flowers when they begin to shrivel and turn brown, let them dry in a perforated bag indoors, and then rub the flower heads to extract the seeds you wish to keep.
Avoid seeds from plants affected by powdery mildew or other diseases, as these can survive on seed coats and infect plants when you plant them in the spring.
Another garden staple, marigolds bloom from early summer to fall and are both cherished ornamentals and effective pest-deterring companions. Many open-pollinated varieties of French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are available, as are open-pollinated African marigolds (Tagetes erecta).
After marigolds have dried, cut the flower heads, remove the dried petals, and extract the slender seeds for saving. Label and date the seeds for age tracking, and store them in robust, airtight containers to keep moisture and pests at bay.
Most nasturtiums are open-pollinated, ensuring the seeds you collect will produce the same flowers as the parent plants. Nasturtium seeds are large compared to other annuals, making them straightforward to collect. The flowers shed their petals from late summer to early fall, with each flower typically yielding 2 to 4 seeds.
Harvest the plump, tan-colored seeds when they are fully ripe, as they should easily come away from the plant. You can even pick them up from the ground if they’ve already fallen.
Calendula is excellent for cutting, but leaving some flowers on the plant makes seed collection a breeze. There are both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties, such as the popular ‘Flashback’ and ‘Pacific Beauty’, often sold in color mixes.
At the end of the growing season, collect your calendula seeds after the flowers have dried to the point where the petals fall off and the blossoms curl in. For storage, gently pinch the flower heads from the plants and rub them to release the seeds.
While some poppies, like oriental poppies, are perennials, annuals like the Flanders poppy won’t naturally return in spring without seed collection or self-sowing. Most varieties, including the beloved ‘Shirley’ types with their semi-double blooms, are open-pollinated. Despite their small size, the seeds are easy to collect.
Wait for the petals to drop and then gather the distinctively shaped poppy pods when they’re dry. Store them as they are, and when planting, simply shake the pods gently over the prepared soil.
Snapdragon seeds are similar in size and color to poppy seeds but come in uniquely shaped pods likened to tiny fairy skulls. Make sure to grow an open-pollinated variety such as ‘Cherry Twist’. Harvest seeds from the strongest, most bountifully blooming plants to ensure robust flowering in the following year.
When the pods are dried and brown, you can either shake them directly into an envelope or collect the whole pods and crack them open with your fingernails to extract the seeds.
Morning glories and their close relative, moonflower vines, reliably produce seeds suitable for future planting. Just ensure you are growing an open-pollinated variety like ‘Grandpa Otts’ or ‘Clarke’s Heavenly Blue’.
After the flowers have withered from the vine, collect the rounded, dry seed pods. Dry the pods indoors for a few days, then crack them open to gather the small, dark seeds inside. If the seeds feel brittle and don’t bend easily between your fingers, they are adequately dried for storage.
