Harvesting Foxglove seeds

Latimer

Hi all,

l was given a foxglove plant by my dad in spring which flowered nicely (I kept it in a small pot) and l then moved to a sheltered spot once it stopped flowering. I had a look at it this morning  and it looks like the seed heads are opening.



Should I start to collect seeds now? And should I sow them immediately? And will they need to be kept indoors over winter? I have a couple of cold frames but no greenhouse. I'm assuming that anything l grow wont be ready to plant until next year, springtime?

Thanks!

GemmaJF

They are ready when they knock out easily. Give it a tap and see if seeds start to fall out. If they do, the easiest way is put a plastic bag over the whole stem, that is larger enough to take the full length, then cut it and shake into the bag.

I generally sow in January in a propagator, though it may mostly be so I don't have lots of pots of small plants to worry about all winter. 

Latimer

Thanks @GemmaJF, I'll give that a try. I'd rather wait until Jan too if I'm honest!

GemmaJF

I think some people sow late summer/autumn in the hope of getting them to flower the following year. Seems a bit of a faff. I've never minded waiting for foxgloves and allowing them to develop in pots for the first year for putting out the next.

Latimer

@GemmaJF of course, it's biennial, the most frustrating of the flower types 🙈

Latimer

@GemmaJF what size of pot do you keep them in for that first year?

Dirty Harry

Sow now for Autumn planting is common with foxgloves.

Those I didn't plant last Autumn I kept in 1 litre pots over the winter and planted in spring.

Latimer

Thanks @Dirty Harry, I might give both methods a try assuming I manage to salvage some seeds!

edhelka

I let them self seed and move seedlings as needed. Sometimes, I sprinkle them where I want them. I see it as many times easier than sowing seeds and caring for seedlings.

Fairygirl

The easiest way to sow foxglove seed is just to sprinkle them where you want them, as @edhelka describes. It's how it works naturally. 

Just thin as required, or move. They're very accommodating. 

Latimer

thanks @edhelka & @Fairygirl. It's currently in the pot it was given to me in. I have a corner in the back of a bed I could go and stick it in, would that work? It would be on the NE side of a fence.

My worry about doing it this way is that I wouldn't know the difference between a foxglove seedling and a weed!! 😂