I was wondering if anyone out there can tell me how to get seeds from the flowers on my chives and sage. My husband would like to spread the seeds and start more herb gardens but I have never harvested the flowers before. Any one out there with advice?
Gardenmamma it was a bit difficult to find anyhting about where to get the seeds but I found a bit of information I hope can help It said it is possible to grow them from the seed of the flowers as you said but the main problem is the half life of the seeds themselves. I believe from what I have found that you need to cut the flowers off the top of the stalks and let them dry out for a few days. Then when that happens you should start to be able to see the black spots (seeds) and pick them out with tweezers. Now again I am not sure this is the correct way but I have searched everywhere on the net and found very little. I will keep looking though
Thank you for the help. We will harvest tomorrow and see what happens! I will keep posting to let you know what happens.
A much easier way is to grow chives is by division, the clumps of them grow awfully fast and divide up easily. And sage plants do great with layering: bend a branch down to the soil, pat a little dirt over the top, weigh it down so the branch doesn't pop up, and give it a little time. When the roots grow, snip off the branch and roots together and plant it.
I save my chive seeds, for sharing, by cutting off the flowers after they start to look like theyre dying/fading. Get a boquet of them and drop them head down into a paper bag. Paper breathes enough so they wont get moldy, be sure theres plenty of elbow room. Then is a week or two close the top and give the bag a good shake. The seeds will fall into the bottom of the bag. In the garden I leave the flowers on the plants till nature knocks them over and they reseed themselves. Then like critter painter said you can take a clump of the new plants and move them to where you want them. I never saved sage seeds.
I harvest mine exactly like Wrennie. I have never saved sage seeds, but in general one doesn't harvest seeds until the pods or dead flower bits are good and crispy brown.
