Sci Fri: Sunflowers & Seed Saving

 Miss C collecting Dill Seeds

Seed Saving is actually pretty simple once you get the science down. It was Miss O who ran us through an experiment last year, after her zinnia plants had died. She plucked the petals and discovered they looked just like the seeds she planted.
https://windyacresworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/08/daily-doodle-zinnia.html
For fruits, the seeds are usually easy to find and save. Squash seeds, melon and corn for example.
For other plants, you can wait until they mature ('bolt') or flower and watch as they dry out and turn to seed.
You can then save the seeds in a dry package (envelope/paper bag) to plant next year.
If they are seeds you use in your spice containers, then you simply keep and use in your kitchen over winter.

 Mr. M rubbing florets off of sunflower plant

We learned how to save your sunflower seeds for either roasting or re-planting through MI Gardener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNkcewI3y48
He suggested taking them off, stem and all, peeling away the outer leaves to prevent a bug hotel (ours were full of little larvae-like worms), rubbing off the florets which are each connected to a seed and hanging to store in a dry space like your garage to protect the seeds from squirrels and mice.

 Calendula Seeds & Petals

Both calendula seeds and petals are collected as they dry out right in the garden.

Once you take the dried flower petals, you can infuse them in a jar of olive oil and leave the jar in a sunny spot. Calendula is known to help soothe and is often used in topical creams for skin irritations. You can add this infused oil to your homemade creams or use it internally, in salads etc.

The flower heads then dry out and curly seeds can be pulled off and collected for next years garden. 

They will definitely self-seed, as they fall off and land in the soil.

Cilantro Seeds

Cilantro seeds can be collected as they over-mature. Cut the plant and hang them until dried. Rub the round seeds off of the plant. You can use them as coriander spice or save them for next years planting season to produce leafy, green cilantro.