Seeds -- why not scatter them now?

[de Fragile Warrior Sports Supp]

I was wondering why I collected seeds from my plants when nature tells me that I should have just let the plants reseed themselves in the fall. Why DO we collect seeds? To start plants in different areas? Do seeds have a die-off rate that make spring planting more successful? What will happen to seeds that lie outside over the winter? Will they get a better start? An earlier start? Will they be consumed by little hungry mice and never see spring?

Just curious. I neither start plants indoors nor dig careful little holes to put them in in the spring. (I scatter seed. I am not a fussy gardener.) I was wondering why I shouldn't just go out there an scatter the seeds now instead of having all these little packets lying around all winter which I will probably forget about or not be able to find in the spring.

Oh, what kind of seeds? 4 o'clocks. Yucca. Morning glory.

[Wolf Kirchmeir]

To start plants indoors/in greenhouses.

[Ann]

"de Fragile Warrior Sports Supplies" expounded:

I gather seeds if I want a certain plant in a different area. This year I scattered hollyhocks in a new area, we'll see what happens. My larkspur insist on seeding themselves at the front of the border, so I shake the heads towards the rear so more start back there, I always end up moving babies, however, in the spring. I've got Salvia coccinea coming up as a weed now each year, it's wonderful. I'm not a fussy gardener either, I let the foxgloves come up where they want, basically, I've got snapdragons that self seed, sweet william, poppies, forget-me-nots, all the standards that self sow. I don't get any returnees on the morning glories, but I do get four o'clocks occasionally. This past summer I had a whole patch of sunflowers come up in the backyard where my lawn hasn't been replaced yet, I let them be. The birds loved them. Volunteers are fun!

[sockiescat]

Ann "de Fragile Warrior Sports Supplies" [e-mail] expounded:

I was wondering why I collected seeds from my plants when nature tell me that I should have just let the plants reseed themselves in the fall. Why DO we collect seeds? To start plants in different areas? Do seed have a die-off rate that make spring planting more successful? What wil happen to seeds that lie outside over the winter? Will they get a better start An earlier start? Will they be consumed by little hungry mice and neve see spring?

Just curious. I neither start plants indoors nor dig careful littl holes to put them in in the spring. (I scatter seed. I am not a fuss gardener.) I was wondering why I shouldn't just go out there an scatter the seed now instead of having all these little packets lying around all winte which I will probably forget about or not be able to find in the spring.

Oh, what kind of seeds? 4 o'clocks. Yucca. Morning glory. an others I've already forgotten Where? Central Indiana were we get at least two or three -20 days per winter.

I gather seeds if I want a certain plant in a different area. This year I scattered hollyhocks in a new area, we'll see what happens. My larkspur insist on seeding themselves at the front of the border, so I shake the heads towards the rear so more start back there, I always end up moving babies, however, in the spring. I've got Salvia coccinea coming up as a weed now each year, it's wonderful. I'm not a fussy gardener either, I let the foxgloves come up where they want, basically, I've got snapdragons that self seed, sweet william, poppies, forget-me-nots, all the standards that self sow. I don't get any returnees on the morning glories, but I do get four o'clocks occasionally. This past summer I had a whole patch of sunflowers come up in the backyard where my lawn hasn't been replaced yet, I let them be. The birds loved them. Volunteers are fun!

-- Ann, gardening in Zone 6a South of Boston, Massachusetts e-mail address is not checked

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my mom loves to collect and send me different seeds that she has in he flower beds. i think a lot of ppl love collecting them because they ar able to share with others or just move things around. wow free sunflowers that would be neat bet u really enjoyed watchin all the birds :). we end up with all kinds of birds feeding near our grain bin afte hubby has taken corn out or made feed for the animals. i just lov watching them. sockiescat

-- sockiescat