Though the profuse bell-shaped, yellow flowers that adorn the lengthy, twisted vines of Carolina jessamine are truly breathtaking, they conceal a deep, dark secret.They, along with the rest of the plant, are capabl
06.06.2023 - 19:09 / gardenerspath.com / Gretchen Heber
How to Harvest Sweet Pea SeedsSweet peas (Lathryrus odoratus) are vintage charmers that are as lovely and welcome in the garden today as they were when Grandma planted them decades ago.
In addition to offering a rainbow of hues and an alluring fragrance, sweet peas also generously self-seed, so if you’re looking to expand your existing patch, just let your plants go to seed, and you’ll be set.
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However, if you’d like to gather the seeds to plant in a different place or to perhaps share with a neighbor, read on to learn how to harvest and store these orbs of new life.
How Do You Collect Sweet Pea Seeds?Identify a few particularly attractive plants you would like to duplicate. Keep in mind that only heirloom varieties will reproduce true to type.
Seeds from modern cultivars won’t likely produce the same type of plant from which they came.
But maybe you’re a gambler and would like to see what Mother Nature comes up with!
When you’re out in the garden deadheading, ignore the plants you have “set aside.” Allow the flowers of those plants to fade and die while they’re still on the plant.
The petals will fall and seed-containing pods will form.
When Do You Harvest Sweet Pea Seeds?Now you really have to pay attention to them carefully. You’ll notice the pods will transition from light green to a darker green and swell up as the seeds mature inside.
When the seeds reach full maturity, the pods will turn a light brown color.
Pluck the pods at this point. If you wait too long, the pods will split, spewing their contents far and wide, and you’ll have lost your opportunity to harvest.
Once you’ve collected your pods, bring them
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