Head Gardener Neil Miller gives his tips on seed collecting – the best way to increase the number of plants in your garden for free.
At Hever Castle we are always keen to leave the colour in the garden for as long as possible and ‘Faith’s Garden’ on Diana’s Walk is a treasure trove for seed collecting.
Seeds can be collected and saved from trees, shrubs, perennials, alpines, vegetables, herbs etc, at different times in the year, but Neil says at Hever he will be concentrating his seed-collecting efforts in October and camping out in Faith’s Garden – the fantastic perennial border.
Seeds come in all shapes and sizes and need careful handling during the sorting and drying process. Some, like grasses, are fluffy and a pinch works. Others such as Peony are so big they are easy to count individually and put into an envelope.
You don’t need many tools to do seed collecting effectively, just dry hands and a dry bowl. You’ll need paper bags, or envelopes (you can recycle your old ones) to pack the seeds.
A spare refrigerator or a cool place to store them is also useful and don’t forget to label your seeds too!
Neil’s top tips for seed collecting:
How:
Pick a healthy and vigorous plant to collect from.
Don’t collect too soon – immature seeds will not germinate.
Collect on a dry day.
Look for seed pods which have changed colour from green to brown.
Cut or pick the seed heads and lay them out to dry somewhere warm.
If the pods aren’t fully open, then wait until they have dried, then gently crush the pods/capsules to release the seeds.
Some seed heads explode – they need to be checked every day. You can place them in a brown paper bag and wait for them to explode, or shake them.
Once the seed is free, make sure you clean off the chaff to prevent the seeds from rotting.
How to store seeds:
Most seed can be kept to sow in the spring (hellebores are an exception and prefer to be sowed immediately).
Use paper packets (or spent envelopes) and label them correctly.
Keep them in an airtight container with silica gel to absorb excess moisture.
It’s good to store seeds at 5c as they can remain viable for long periods if refrigerated.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.