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[fairdinkumseeds]

Lots of folks seem to have trouble with sorting seeds that are from small seeded annuals so I figured I would explain how I do it.
This is how I do it with anything that has a seed less than 5mm(0.2inches?), and at the moment I have 49buckets and tubs in the lounge room drying various herbs.
I do it this way as it is very cheap, it is very easy, and it works.


1.
Pick the mature flowers when more than 10% has started to open and drop seeds naturally.
Place in a bucket, tub, container, whatever you have. It needs sides, as a lot of seeds shatter from pods like mini hand grenades. A plate or tray won't work well.

2.
Turn it every day(or twice a day when it rains as the humidity is a major issue)
This stops/minimizes mould and mildew issues, and helps find any hiding critters, but don't break up the herb to much!
The more dust you make, the more hassle it is to winnow later.

3.
Once bone dry and crispy, pour into a strainer. Be prepared to "waste" lots of seeds that will remain in the herb after drying.
Just use that wasted herb for tea or as mulch where you want it to regrow naturally later.
You don't want every single seed, and small seeded varieties of plants produce thousands. You just want the best 30%-50%.

4.
A fine mix of 70% clean mature viable seeds and shells, leaf powder, and stems fall through the mesh.
A quick winnow and your done.
Pour from one bucket to the other in a gentle breeze. Or use the static electricity that builds up in the plastic, to bind up the leaf matter to the sides of the bucket, and the heavy seeds will drop. Wipe the bucket with a dry cloth to remove dust, them repeat.

If you have to manually remove the seeds from the herb, one by one, then they are not ready. If they are light and easily blow away, then they are generally not viable.

The theory is, A Grade, heavy seeds would naturally fall and find a nice crack in the soil to cover them in time for the next life bringing rains.
Everything else would blow away, or remain on the surface as food for the bugs and critters, or even just remain as mulch for the plant in nature.
That is what you are replicating.
 

4 Likes TBM, Frog Pajamas, MadPlanter and EIRN like this.

[MadPlanter]

Since your like an awesome plant guru I was actually intending to pm you on this matter to pick your brain. Then here it is...thanks!

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[fairdinkumseeds]

Tried all sorts of other methods, machines and contraptions, with not a lot of success really.
The machines could either get the seed/particle size right, or the weight, but never both, so you still had a lot of trash/contamination, and had to hand winnow and sieve repeatedly anyway.
Plus they cost HEAPS! (and they are bloody noisy,  needing electricity to run)
Unless you have a kilo+ of seed hiding in the plant matter, the expense and huge "run" size makes them really impractical for backyarders and hobbyists.
For the size harvests I do, and I assume most of the members here do, this is about the best method.
I used to try and save every seed, but you get so much crap mixed in as well it just makes a heap of work. Minimal disturbance is the go, and aim for ~50% max.

That said, if you have a better way definitely share it!

[BubbleCat]

It appears we could create a general "sorting different kinds of seeds for the lazy" thread. Maybe its even possible to move my Eschscholzia thread in here.
So now for my contribution sorting seeds (that arent stuck tightly) out of flowers / plant matter. For the demonstration I used Ocimum Basilicum.

You want to wait for your seeds to be matured in most cases the related plant parts will then start to dry, if the seeds fall out easily you might want to aim for the time where the plant matter just starts to dry so all seeds are matured already but do not drop. Collect all seed containing material (in case of Ocimum Basilicum simply hold the base of a stem firmly, and collect all thats on it at once by sliding your fingers upwards the stem - firmly.

Next put all of the material in a jar, let it open to allow final drying and prevent mold. Give it a violent shake once in a while until youre satisfied with the amount of seeds that piles up at the bottom of your jar.

Then simply put all contents on a flat surface and start collecting all plant matter back into the jar, you'll be rewarded with all the seeds, place them in a storage container, repeat the process if you want more or feel like many seeds stayed in the plant matter.

I personally like to toss the remainder where I have collected everything initially as part of my sustainable gathering. Give it back to nature, as Fairdinkumseeds pointed out a certain amount of seeds will be with it.

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