How to collect pansy seeds

The velvety blossoms of the pansy plant are colourful additions to flower beds, borders and containers. You can pinch back or deadhead the fading flowers to help promote plant growth and flowering throughout the summer and fall season. As summer matures in colder growing areas and winter months wane in warmer climates, the time comes to allow healthy pansy plant blossoms to go to seed. The seed head will develop after the flower petals have dropped away from the plant. The full seed pods can be collected and saved for future planting.

Allow the blossoms of the plant to fade and the petals to fall away. You will soon notice a small nub growing at the centre of the star-shaped sepal leaf unit.

Check the growing seed pod. At first it will be green in colour. The growing pod develops a conical shape. The pod is ready when the five sepals turn light brown and have a hard texture as it dries out. It makes a rattling noise when you shake the plant. Some pods may burst open when they are ready for harvest. You will be able to retrieve some of the seeds if they haven't fallen from the plant.

Pinch the drying seed pods from the plant by hand, or snip them off with a pair of scissors.

Drop the seed pods into a small paper bag as you harvest them from the plants.

Set the pods out onto a paper towel for a few days to be sure that they are fully dry. Open the pods and scrape the seeds out with your fingers. Store the dry seeds in labelled paper envelopes or glass jars.