Saving Basil Seeds - How to Harvest, Separate, and Clean Them.
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- čas přidán 8. 12. 2017
- Basil seeds can be a bit of a pain to save unless you know how. They are surrounded by the plant material of the flower head. It's kind of like a loosely formed husk. Once the flower heads are dry though, the seeds will fall out fairly easily. It's separating the seeds from the chaff that can be a bit hard to figure out if you've never done it. A simple strainer makes that a breeze.
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I deeply admire your humility and simplicity. Not overzealous or any strenuous imposed aesthetic. Not overbearing discouraging in the least. Beautiful. This was the first video I watched that enabled me to harvest seeds. Aloha from Hawaii. Kindest of regards, thank you for demonstrating this.
Thank you for those very kind words! I'm glad that this video helped you harvest some seeds. Now you will have that skill to share with others. Enjoy that beautiful state of yours :)
Thankyou. What’s the best way to store them? In a paper bag, jar or…?
Thanks for the video. Now I’m ready to clean up my basil seeds. Glad I took the time to gather them last year.
You can take your extra basil seeds and grow micro greens with them in the winter.
You're welcome! I haven't gotten into growing microgreens.....yet.
That never would have occurred to me! Thanks for the idea!
Thanks!! Easy and straight to the point!
Successfully harvested seed for the first time from basil
You're welcome! Glad it worked for you!
best video for cleaning up. i really like to save just the seeds and not the whole bunch of the pods so it was deiving me crazy yesterday using tweezers. now i know how. thanks
Thanks Janet! I'm very glad that I could help.
Thanks for the tips, especially the blowing one
You're welcome.
Love the winnowing technique! Great video again Jim!
Thanks Brent! I waste a few, but end up with a little cleaner seeds.
Thank you! I was getting tired of the little pokey husks wrecking my fingers. Your method is great, and Im harvesting more seed now!
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
I love that a person can do this without buying any fancy do-dads 😊. Thank you!
You are so welcome! Glad I could help!
Fantastic idea, great explanation and demo! Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Thanks, Patti!
Thanks for the strainer idea! Good video! Appreciate it.
You're welcome!
Easy peasy!! Saving seeds is strangely fun. You are smarter than I!! I used a red solo cup and blew the chef right into my eyes, lol. Have a great weekend:))
Thanks for the great visual. Sorry I laughed a little :)
What's that Jim?? I missed that, I am still picking bits out of my eye :))))
Lol
Good instructional video. So you blew a few seeds out of the bowl. Like you said you still have more than you'll need. Have a great day. Best wishes Bob.
Thanks Bob! Yep, that's the way I look at it too. It's all about the end result.
Great Basil seed saving info here Jim! Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks! I like to save seeds instead of buying them when I can.
Good deal 😁
That was a good clean up I’ll try as my son wants me to share some seeds ☺️
I was originally using tweezers to remove seeds from each pod... Thank you for this, it's going much faster now 😁
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
Oh that's awesome. Was sitting here with my bowl of seed husks wondering how to separate.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Good info! Been kinda thinking Basil is my go to herb for awhile now. It is resilient, easy to grow/clone, produces quickly, etc. Will definitely be using this. Thanks for the share.
Yep, it is a pretty good all around herb. And great for companion planting too.
Wow I use this same method for my wave petunia seeds. Never thought to use with my blue spice basil. Thank you!!
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
Hey Jim, great tips for saving the seeds... You got LOADS!! T
It's amazing how many seeds they produce. I've got way more than I need.
This is perfect! I want to share my seeds with friends and needed a faster method.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Big thumbs up!!! Happy Saturday 👍😁
Thanks! Same to you.
Basil!!!!!!🌱
I will have to try this method. I always just pinched them with my finger to release the seeds. Maybe that's not a good way to do it lol! I can't wait to have basil!!!!!
I'm with you. I can't wait to have some cucumber, tomato, and basil salad....with some garlic of course.
I'm about to start some Genovese basil and big Italian leaf basil
I've never tried either of those. I hope they do well for you. I'm trying cinnamon basil this year.
Thank you! Excellent demonstration!
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful!
You still got them pretty clean even if you lost a few. You could take all that chaff and the seeds that got blown out and throw them back in the garden. They will sprout next year, maybe not where you want them but they will. :-)
Yep, very true. You don't even have to separate them for the chaff if you don't want to.
Thank you so much for your video it was extremely helpful
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful!
This is a great method but I see I will be having some questions for you next year on the plants themselves :-)
Have a great weekend!👍
I'll be glad to help if I can. I grew them mostly between my tomato plants, and they did very well that way. You have a great weekend too!
Thank you!! I was just wondering how to harvest the seeds from my monster plant in the garden! Enjoyed your video very much 😊
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Good info Jim, Thanks.
Thanks Kevin!
Thank you, this was informative.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! This was very helpful!
Thanks Serena! Glad it was helpful!
Seed blow! So satisfying! 🧖🏾♀️
It really is!
great good saving the seeds !!
Thanks!
Kinda the way to separate wheat,just smaller scale. Way cool!
Exactly! Thanks!
Awesome. Thanks.
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
OK, between the previous video and this one, I can tell that you have very healthy lungs Jim :) Have a wonderful weekend!
Lol, yep full of hot air.
LOL!!!
Yay! I will try to sAve mine too! 😊
It's pretty easy, and saves a buck or two. And I think it's a fun thing to do.
Great idea!
Thanks!
Great. Thank you 👍
You're welcome!
Thanks for the tips! I’ll definitely use this method. When do you typically harvest seeds? It’s mid November right now and I’m not sure when mine will be ready to harvest.
You can harvest any time you have mature seeds on the plant. If you aren't sure of that, you can try one stem as a test.
Thanks for the video, now I need to find a strainer with wider holes in it my basil sees won't fall through it when I rub on the husks.
You're welcome! Yes, some strainers have holes that are too fine. I bought another one recently from Walmart that works.
Very helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. My lungs are not as strong as yours so I will use my blow dryer on low speed to blow the chaff away. Ty for sharing
That sounds like a good plan, Fay. You're welcome!
I have a temperature question. I have picked off all the leaves and am now waiting for the seed pods to brown (like yours in this video). If freezing nighttime temperatures are coming, will it hurt the process of the seeds maturing? Should I pick them off and bring them inside to dry? They are still quite green with a few flowers still on them…?
Thank you!
It's all a matter of whether the seeds are mature or not. If it was me, I would pick them the night before the expected freeze. Then I would process them to see if any mature seeds are present. Sometimes the seeds can be mature before the plant starts to dry out.
Awesome thanks
Thanks, and you're welcome!
@@MidwestGardener checked mine and they still white inside gonna wait for them to dry a bit more
@@giantkiwi2.052 Yes, they probably just need a little drying time. I hope you get a bunch of them!
That was a lot of seeds in the bowl !!
Yep, a lot more than I will need. I guess I will have some to share with family and friends.
can you save hybrid basil seeds?
Well, you can, but any seeds from a hybrid will be different than the parent.
I end up blowing away the seeds along with the chaff Jim :)) Saving tiny seeds like basil is quiet a task and a challenge , i like the sieve idea though thanks for sharing ☺
Losing some seeds is pretty easy to do. Yes, the sieve makes the whole task much easier.
Interesting. I just plant them husk and all. They pop right up for me. I am a laxy gardner I guess. :)
That works too. I guess one advantage to cleaning them is they take up less space.
Is it necessary to take them out of the husks, would the seed just use it as nutrients for initial growth?
It's not absolutely necessary. They are just less likely to get mold on them without the husks.
Why not leave d seeds in d husks? Easier to find n handle I think. Thanku
Yes, you can if you want. Just up to each person.
Hey !!! Which type has the most economical value in Europe/US markets?
Sorry, but I don't really know the answer to that one.
Separate seeds from spent flower heads with blender or shake in bag. Strain & blow chaff away.
Cover self polilnating plants, like basil, with small hole mesh bag to reduce cross polination & bug infestation & shake plant to help pollination. Pass the word.
Thankd for the tip.
What type of Basil is that in your video? I'm growing Sweet Basil and it doesn't look like that.
It's sweet basil. Or that is what the seed packet said. After saving it a few generations though, I guess it can change slightly.
@@MidwestGardener Ah! That explains it. Mine hasn't started the flowers yet. I believe in about a month or so it should.
I’ve got millions this year. I’m going to save my seeds in a lot of the husk stuff. Help keep it dryer lol.
Nice! Good luck with them!
can you sponsor some basil and parsley seeds for our backyard, there is none in our community.
Sorry Jeffrey. I only trade seeds with a few people. I don't know what community you are in, but Baker Creek Seeds ships internationally.
@@MidwestGardener I'm stuck in Bohol Philippines, land of smiling face who when you ask for basil and parsley, they would say those are only for rich people. But we are plenty of lemon grass , and oregano.
Sorry about that. Well, if you ever do manage to get some, you can at least save the seeds and have them from then on.
A question did you save the seeds off of one plant only ?
Im growing 3 holy basil plants there in seeding mode
It's been 5 years, so I don't really remember for sure, but I think it was probably from a couple of plants.
That should be enough.
@@MidwestGardener looks like you have a good few thousand sweet basil seeds always great to having a abundance than to little. I try to keep my varities apart dont want them cross pollinating.
@@nicholasphilip7733 True, they will cross pollinate sometimes.
Thank you! I have basil flowers and cant wait to get seeds :D
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
Amazing. How many years do they keep? It is just me. I have one plant.
Easily several years....maybe a little longer. You should be able to get plenty of seeds for just one person.
Can't you just plant the pods?
They don't really have what I would call a pod, but you could plant pieces of the seed head if you want. You might have a whole bunch come up in one spot, but they will probably still come up.
@@MidwestGardener thanks I Appreciate the reply.
@@sparkyjones560 You're welcome!
I think I cut my flower heads too soon
Could be. If the plant is still growing, it should grow more. Next time you might just pull one and test it.
That's just too simple, ha.
Yes it is.