Hi,
I have some Red lettuce and some Romain that I let bolt to seed. I want to harvest some seeds from each but im not sure when i should pick them.
For the Red lettuce, there are buds that are closed but full of moist seeds, there are buds that are open with white fluffs like a dandilion and are full of seeds and there are buds that have opened, lost their fluffs and are full of dried seeds.
For the Romain, its a little behind the red, all the buds are still closed but I can see what will be yellow flower leaves that have yet to open.
At which of these 3 stages do I want to pick the seeds?
Do I need to do anything to them?
Let them sit in the sun to fully dry?
Freeze them?
Throw them in a container as is?
Thanks
The seed saving book I would highly recommend is getting for the answer to all these questions is "seed to seed" by suzanne ashworth.
So most lettuce is a inbreeding plant, but there is up to a 5% crossing possable, if you want to be sure that your seed is pure, you will need a 25 foot zone, and or plant at staggered out timings so that blooming is different times.
"lettice seeds ripen irregulary and are ready for havest from 12 to 24 days after flowering, you can being to harvest daily during that period by shaking the seed heads into a large paper grocery sack that is then stored at night in a dry area.
More then half the seed volume will be white lettice feathers and chaff, the seeds themselves and the chaff are around the same size and weight, so any attempts are winnowing will result in a great deal of seed loss.
Use a fine mesh screen that will allow the seeds to pass though but will restrict the feathers. The seeds collected below will be clean enough for home seed savers.
Seed stats, they will remain viable for three years when stored in a cool, dry and dark location.. typically there is 22, 400 lettuce seeds per ounch saved.. the typical germination standard is 80%"
Hope that helps 🙂
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