I planted a wildflower patch in my garden about 4 years ago, and it was beautiful and reseeded nicely after the first year. Now, it's almost all Rudbeckia Hirta growing. They're beautiful, and I've had some gorgeous hybrids blooming, but they've taken over! I've decided that I need a change, so I'm planning on collecting the seeds to hopefully get the plants growing elsewhere, outside of my garden, and to also hopefully minimize the reseeding where they are growing now.

I have never collected seeds from this plant before, and I can't find an answer to my question online. Pretty much every site I've looked at says that the seeds are ready around September and October, though I've never seen a mention of where the plants are growing. It's obviously well before September and October right now, but it seems like some are actually ready. Or they're not, because I have no idea what I'm doing!

On the blooms that have the petals fully dried out, along with the majority or all of the green at the base of the flower, I can turn the seed head upside down and mostly chaff, but also a few seeds, fall out right away. It also looks like the chaff is working its way out on its own, as the seed head isn't tight, for lack of a better way to describe it.

Are the seeds ready when this happens? It kind of feels obvious that they would be, but having no experience collecting seeds from this flower, it makes me question it. I just want to avoid collecting them too early. I'd hate to not have any viable seed when I'm done because I didn't wait long enough.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

Natalie

You already have a ready seed bank in the soil now. Don't worry about gathering too many seed heads. Since each "flower" is actually a hundred or more individual flowers in the center "button", you will find that they don't all bloom at the same time, so they don't all mature seed at the same time, either. (That's why each "flower" (with the yellow petals) lasts such a long time.) Consequently, you'll find there is an equally long time that you can gather seeds. In other words, it's not rocket science, and you'll be good. I usually wait until the stem begins to dry for maximum seeds, but as I said, you'll be good if you choose earlier.

Be aware that, any plant of the Asteraceae family (including Rudbeckia) tend to have a high percentage of seed that is actually non-viable chaff, and likely different from what you are seeing drop out of the seeds heads now. So gather 10x more than you were planning.

Thanks Rick. I've got hundreds of blooms, and not a lot of spare time, so I'm just trying to do what I can when things are ready. I've been going out daily for the last few days, cutting off the ones that look completely done, with a dry stem, but I was worried that I wasn't waiting as long as I should.

I've got way more chaff than seeds, and it's very easy to tell the difference. I'm just hopeful that some of the seed is viable. I've got about a half acre below my house that I'd love to see these blooming, so I'm hoping for the best! If it's successful, I've got several more acres I'd love to add them to! Anything that isn't starthistle will make me happy at this point!

If the stem is dry or becoming dry, there is no more water or nutrients flowing up the stem into the seed head. Therefore, leaving the seed head attached for longer is of no value.

Do think about mixing other native seeds with the Rudbeckia. Diversity is always healthier, for the plants and the ecosystem.

Thanks Rick! I think that's what I needed to know more than anything. Now I can really cut them back!

I've got lots of other seed to add to the mix, so these won't be all alone. I just didn't have any seed left for this particular plant, so I needed to collect the seeds. I always let everything reseed outside of the garden area, which would be anything outside of the large fenced in yard. Growing conditions are kind of brutal here, so finding something that grows well takes some time to figure out. These do great with no additional water from me, so I'm hope the deer and bunnies don't kill them all off!

When I collect wildflower seed to share, I save the entire seedhead.

The main issue is making sure they're dry... I may leave them on a sheet of newspaper or a screen or something to dry enough that I can store them in a paper bag or envelope.

As you plan to sow them at your house... I'd pull the entire plant and drop in the new spot. Very easy.

Thanks @stone. I'm cutting off the entire seedhead. I was just worried that I was doing it too early.