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
