Collecting And Storing Morning Glory Seeds: How To Store Seeds Of Morning Glories

Morning glory flowers are a cheerful, old-fashioned type of bloom that gives any fence or trellis a soft, country cottage look. These quick-climbing vines can grow up to 10 feet (3 m.) tall and often covers the corner of a fence. Grown early in the spring from morning glory seeds, these flowers are often planted over and over again for years. Frugal gardeners have known for years that saving flower seeds is the best way to create a garden for free, year after year. Learn how to save seeds of the morning glory to continue your garden in next spring's planting without buying more seed packets.

Collecting Morning Glory Seeds

Harvesting seeds from morning glory is an easy task that can even be used as a family project on a summer day. Look through the morning glory vines to find dead flowers that are ready to drop off. The blooms will leave a small, round pod behind at the end of the stem. Once these pods are hard and brown, crack one open. If you find a number of small black seeds, your seeds of morning glories are ready for harvest. Snap off the stems below the seed pods and collect all the pods in a paper bag. Bring them into the house and crack them open over a paper towel-covered plate. The seeds are small and black, but large enough to spot easily. Place the plate in a warm, dark spot where it won't be disturbed to allow the seeds to continue drying. After one week, try to pierce a seed with a thumbnail. If the seed is too hard to puncture, they have dried enough.

How to Store Seeds of Morning Glories

Place a desiccant packet in a zip-top bag and write the name of the flower and the date on the outside. Pour the dried seeds into the bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and store the bag until next spring. The desiccant will absorb any stray moisture that may be remaining in the seeds, allowing them to stay dry throughout the winter without danger of mold. You may also pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) of dried milk powder onto the center of a paper towel, folding it over to create a packet. The dried milk powder will absorb any stray moisture.