Foxglove, or Digitalis purpurea, is a classic flower for a cottage garden. It grows tall stalks with tubular flowers that are pink, purple, yellow, and white. Each year, these plants grow from seeds, bloom, and then die after setting seeds. Foxglove easily spreads by itself if the seed pods are left to ripen on the plants. The seeds are also easy to get and can be planted yourself the next year.
When to Harvest Foxglove Seeds
Foxglove seeds start forming after the flowers finish blooming in midsummer, The seed pods develop at the base of faded blooms on the upper part of the flower stalks,
The pods mature from bottom to top, so check the lowest pods first Look for pods that are dry, brown, and starting to crack open Harvest seeds on a dry, sunny day when any morning dew has evaporated. Foxglove seeds are very tiny, almost like dust, so it’s best to collect them on a calm day to avoid losing any to wind gusts.
Some gardeners cover flower spikes that are dying with cheesecloth or breathable fabric bags that are held in place with a rubber band or twist tie. This keeps the pods from falling apart too soon and catches any seeds that fall out early.
How to Collect Foxglove Seeds
The ideal time to harvest foxglove seeds is when the pods split open easily when touched or shaken. If the pods aren’t quite ready, you can pick them and allow them to dry fully indoors. Just place unripe pods in a single layer on paper plates or trays. Turn the pods occasionally and allow 1-2 weeks for full drying.
Once seed pods are fully dry and brittle, you have a couple options for removing the seeds:
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Into envelopes or jars: Hold the pods over an envelope, jar, or other container and shake or crush them to get the seeds out. This works well for smaller harvests.
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Break open the pods over a paper plate to catch all the small seeds. Then, pour the seeds into an envelope or jar. This keeps the seeds from going to waste.
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Over a sieve: Crush pods in your hands or with mortar and pestle over a fine mesh sieve. Gently bounce the sieve to filter out the debris, allowing only seeds to fall through into a bowl below.
No matter which harvest method you use, be sure to label the storage containers with the plant name and year collected. Store foxglove seeds in a cool, dry place until it’s time to plant them.
Growing Foxglove from Harvested Seeds
Foxglove seeds need exposure to cold, moist conditions for several weeks before they will germinate well. This cold stratification mimics winter conditions and helps break the seeds’ natural dormancy.
There are a couple ways to stratify seeds before planting:
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Refrigerate seeds: Place seeds in a ziplock bag with a slightly damp paper towel. Leave in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks before planting.
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Outdoor winter sowing: Sow seeds in containers and leave them outdoors through winter. The cold temps and natural precipitation provide ideal stratification.
Foxglove seeds are very tiny so only lightly cover them when planting, about 1/8 inch deep. They need light to germinate. Whether planting indoors or out, keep the soil moist but not saturated for best results.
Germination usually occurs within 2-4 weeks after stratification when temperatures are 60-70°F. Transplant seedlings into the garden after hardening off, spacing 12-18 inches apart. Flowers will bloom the following year in early to mid summer.
Tips for Collecting Foxglove Seeds
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Wear gloves when handling all parts of foxglove plants as the leaves and seeds contain toxic cardiac glycosides. Wash hands thoroughly after touching.
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Check seed pods daily once they start to ripen. Seeds will spill out quickly once pods crack open.
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Cut the entire flower stalk and hang upside down in a paper bag to catch any loose seeds if you won’t be able to check daily.
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Rinse screens or sieves thoroughly after use to remove any residue that could contaminate future seed harvests.
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Store seeds in paper envelopes or jars out of direct light. Add a silica gel pack to absorb any moisture and keep seeds viable longer.
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Label everything with the plant name and year collected. Foxglove seeds can remain viable for 2-3 years when stored properly.
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To increase germination rates, soak seeds in warm water for 12-24 hours before stratification.
Saving foxglove seeds from your own plants is easy and satisfies the urge to collect and propagate. With proper harvesting, cleaning, storage, and planting, you’ll have lovely Digitalis blooms gracing your garden for years to come.
How to Collect Foxglove Seeds for Later
It is very easy to save foxglove seeds, and you can have a lot of them in just a few minutes. Which will turn in to tons of flowers you can plant next year for free!.
Here’s how to do it:
With many of the flowers I grow, such as echinacea, cosmos, and zinnias, I pick the blossoms as they grow or deadhead them after the blooms have faded. I don’t always do this with foxgloves, but if you do, you need to leave the flowers alone until you are ready to collect the seeds. Let them die back and let the seed head form.
The foxglove seed pods will form where the flower blossom was after the blossom has dropped.
After a few weeks you will see the seed pod swelling where the blossom used to be.
It’s not ready yet though!
This is the green seed pod. It is still immature and the seeds are still green inside.
You want to wait until the foxglove seed pod is completely brown and dry before collecting foxglove seeds.
It will look like this when the foxglove seeds are ready to be collected:
As you can see the pods are brown and dry and beginning to crack open.
You can even see some of the seeds inside the pod.
When the seeds are fully mature the pod will crack easily and allow the seeds to spill out.
You can collect seed heads by snipping them off the plant with scissors or simply pulling them off the plant with your fingers. You can also burst the pod directly into your hand or container.
Pull all of the seeds out and place them in a container.
Before storing it’s very important that the seeds are completely dry.
If you’re not sure if the seeds are dry, you can store them in an open container or lay them out on a tray lined with paper towels for a few days to dry before putting them away.
How to Harvest Foxglove Seeds
FAQ
Can you just scatter foxglove seeds?
You can then collect ripened seeds from August and scatter them directly where you want foxgloves to grow. May 21, 2024.
Will foxglove reseed itself?
Yes, foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) readily reseeds itself in the garden, especially when conditions are favorable.