FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So I read that it is easy to get seeds from Drosera but I think I must be doing something wrong. It said when the flowers open to cut the stem, place in an envelope and within a couple weeks I will have seeds galore. This does not seem to be the case with my capes and binatas and others. Can someone possibly explain what I might be doing wrong please?

Huh? The flower blooms and is pollinated. The flower wilts and fruit forms. In the situation with drosera the seed pods are the “fruit”. Then the seeds then have to mature and dry. I think you are doing what is called “nipping it in the bud”.

In other words let the flower die and seeds form and mature while still attached to the plant. Let the “fruit” dry on the vine, you might say.

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:37 am In other words let the flower die and seeds form and mature while still attached to the plant. Let the “fruit” dry on the vine, you might say.

Thank you. That explains what I did wrong. Do I then cut and store?

Harvest the seeds before you store them. It'll take a lot less room and you'll know what you have.

So they are ready when the pod is dried up?

^^^^That, but you mentioned binata. Only some species of binata are self compatible, and fewer still capable of self pollination.
Many, mostly the bigger ones, need a genetically different binata to successfully produce seeds. But Marston Dragon, due to its triploid chromosomal structure, can only be successfully pollinated by another Marston Dragon.

When the earlier pods start to brown and dry up, shake the stalk gently over a sheet of white paper. If the seeds are mature lots will pretty much pour out. If not, wait a few days and try again.

A lot of times you will see the tiny black seeds through the gaps in the pods and know they are ready.

And when oval said to "shake the stalk" do so *very* gently and be double sure you have the sheet of paper well positioned beneath the pods...maybe holding the stalk with your fingers and tapping those fingers with the other hand. Depending on the size of the pod and it's dryness enough seeds could fall out to just about make a packet's worth of seeds! evenwind shared the piece of white paper and gentle shake method of checking with me. I was shocked to see the seeds that fell out...no telling the scattered seeds that fell outside the pots and never were seen just from my clumsy fingers moving things around.

oval's spot-on about about seeing the seeds. They will be in a tight, but loose, cluster, the outer round side of the seeds will look like the pod is full of little round balls....once the pod covering opens up enough they pretty much freely fall out.

Dried and darker Dried and withered is what you want...while still attached to the plant. (I edited out the withered part because lots of my stalks don't really appear withered but rather dry and a darker color...basically showing little, if any, life.)

Upon reading my post above, let me clarify things. Hold the flower stalk with the fingers of one hand. Tap those fingers with your other hand while holding the sheet of paper beneath the stalk with your other hand. I just wanted to make sure that was clear. Got it?

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:52 pm Upon reading my post above, let me clarify things. Hold the flower stalk with the fingers of one hand. Tap those fingers with your other hand while holding the sheet of paper beneath the stalk with your other hand. I just wanted to make sure that was clear. Got it?

Actually, you should be able to hold the stalk between your thumb and second finger while tapping with your pointer finger, leaving the other hand free to hold the paper. I figured I needed to clarify the clarification up before somebody got hurt trying dangerous gymnastics to harvest their seeds.

If you're interested, this was the original threshing discussion: http://www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/post3 ... ml#p390973

And evenwind's post in that thread is excellent!!!! (we sure do need a "thumbs up" emoji )

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 4:08 pm And evenwind's post in that thread is excellent!!!! (we sure do need a "thumbs up" emoji )

Excellent. It worked with my D.Intermedia pods. Yippee.

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 4:08 pm And evenwind's post in that thread is excellent!!!! (we sure do need a "thumbs up" emoji )

You mean ?