FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi folks, the D Burmannii I received from twitcher some time ago has been doing really well. Even though Imelda almost destroyed this plant, it's coming back to its former glory. Anyway, It is now growing its 3rd flower stalk and one of the older flower stalks seems to be drier than before. Is it okay to harvest seeds now, or what should I do?

Pics because why not

The top few seed pods don't look quite ready but from where the flower stalk bends, the rest are ready to harvest.

And in all seriousness, don't sneeze when you're handling these seeds. Burmannii seeds are very tiny!

Just my 2¢ worth.

*hears words ‘humpty doo seeds’* if you have extras... *begins wondering if having 10 plants from 2 different orders arriving each day for a week is normal*

I take a sheet of paper folded in half both ways, then reopened. Place the paper underneath the flower stalk and gently bend the stalk over the paper, then tap gently. Ripe seeds will fall from the stalk onto the paper. This is one way of collecting seeds without stopping the stalk from growing and producing more seeds.

Seriously, if I need seeds, I let the stalk get fairly large, then gently cut the tip of the stalk off so that it does not grow any more flowers. Then wait a few weeks for the remaining flowers to mature their seeds and cut the whole seed stalk off onto the paper. The seeds, though tiny, should be obvious as they will spill from the flowers when mature. They are easily seen against white paper. You can tap the cut stalk gently on the paper to collect more seeds. With Humpty Doo, collecting this way does not produce a lot of debris and yields clean seed. Of course you can get more seed by gently crushing the mature seed pods and then cleaning the debris out, but that can be work.

The crease in the paper helpsto move the seed in an orderly manner, which is helpful when managing seed this small.

If you do not need the seed, cut the flower stalks off when just starting. Otherwise you can have plants starting everywhere as the seed self sows when the flower stalks are jostled.

BTW, thanks for the kind words! Glad its doing well for you.

Thanks everyone, I'll try harvesting and sowing the seeds I collect with this flower stalk and if everything works out, I'll consider donating as well, from the other seeds I get from the other stalks

If I were to snip a pod off the stalk, then just sit it on top of soil. Will the shell "disintegrate" (lack of better word) and the seeds will eventually sprout?

Or do I have to shake the seeds out, then sow it properly over the soil?

Do I need to wait for the pods to get super dark before the seeds are ready? They sit by a window, what if the breeze knocked them out already

P A U L wrote: ↑Mon Mar 28, 2022 9:23 pm If I were to snip a pod off the stalk, then just sit it on top of soil. Will the shell "disintegrate" (lack of better word) and the seeds will eventually sprout?

Probably not. The pod shell needs to dry out and split to release the seeds. If you place the pod on the media surface, it will likely never dry out, and simply grow mold and kill the seeds.

P A U L wrote:Or do I have to shake the seeds out, then sow it properly over the soil?

This would be best. Separate the seeds from the flower remnants.

P A U L wrote:Do I need to wait for the pods to get super dark before the seeds are ready? They sit by a window, what if the breeze knocked them out already

Once the pods start to darken, hold a piece of paper under the scape and tap it. If the seeds are ready, they'll fall onto the paper. Then, do with them what you wish.
If you're worried about a breeze dislodging the seeds, simply move the plant or close the window.