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Re: Seed Cleaning

In a message dated 98-01-04 09:53:01 EST, you write:

<< Subject: Seed Cleaning
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 Hello.
 
 My apologies if some of you will be receiving this from me on more than
 one list, but I really do need to be serious and expedient here.
 
 I have had numerous troubles of course with my amateur gardening, not to
 mention some other areas, but the worst of it has been that I am unable
 to even begin to master seed cleaning. 
 
 I have a set of screens and have been unable to even to begin to master
 their use; every frame design I've conceived of allows seeds to hide
 away and contaminate the next cleaning, and other ideas like threshing
 and winnowing have proved difficult to master. Even the feather duster
 falls short of properly processing smaller seed...
 
 Thus, the house is taken over with countless varieties of voluminous
 uncleaned seed which I am unable to share, trade, donate, or use. 
 
 I would be most grateful for any suggestions from foolproof, no-brainer
 ways, up to and including low-cost, small-scale professional equipment
 and sources. 
 
 Many many thanks
 
 Rob
 ChroniAbaloni@webtv.net >>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rob,

I don't want to get flamed here for my prehistoric methods, but I'm gonna jump
on this and tell you how I do it, even with Huechera.

I go to the dollar store and buy a few boxes of those gallon sized cheapy food
bags ( I like the ones that don't seal the best). I then take as many as I
need to the garden with my pruners.  When I get to the chosen plant, I open
the plastic bag, so that it's positoned underneath the seed pod, but ensuring
that I don't tip the pod over. I then cut the pod, and make sure if falls
directly into the plastic bag. I continue to do this until I have cut as many
seed heads as I want or need.

Here comes the easy part.  If the seed pods are dry, ( meaning that there has
been no precipitation) I then close up the bag, just like they do at the pet
store when you buy fish, and SHAKE.  You'll see all the seeds at the bottom of
the bag if you tip it so everything falls to the corner and hold in above your
head.  IF THE SEED POD IS NOT DRY, then I take it in the house and leave it
leaning upright and open on the kitchen counter until it drys out.  The warmth
also tends to make the pods open more.  Once these are dry, I SHAKE them.  

Seperating the seed is easy.  With air still in the bag, make everything fall
to the corner, and then lay the whole bag on the table, and pull out the big
pieces, continueing until you have removed all the chaff, and there's nothing
but seed left.

This works for me, because I don't have to worry about getting every single
seed.  I also feel that the seed I am getting is ready to be dispursed
naturally from the pod.

Karen Ernst
Highland, MI
USDA Zone 5
NARGS
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