The University of Illinois Master Gardeners will be hosting a workshop entitled “Harvesting Seed: The Why and How to Harvesting and Preserving Seeds” on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at the Eureka Public Library. (Photo: University of Illinois Extension)

The University of Illinois Extension Woodford County Master Gardeners will be hosting a workshop entitled “Harvesting Seed: The Why and How to Harvesting and Preserving Seeds” at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at the Eureka Public Library.

Mary Jane Bohall, McLean County Master Gardener, will give a step-by-step discussion and demonstration on harvesting and preserving seeds.

Bohall will explain why to harvest seeds, different methods of propagation, what to know before you harvest, the different types of seeds and plants, and how to collect, clean and store seeds. The presentation will include samples of different kinds of dried flower heads and seeds and a demonstration on cleaning seeds.

Participants will also learn about the free seed library available to the public at the Eureka Public Library and how they can help the seed library grow by saving and donating seeds.

“McLean County Master Gardeners, like Bohall, will collect seed from California poppies, impatiens, larkspur, annual phlox, gaillardia, musk mallow, aster, bleeding heart and bachelor’s buttons from Sarah’s historical garden at the David Davis Mansion Historic Sight in Bloomington,”  said University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Kelly Allsup.

Without collecting seed each year the Master Gardeners would be unable to maintain the 141-year-old garden to its historic status.

Letters written between David Davis and Sarah while he was away on business led Master Gardeners and mansion staff to know the kinds of plants grown in Sarah’s garden and revealed that she had saved and started seed.

The seed saved from Sarah’s garden is planted the next year, saved for three years in special vaults (aka McLean County Master Gardeners Kay Henrich’s and Mary Jane Bohall’s refrigerators), and sold in the mansion’s gift shop.

Residents don’t have to be a master to collect and save seed from the garden, they  just need to follow a few simple steps in order to harvest and save seed from some of your favorite bloomers. When saving flower and garden seed from this season, gardeners should be selecting plants that do the best in your own backyard. These particular plants may be vigorous in soil, have a larger blossom, bolder color, greater yield and improved flavor.

For more information and to register, call the library at (309) 467-2922 by Friday, Aug. 21.

Contact: Kelly Allsup, Extension unit educator, Horticulture-Livingston, McLean and Woodford Unit (309) 663-8306, kallsup@illinois.edu

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