I plan to "borrow" some seeds from plants down the street, and it will be difficult to catch them at just the right time. I was hoping I could pick them before they split.

BTW, I can't believe how many people have mowed their bluebonnets before they had a chance to go to seed. I guess they don't know nothin' about birthin' no bluebonnets.

Oh boy, I'd love to have some bluebonnet seed! I need to just go buy some somewhere, I guess. And I won't mow it down til it's gone to seed. :)

I bought 5# from Seed Source two years ago, but not a single plant grew, mainly because of the drought. This year, some of those seeds did produce.

Seed Source seems to have raised their prices. I believe the best deal on bulk BB seeds would be the Texas Bluebonnet Seed Company. Seeds run $13 per pound, and $62 for 5#. That's a great price.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Bluebonnet Seed Company

My bluebonnet seeds will be ready to harvest in a couple of weeks. I will be happy to share via SASBE. Email me.
Molly

G'day from Australia. I have bluebonnets in bloom right throughout summer here. It was sown in the wrong season (Oct in Australia is late Spring). They survived our scorching summers, and are still in flower in the 2nd month of fall. I have started a new batch of seeds.

Thought I'd bump this up... Is anyone going to harvest any seeds this year? Has anyone had any luck harvesting "public" seeds? I want some, but I don't want to pay THAT much! But I don't mind working for them!

We just visited Wildseed Farms near Fredricksburg TX two weeks ago and their price schedule is a higher. 1#=16.50, 1/4#=7.45, 1oz=4.95 and one packet= 1.25 plus shipping and handling. The 5 pound bags are not listed here is the phone number if you would like to call, 800 848-0078. They claim (not a guarantee) 60% success rate. My own torment with bluebonnet seed harvesting goes back 30 years. Collecting dry and open pods (usually late April in San Antonio) from the roadside. Our success rate is around 15% but your only costs are gas and time. On the other hand, you do get to see a lot of pretty country. We buy now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wildseed Farms

After many dollars and many years with similar low % germination, I have found the secret. Plant seeds in crushed granite. You can spread the granite on your native soil and just drop the seeds in. They'll start growing as soon as they hit the ground. The granite seems to provide the necessary aeration and also acts to hold condensation underneath. Guaranteed.

I grow hundreds of bluebonnets and never have done anything but throw the seeds out. That's what the highway department does along the highways.

The problem most people have is that they buy the seed in spring and then say "Oh well in sept-oct, I'll put them outside so that theyll sprout and overwinter." However what they never realize is that BB seeds are tough and need to be on the ground from when they leave the pod over spring, summer, and then fall until they germinate. You can from what I hear put them in a rock tumbler so that the seed coat gets scratched and allows the seeds to take in water.
As for harvesting, you harvest the whole plant when the lowest pods on the plants are turning brown and scaly and the rest of the pods will come along. Cut off the root part and get rid of it. PUT THE PLANT IN A BAG OR THE SEEDS WILL GET FLUNG EVERYWHERE! Seriously though unless its a rare form of bluebonnet, dont go picking them off the highway. I've found a white one so I'm only going to take a few seeds from it.

I do this. I collect the seeds and throw them around in places they haven't taken. At first I had a small patch, now I have solid waves slipping down my hillside.

Tip for harvesting: Watch the weather. When the outside pressure changes the ready seed pods start popping like crazy! It sounds exactly like Rice Crispies. It is a great time to harvest a lot very quickly.

:O)

I've grown BBs this section of my flowerbed for many years and have found that the seeds need no particular treatment for successful germination. I have soaked them in hot water before sowing them, but the majority of them self-sow. I think for those wanting to start a BB patch, the timing of the sowing is more important than the treatment of the seeds. Seeds sown September-October do best for me. I will be harvesting seed in a few weeks, and anyone interested in SASBE can email me to get some seeds.
Molly

Molly, that is just too cute

I don't get why people mow wildflowers either but everyone around here did

The wildflowers have been amazing this spring! And after the long drought we had here, it was really overdue! Info on growing bluebonnets:

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Bluebonnets

I leave a portion of the donkey pasture unmowed each year until after the wild flowers seed.... especially the wine cups. The donkeys don't seem to mind.......LOL>

Thank you all so much! I had no idea the seeds pop out! In the past I have bought plants and harvested and scattered the seeds. I have had slight success, just 2 or 3 plants. I wonder if letting them scatter themselves will give me more plants. It will be worth the try!

Molly,Thats such a cute patch with the flag decor. Loved it.

I put together a blog post on how we plant bluebonnets from seed. I've linked it here for those who might reference it in the future.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluebonnet seed harvesting

I havested bluebonnet seeds last year, (2018) at this time of the year, that is approximately mid- April. I live just south of San Antonio. I followed directions from the internet. When the pods turned from yellow to mostly brown I collected them in clear baggies. Some popped open on their own in the baggies but I shelled many of them. I collected hundreds of seeds. There is a short window to harvest the seeds before the pods pop open on their own. If the pods are green, wait until they start turning from yellow to brown. I stored them in baggies over summer. Information from the internet said the seeds have shells that prevent them from germinating until the shells crack. So seeds can sit dormant in the ground for several years. To crack the shell for germination the next year this is what I read and did. In mid-October I put the seeds in my freezer overnight, actually for 2 days. I took them out and immediately poured boiling water over the seeds. I could hear them crack like rice Krispies. I then sowed them by hand in my yard. I did not cover them with soil, just threw them out in sandy soil away from the grassy area of my backyard. I did not water them or feed them but we did have a rainy fall and winter last year. In February I could see hundreds of plants laying flat on the ground. Their leaves are their distinguishing identifier. In March the stems appeared and the plants raised upward and I had a lush Bluebonnet patch that came from the seeds I just harvested the prior year. Now, back in mid-April, the pods are just now turning yellow and are not quite brown but they will be in the next day or two, a week at most. So in a couple days it will be time to harvest. I cut the brown pods off with scissors. I leave some pods to pop on their own. If you wait too long the pods will twist and pop out the seeds as nature intended. Also the plants are hard to find once the blue is gone and the other plants and weeds cover them up so it helps to mark your patch if it's in a large area. Don't mow your bluebonnets until the seeds pop, at least two weeks after the blue is gone.

Thank you for passing along your successful method. Just last night I was thinking about the advice to pour boiling water over bean type seeds to soften the covering and wondered why that doesn't 'cook' the germ, but by having the seeds coming straight from the freezer would keep the heat from penetrating that deeply. Good idea.

I harvested seed from the other side of the hill in my area. My suspicion is that they do become tuned to the area that they are in. I tossed out many commercial bluebonnets and had made one sickly plant. The comment about granite sand is true. I altered an area with DG sand to grow cactus and planted bluebonnets in the grass down hill from the cactus garden. Well , those darn seeds have rolled UPHILL into the cactus garden and totally taken over. Poor cactus. I think I give up and will move them out to another area.

I had some at my last house: https://imgur.com/Tco4FRT