Ipomoea Alba

[DonnaMarieNJ]

I have three vines of this moonflower with a gazillion pods. A google search informs me that I should wait for the pods to "sun dry," after which I can extract the seeds and then dry them. My problem is that all of my pods are bright purple, fresh and moist. We are expecting a freeze tonight with wind chills to 23 degrees. I'd like to cut the plants down today and save the pods even tho they are not "sun dry." What will be my next step? Do I let the pods dry indoors? Can I extract the seeds now? Is all hope lost???

TIA!

Donna

[KarenO]

I am no moonvine expert but I would guess that If the pods are mature and ripe but just not dry, I would pick them, put them in paper bags and wait until they are crispy dry before collecting the seed. If the pods/seeds are not mature, the seed will not be useful. open one up and have a look.
KO

[DonnaMarieNJ]

I did open up one pod (cut the fresh, not dried, pod off the vine today) - the seeds inside are white, and a bit moist (sticky). I have no idea what they are supposed to look like when "mature."

I have looked on google, and I have posted at another forum ( <gasp>!) that specializes in flowers, to no avail as yet, but it was just recently that I've done this. You tube shows me how to grow the vines, but I already know that. There are videos of people with the pods, but no other explanation as to WHEN to pick the pods.

I can get the seeds anywhere on the web, I want to do it myself.

Thanks.

Donna

[Doug9345]

Here is what I'd do. Cut the vines down, you have nothing to loose. Then do two things. Take some pods and harvest the seeds, leave the rest on the vine and hang it up somewhere to finish maturing and drying. You may need to wrap it up in something like an old sheet so that you don't have seeds everywhere. Once you have both sets of seeds collected, do a germination check on each set. After you do that you'll have a better idea of when you can or can not harvest the seed. Let us know how you made out.

[KarenO]

Mature seeds are white. they may well be OK. I say dry the pods and do as suggested, a germination test. Likely they are fine.
KO

[DonnaMarieNJ]

Out of the gazillion pods I have cut off the vines, I saw ONE that was dried as suggested on google.

However, out of the remaining, I see that some are purple (as google described) and most are white, which I assume means that the pods, themselves, are not mature. But, who knows? Also, since some of the pods are very small, and I don't know if there is a size recommended for the pods, I will choose the biggest to experiment with.

I have many, many seed pods. I will do as suggested above. As stated, I have nothing to lose!

If anyone is interested in these pods, let me know, and I'll send you some. ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE that they will grow, because I don't know what I am doing.

Regarding the pic above, my seeds, indeed do look like that. However, the PODS are nowhere near as dry as in the pic. And I don't understand why since the flowers have been blooming for several months. The inside of the pod in the pic is dry and dark with the seeds. The inside of my pods are completely white and moist, and I have to PRY the seeds out as they are attached to the pod. So confused!

THANKS!

Donna

[Durgan]

It is almost impossible to get rid of the Morning Glory once established. They produce a zillion seeds and almost all germinate. Just let nature take it course. The seeds overwinter with no difficulty where they fall.

[DonnaMarieNJ]

The one I have is annual. Maybe it is annual b/c I live in NJ. Either way, I have to plant seeds every year. The vines NEVER come back.

I am thinking that my seeds and/or pods are not mature yet. This is a tropical vine (so says the internet) and I didn't know that. It needs a much longer time to produce mature pods than my area affords. I have a feeling that I'll always have to buy seeds.

Thanks for all of the help.