FlyTrapCare Forums

How on earth do you put the microscopic seeds in the seed packet without putting only a couple or 95% of all you have in it?! If I try to do it with my finger, it just gets stuck to my finger and then it falls off later and I can't find it.

I use a knife and scrape up the amount that I want.

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:45 pm I use a knife and scrape up the amount that I want.

Oh, ok, I can try that. Hopefully I don't damage the seeds

I fold all 4 edges of a sheet of copy paper up, shake the seeds all out onto it and shuffle them around which separates the trash and underdeveloped seeds from the good ones, then tilt the paper up some with the long edge parallel to the ground and lightly tap the paper till they all fall into the fold/crease along the edge. From there, you just tilt and tap until they get to a corner, fold that corner out some to make a sort of half-funnel and hold it over a packet and tap till you get however many you wanted in it. This way ensures no seeds can be damaged or lost if you're careful and you can be pretty precise with how many you get in the pack. May be better ways, just one that I came up with that covers collecting, sorting, and packeting all at once.

You aren't likely to damage any of the sundew seeds unless you deliberately try to crush them.

If you're just asking about transferring a small number of seeds into a seed packet (as opposed to collecting the seeds in the first place) this is what I do: First I prepare the seed packet. If you're going to use one of the origami ones, have it folded to the point that the top is still open. Then, take a handy sized piece of paper (I use 8" x 8' but it doesn't matter) and put a single sharp crease in the middle. Re-open the folded paper so it's almost flat and pour you collected seeds on one of the sides (not in the crease). Hold the unfolded paper in one hand and gently tap it. Seeds should roll down the slight incline and gather in the crease. If you're gentle enough, you'll wind up with the seeds in the crease and the chaff left on the side. I usually use just brush the chaff off so that all that's left is the seeds in the crease. Then, hold the seed packet so the open top gapes in one hand and lift the folded paper so the edge of the crease will act as a funnel to guide the seeds. Hold the folded paper at slight angle and gently tap it, the seeds will fall into the packet. (This is actually much simpler than it seems from this write-up.) The first time you try this, I'd suggest you put another piece of paper under where you're pouring to collect any seeds that miss the packet.

Yeah this is almost exactly what I was trying to describe, just simpler since you can use a smaller sheet and just crease the middle instead of the edges. I just use a full sheet and crease the edges to get more surface area to work with when I'm dealing with the flower stalks first, but it's the exact same concept.

NightRaider wrote: ↑Fri Jul 08, 2022 4:21 pm Yeah this is almost exactly what I was trying to describe, just simpler since you can use a smaller sheet and just crease the middle instead of the edges. I just use a full sheet and crease the edges to get more surface area to work with when I'm dealing with the flower stalks first, but it's the exact same concept.

Yeah, it's a lot easier to do then describe, right?

Thanks guys! I tried that and it worked!

Sorry I didn't see this earlier, but you got a lot of great advice.
If I'm separating my harvested seeds, I usually fold the origami envelope completely, then unfold it completely and lay it out. I then manhandle the pod to release the seeds into the middle of the center crease, and fold it back up. Sometimes I have to do the hokey-pokey to center the seeds because a few bounced too far left or right, but they're all packed up.
With the bulk seeds in the bank, I just hold the bulk pack sideways, squeezing it slightly to make the bottom concave, and the point directed into the empty envelope. I slightly tip the bulk and gently tap it to scoot a few seeds down into the empty.