How to Harvest and Save Fuchsia Seeds

You can harvest fuchsia seeds by:

• Covering the flower heads with a bag when the flowers are dying and the berries are starting to form
• When the berries are ripe, take the bag off
• Take the berries inside and cut them open 
• Scoop the seeds out to dry 
• Store in a dry and cool environment for the next season

Saving fuchsia seeds can be a little tricky because they are so tiny and have a fleshy pulp that surrounds their exterior. 

However, you can successfully harvest and store them by following the steps below.

How Do You Harvest Fuchsia Seeds?

You can harvest fuchsia seeds from the plant when the flowers have died and the petals have wilted back.

At this point, berries will begin to form. 

You should then cover the ones you wish to harvest with bags so that the birds cannot eat the berries before you get a chance to pick them.

For this step, you can use a paper bag or an organza bag to cover the berries. 

Just make sure you tie the bag around the plant’s stem firmly so that birds cannot get at the berries and the berries cannot fall to the ground.

Now, wait for the berries to fall off, or gently squeeze them through the bag and check whether they are ripe. 

You will know they are ripe when they feel squishy instead of hard.

When the berries are ready, remove the bag and take the berries off the plant if they haven’t already fallen off. 

Next, on a clean surface, cut the berries open and gently scoop the seeds out from inside.

But remember that the seeds are very tiny, so be careful not to lose them.

And generally, you can identify the seeds because they will appear as little pale brown or cream blobs inside the dark flesh, surrounding a green center.

After removing the seeds, use a paper towel and some tweezers to separate the pulp from the seeds as best you can.

This step can be quite fiddly since the seeds are so small, but if you persevere, you should be able to get them clean.

Then, rinse the seeds in some cool water and place them on clean sheets of paper towels. 

You should now leave them to dry out.

The drying process will take about a week, and during this time, you should occasionally turn the seeds over to increase the airflow across them.

Finally, when the seeds are dry, you can store them. 

Just be sure that the seeds are absolutely dry before you store them because wet seeds can mold. 

How Should You Store Fuchsia Seeds?

First, label some paper envelopes with the date of harvest and the name of the fuchsia variety. 

Labeling will ensure you don’t get any seeds mixed up the following year.

Then, tip a few fuchsia seeds into each envelope, and seal them shut.

Some people prefer to use plastic envelopes, but there is a risk that if your seeds haven’t fully dried, they will go moldy in plastic because moisture can’t escape. 

Thus, paper is the better option. 

Next, put the envelopes inside a secondary container with an airtight seal to keep out any atmospheric moisture.

Once you have done this, place the seeds in a dark, cool, and dry environment, such as a cool cupboard.

Overall, no matter where you store them, just be sure the seeds don’t get exposed to moisture, daylight, or temperature fluctuations in storage.  

Otherwise, the seeds will start to germinate, and you won’t be able to plant them during the following season. 

Read Also >> How to Harvest and Save Dianthus Seeds

Will My Fuchsia Seeds Grow True?

Unfortunately, most fuchsia seeds will not come true, as the parent plants are hybrid.

But, you will get interesting new varieties, especially if the fuchsia has cross-pollinated with another type of fuchsia.

If you want to retain the same fuchsia plants year after year, however, you will need to keep buying hybrids or hope that your current plants survive for several years. 

And your plants may live for a long time if the conditions are good enough, but survival depends on the variety and your local climate.

Overall, if you live in a place with cold winters, your fuchsias will not live, and you’ll have to re-plant each year. 

Can You Harvest The Berries Early?

No, it is best to leave the fuchsia berries on the plant until they become ripe and squishy because this gives the seeds time to mature.

If you pick the berries too early, the seeds will not be ripe enough and will not have sufficient resources to germinate and grow into new plants.

You should therefore wait until the berries have fully ripened before picking them from the plant and drying them for storage.

Read Also >> How to Harvest and Save Broccoli Seeds

Conclusion

Fuchsia seeds are fairly easy to harvest as long as you beat the birds to the berries. 

You just need to scoop them out, separate the pulp, and dry them thoroughly before trying to store them.