Propagating Crimson Clover: Saving Seed, Collecting It Promptly and Keeping the White Form True

Seed is the only practical method

Crimson clover is an annual, so it is propagated by seed rather than by division or cuttings. Each faded spike contains small seeds, and a few plants left to ripen give plenty for next autumn's sowing.

Saving seed step by step

Seed ripens as the plants finish in early summer. Timing matters: once the heads are dry and brown, collect them promptly. Seeds can sprout while still in the head if the heads stay wet after rain, which spoils them for storage.

1. Choose your seed plants Pick a few strong, well-colored plants and stop cutting their spent spikes so the heads can ripen.
2. Wait until the heads are dry and brown The heads turn brown and papery as the seed matures. Check them often as they near this stage.
3. Collect on a dry day Snip the heads into a paper bag, ideally after a few dry days so they are not damp.
4. Dry and rub out the seed Spread the heads somewhere airy and out of the sun to finish drying, then rub them between your hands over a tray and blow or sieve away the chaff.
5. Store cool and dry Keep the cleaned seed in a labeled paper envelope in a cool, dry place until sowing time.

If heavy rain is forecast just as the heads are ripening, cut them a little early and finish drying them indoors rather than risk the seed sprouting on the plant.

Self-sowing

Heads that are left on the plant drop seed, and in mild areas some of it may come up in autumn. Self-sown seedlings are a pleasant bonus, but they come up where the seed falls, often too thickly. Thin them to 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart, or rely on sowing your saved seed for a tidier stand. If you do not want seedlings, cut the spent plants down before the heads ripen.

Keeping the white form true

The white-flowered form and the usual crimson type are the same species, and bees move pollen freely between them. If you grow both and want to keep the white form pure, save seed only from white plants grown well away from crimson ones, or grow just one type in a season. Saved seed from a mixed planting may give a mix of colors.