How do I collect seeds from my Cosmos plants?

Sorry jan Idon't know the answer but you gave me a much needed laugh thank-you x

So glad that I gave you a laugh - now can someone please answer my question?!! I AM serious! I really DON'T know which are the seeds! Help!

Have you tried cutting open one of each to see if there are any seeds ?

Hmmm, well I'm game for a laugh! Can't cut the smaller ones as they're too insubstantial. Tried cutting one of the larger ones - it's a bit like an outer shell, like a husk, with a pale moist kernel inside. I suspect then that this is the seed. Unless anyone else knows different?! Please feel free to put me right!

What you have there are seed heads that have not had time to ripen. Sorry but you will not be able to save viable seed from them, you need to wait until the seed pod is ripe (i.e. the seed is just ready to scatter naturally) before collecting if you want to sow and grow.

Thanks Moongrower. There are still lots more flowers left on the plants which I can leave to go to seed; however, I'm unsure how to tell that the seed pod is ripe and the seeds are about to scatter naturally. Please could you give me some pointers?

the seed pod will go brown and begin to open up to drop seeds and they will probably swell up too, collect them just before they drop off ( the full pod) and place them into a paper bag and hang up somewhere till they dry out.

Thank you Usernut! Much appreciated.

what do cosmos seeds look like

The Cosmos seeds are in that head. They are small, thin & oblong and will turn dark brown to black. There are many seeds on each pod and they can be hard to catch as they dry before they fall off. The rest of the pod is chaff and don't worry to much about seperation all the seeds from all the chaff. My cosmost has been reseed in itself quite easily.