At this time, the seeds of Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) are likely ready for harvest.
Turtlehead blooms for approximately four weeks (beginning in week 1 of September), sets fruit and then its seeds become ripened in October. It can be found in swamps, marshes, ditches, and wet thickets. This perennial herbaceous plant makes an excellent choice for wetland plantings or the edges of ponds or streams. Once established, Turtlehead spreads slowly over time from short rhizomes and self-seeding.
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/white-turtlehead#lboxg-4
Seed Collection:
PLEASE NOTE: Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) is protected under New York State Law. It is a violation of the Environmental Conservation Law §9-1503 to collect or destroy listed plants without the permission of the landowner. The regulation gives landowners additional rights to prosecute people who collect plants without permission.
Pea-shaped seed capsules may follow the flowers, starting out green and then turning brown and splitting open when mature, containing a number of medium brown to dark brown seeds, each about 1/8 inch wide and pointed at the ends.
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/white-turtlehead#lboxg-3
Seed is easily collected by collecting the brown seedheads before their individual capsules open.
To harvest seed from Turtlehead, carefully hold the stalk below the seedhead and cut the stalk below your hand, using garden scissors. Note that a single cluster of capsules will contain numerous seeds. Without turning the seedheads upside down, move the seedhead into a paper bag.
Processing of Harvested Seed and Storage:
Place the seed capsules in a closed paper bag and leave them for a week or so.
Then, over a paper plate, pick up the seedheads from the bag, and just gently and carefully crush them on the plate. The seeds should then easily spill out. To separate the chaff from the seeds, use a mesh strainer.
After you are done processing the seedheads, carefully pour any remaining seeds from the paper bag used to dry the seedheads into a paper envelope for storage.
Turtlehead seeds can be stored and should remain viable for 1-2 years in a paper envelope.
Seed requires three to four months of cold/moist stratification prior to germination.
Place moistened peat or paper towels into a labeled ziplock bag (plant name and date) and then carefully empty the seeds into the ziplock bag. Leave in the refrigerator for 3-4 months before germinating.
Propagation by Seed:
It is probably best to simply sow your harvested seeds in late fall so that the seed overwinters and germinates naturally in spring. Seed should be sown on the surface (they require light for germination).
Photo Credit: valkyrieh116 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/valkyrieh116/4360193931/)
Alternatively, you may begin plants indoors after cold/moist stratification of your harvested seeds. To do so, seeds should be placed on the surface of your potting mix (they require light for germination). Keep the soil of each container moist until germination occurs. They should not be allowed to dry out. Germination requires 3-5 weeks. Then transplant the contents of each container into the spots you’ve selected to establish these plants.
Seed-started plants will likely flower two years after sowing.
To learn more about this native wildflower, please view my prior post What Wildflower Begins Blooming This Week? (Sept week 1), published on 9/4/2021.
Happy harvesting!
Curious By Nature 
