Harvesting wet berries:

Separating seed from pulp: there are several methods of removing the pulp from fresh berries. You can place the berries in a sieve under running tap water and rub off the pulp.

Or, wrap the berries in a piece of muslin, hold the cloth under running tap water and squeeze the berries.

Phytolacca americana
Pokeroot, Poke Berry

Extracting the seed: having exposed the seed, you will need to lift it away from the pulp and place it on a clean piece of kitchen towel.

For best results, sow the moist seed immediately in substrate, and winter in a cold frame. If you are not ready to sow the seed straight away, keep the seeds damp (but not wet) by storing them in a refrigerator, buried in a tray of vermiculite until the following spring.

Harvesting dry berries:

Myrtle berries can be left on the bush over winter until spring, before being harvested. To extract the seed, open the dry berry with your fingertips rather than a knife so as not to damage it. Gently rub the open berry between your thumb and forefinger, and the seeds will fall out. For successful germination results, sow the seed immediately or you can keep the seed for one month if you store it damp in the refrigerator in a tray of vermiculite.