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stella1751
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Saving Cucumber Seeds

When I picked cucumbers this morning, I came across several huge ones. I saved the two biggest for myself, thinking I could save seeds from them, this being my year for experimenting with seed saving.

Then I read several webpages on saving cucumber seeds, and I found some conflicting information. Some pages say you must let the cucumbers go yellow before picking them; others omit this step. One page advises storing the harvested cucumber for, I believe, five weeks before saving the seeds.

All agree on the fermenting process, which I am anxious to try. However, will I be wasting my time saving seeds from these huge cucumbers? They are decidedly over-ripe. If I won't be wasting my time, should I store them for five weeks? If so, do I just stick them in the fridge?

Thanks!

cynthia_h
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Suzanne Ashworth's Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners gives almost a full page of detail on cucumber seeds.

Re. maturity of fruits collected for their seeds: "Cucumbers that are being saved for seed must be grown to full maturity and allowed to ripen past the edible stage. The fruits will be large and beginning to soften. Depending on the variety, the fruits will change from green to white or deep yellow or orange" (p. 109).

She says absolutely nothing about refrigeration. "After harvest, carefully cut open the cucumbers and scoop the seeds into a large bowl...." No mention of chilling, storing in a cool area, or anything at all. She does give specifics on fermentation and on cleaning the seeds after they've been fermented.

She says that properly prepared and stored cucumber seeds will remain viable for 10 years, too! :)

Cynthia H.
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garden5
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That sounds like a book I'll have to get. I keep hearing about fermentation when it comes to seed storage. What's so important about it and is absolutely necessary?

I didn't ferment my peppers seeds....hopefully this omittence (no, that's probably not a real word) doesn't come back to remind me come next season :lol: :?.

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stella1751
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Cynthia, that is very helpful information. Thanks!

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applestar
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I *think* though I'm not positive, that viable cucurbit seeds sink in water.

The pickling cuke I saved last year was huge (like a nerf football) and yellow. I left it on the lid of the wormbin until it started to rot (not intentionally :wink:) When I cut it open, the gel had already become runny and the "clean" seeds just washed right off. I saved the ones that sank but also dried the rest to put in the birdfeeder.

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stella1751
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Were the seeds viable, Applestar, or have you had a chance to try them yet?

I'll confess to having been surprised to learn that cucumbers went through the same fermentation process as tomatoes. Of all the volunteers I've ever had in my compost pile, cucumbers are the primary culprits. I thought they would be like pumpkins.

I haven't gotten to the cucumber yet. It's still sitting on the counter. I might check the cucumber bed and see whether I missed one, a nice big one, while harvesting. If so, I'll probably hold onto this first one while I wait to see whether I can get a yellow one.

If time permits today, I plan to experiment with saving pepper seeds with a NuMex Big Jim that has turned completely red. I haven't studied peppers yet, but I suspect they are the simplest, given that they don't have any juice and are already clean.

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applestar
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Oh they were viable -- lots of nice pickling cukes this year finally winding down. I think I planted two to a spot just in case, and they all sprouted so I had to cull the extras. I also used the same selection criteria for birdhouse gourd seeds and pumpkin seeds -- all viable and growing this season. :()

The purpose of fermenting, I believe, is mostly to remove the gel, though added benefit is that some microbes are out-competed/eliminated in the process. If I remember correctly, presence of the gel can inhibits germination as well as encourage mold (but you shouldn't get mold if you're keeping the seeds dry anyway). Rodents love cucurbit seeds, so they'll go after them, with or without gel if not kept in nibble-proof container/location. :evil:

cynthia_h
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Re. Peppers: Ashworth recommends (after a lot of language about rinsing, cleaning, separating from pulp, etc.) that they be dried "away from direct sunlight, until the seeds break when folded. If the seeds bend instead of breaking, additional drying is necessary" (p. 152).

Evil hint :twisted: -- Get her book, and a lot of the "experimentation" will be over. OTOH, if "experimentation" is a source of fun rather than stress, you may not want to get the book! :D

Cynthia

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stella1751
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cynthia_h wrote:OTOH, if "experimentation" is a source of fun rather than stress, you may not want to get the book! :D

Cynthia
I like experimenting. It's a problem with me. I will make some mistakes, and through THG, I will also learn from others' mistakes.

OTOH, I am experimenting first with veggies in which I have no stake. If the pumpkin or the cucumber seeds aren't viable, it will be no big deal. One day, though, I will be dead serious about saving seeds from something. I am hoping by then I know what I'm doing. If not, well, that sounds like an excellent book to have :lol:

There are so many different aspects to gardening, all of them a sub-hobby in their own right. Seed-saving is my newest hobby. It doesn't get any better than this.

BTW, I checked my pumpkin seeds this morning. I must not have washed them thoroughly, because they are sticking to the paper towel. Second lesson (the first being not to pick too soon) learned. Duh.

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applestar
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I just keep ones that stuck to paper towels by folding them up and writing seed info on the outside. When it's time to plant I peel off or tear around the seeds and plant, paper and all. Just be sure no part of the paper is exposed because that would wick moisture out and dry out the seed.

Not acceptable for trading/giving away, of course. :wink:

garden5
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Thanks, Cythia, for getting back to me about the peppers. I never did anything to the seeds but take them out of the pepper and lay them on the paper towel, so they should be alright.

I think that lady's book will be one of my next purchases. There are plenty of experiments to do in the garden....but most of them can't be done unless the seeds germinate :wink:. I'm also going to do a test-germination of my pepper seeds before I keep them, just to be sure.

Apps, I've heard that floating your seeds in water to check for viability for just about all seeds, though I've found with personal experience that tomatoes and pepper seeds will need a good over-night soak before all the ones that are going to sink do so. With larger seeds, you probably won't have this "waiting period."



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