Saving seeds from squash
I am trying to save seeds from my kabocha squash and I had them outside to dry, but it looks like the seeds have some fungal growth on them. I rinsed them and dried them on a paper towel and then I put them on another paper towel set in a tray to dry them. I was not able to spread them out because I had to hide them from the birds. I there another way I can dry the seeds and keep them from getting moldy?
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applestar
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Since you put this under Seed Starting, I assume you want to save them for planting.
The way I understand it, you want to save squash seeds the way you save tomato seeds. Mix the stringy sticky seed mass with unchlorinated water and allow to ferment for a couple of days, then pour off the floaters, changing water several times. If the non-seed stuff are clinging, strainer scrubbing seems to work well.
I usually dry squash seeds in the house. Some kind of wire mesh basket or hardware cloth, colander, etc. Somewhere convenient. Stirring often by swirling if in colander or shaking and tossing.
I tried putting them in an onion bag and hanging with the herbs once. Did not "stir" -- the ones in the middle of the mass got moldy.
Some people do a quick dunk in bleach water before final thorough rinse. You could probably do that with these seeds.
I suppose you could make a large flat box out of hardware cloth to spread your seeds and dry them in. ...maybe use a wooden canvas frame and cover from both sides with 1/2" or is there 1/4"? hardware cloth. Screw eyes in the corners so you could hang it up.
The way I understand it, you want to save squash seeds the way you save tomato seeds. Mix the stringy sticky seed mass with unchlorinated water and allow to ferment for a couple of days, then pour off the floaters, changing water several times. If the non-seed stuff are clinging, strainer scrubbing seems to work well.
I usually dry squash seeds in the house. Some kind of wire mesh basket or hardware cloth, colander, etc. Somewhere convenient. Stirring often by swirling if in colander or shaking and tossing.
I tried putting them in an onion bag and hanging with the herbs once. Did not "stir" -- the ones in the middle of the mass got moldy.
Some people do a quick dunk in bleach water before final thorough rinse. You could probably do that with these seeds.
I suppose you could make a large flat box out of hardware cloth to spread your seeds and dry them in. ...maybe use a wooden canvas frame and cover from both sides with 1/2" or is there 1/4"? hardware cloth. Screw eyes in the corners so you could hang it up.
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