saving squash seeds how do you do it?

[nightshade]

okay so I cleaned some of the squash my mil gave us and fixed then for supper. I wanted to save some of the seeds for planting next year. I washed them to get most of the guts off then and dried them on newspaper on paper plates on the stove top as I baked the squash in the oven. So the stove top was a little warm from the heat from the oven I hoped this would help them dry. Because I have had trouble in the past if I just let them on the counter to dry they would get moldy instead of drying.

Did I do this right? What would you suggest to keep them in til next year?

 

[injunjoe]

Sounds like you cleaned the seed coat good and dried them a bit.
To save them (I) would let them still breath and dry so they don't rot on you. They may seem dry but are still damp inside the shell. Storing them in an air tight type container will promote mold.

Paper is a good way to draw moisture from the seed.

Wierd we need to dry the seed ever so careful to be able to sow the seed and keep it just so wet!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can't argue with Joe one bit. I wash them and let them dry on waxed paper for at least a week, maybe more depending on humidity or when I get around to the next step, stirring them daily while they are drying. I use waxed paper just because it keep them cleaner. I have used newspaper and paper towels in the past with good results.

I do store them in a sealed glass jar. I see two potential problems with storing seeds, the mold that Joe mentioned and bugs eating them. I have had seeds stored in a paper towel in a drawer destroyed by bugs.

I don't know how warm your seeds got on top of the stove. The back left eye on my stove gets pretty warm when the oven is on, as if there is some kind of leak or vent. You might try to test germinate a few seeds to make sure they are still viable if you have a good place to do this and if you think they got a little warm. I'm not sure what it takes to break dormancy of squash seeds. They may need to store a certain time period before they will sprout. I'm assuming these are winter squash.

 

[nightshade]

thanks I will try to spout a few and make sure they did not cook!

 

[journey11]

I've had good luck saving seeds even from store bought squash (and they even bred true!).

I wash them lightly in a colander with cold water and remove any fibers or flesh clinging to them, then I lay them out on a paper towel on the counter for a day or so until the outsides appear dry.

Then this is where I do it differently. I put them in a paper lunch bag and kinda puff it up and put a rubberband around the top and hang the bag from a nail in the basement. My basement is dark, cool, dry and the air circulates well. After a few weeks I check them and if they seem "cured" (good and dry) then I transfer them to either a plastic baggie or a paper envelope (if they're dried well, I don't have problems with either), then I put them in the door shelf of my refrigerator until next year when I am ready to plant them.

I even store leftovers of my purchased seeds in the refrigerator door. I find they germinate more faithfully kept this way. I guess it would keep the bugs at bay too.

My grandpa always kept his seeds in glass baby food jars in the tool shed and did well. And I've heard some people store seeds in the freezer, although I have not tried it.

The important part is that they dry quickly and thoroughly and that they don't get exposed to extreme heat. I agree that you would want to test germinate some now to make sure the stove didn't get too hot for them.

 

[Greensage45]

...Then this is where I do it differently. I put them in a paper lunch bag and kinda puff it up and put a rubberband around the top and hang the bag from a nail in the basement. My basement is dark, cool, dry and the air circulates well. After a few weeks I check them and if they seem "cured" (good and dry) then I transfer them to either a plastic baggie or a paper envelope (if they're dried well, I don't have problems with either), then I put them in the door shelf of my refrigerator until next year when I am ready to plant them.

I even store leftovers of my purchased seeds in the refrigerator door. I find they germinate more faithfully kept this way. I guess it would keep the bugs at bay too...

Your technique is perfect journey because some seeds require cold stratifying and some do not. The way you describe will cover both ways, and in the fridge the cold keeps them fresher longer.

When I have to cold stratify I never use the freezer; my deli drawer works just fine! I guess we can call it the seed drawer now! LOL

Ron :bouquet

 

[journey11]

When I have to cold stratify I never use the freezer; my deli drawer works just fine! I guess we can call it the seed drawer now! LOL

Ron :bouquet

Indeed! I have one shelf full of seeds and one full of nail polish (although I am not sure why I store all that nail polish...my hands are so rough from gardening that a manicure is pointless!). LOL

 

[nightshade]

ug :/ the butternut ones got cooked. Lesson learned the stove top is not a good idea. I have two more left I can save the seeds out of those. I have to get this figured out soon. I am suspose to save the seeds from my son's giant pumpkins, that buy the way did nto get that giant this year. But at least we had a few that lived unlike my mil that got to much rain and rotted.

Those seeds are very special to us because they are from my husband's grandfather's giants he use to grow. He passed away last September, with no pumpkin grown last year. They seeds we used this year are from my mil's pumpkin from last year which was grown from seeds out of Pop's pumpkin the year before. Confusing I know but like I said important seeds. Anyway this year only my son's made it even though they were only a few late starters that came on after the way to much rains had pasted. The big one only got about 50 lbs but it matured and I have hope the seeds did also.

Now if I can just dry them for next year with out ruining them it will e all good. But if I mess this up I am letting a lot of fokes down because these are the only ones left. The pressure is huge!

 

[injunjoe]

Well the pressure is on!
I think you will do fine saving the seed.
Just let them air dry after you clean them up good.
I wish you luck!

Joe

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since these seeds are so important to you and yours, I'd suggest being extra cautious. You might try drying the seeds in different places, maybe some in the garage, some in the house, some in the basement or wherever, depending on what you have available. And once they are dried, disperse them among the people that want them. This may prevent disaster in the form of a mouse or squirrel finding them all while drying or a mouse or some type of bug eating them all in storage.

We lost a line of white sweet potatoes that I grew up on when my parents could not plant it any more and none of the kids were in position to grow it for one year. With sweet potatoes, one year is all it took. I'm glad you were able to save the pumpkin line.

Question for the experts. I've read to not store certain things, like tulip bulbs, in the same refrigerator as apples because of the gas the apples release. Is this precaution necessary with seeds?