what is the proper or best way to get seed from vegitables?(i.e. peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, etc.) i have had hit and miss luck. should you leave fruit overripen on the plant, or pick and deseed and dry seed? can't seem to make it go my way all the time.
Peppers, I just remove the seeds from a ripe fruit and dry them on a papertowel. Same with squash and melons.
Tomatoes, squeeze the juice and seeds from a ripe tomato into a small jar and add a little water to dilute it. Sit it aside somewhere that your family won't find it and throw it away. Let it rot for a few days. Then filter out the seeds and rinse them and dry on a paper towel.
I haven't done eggplant seeds.
Best regards, Bob
Hi Bob, I saved tomato seeds before just from squeezing the tomato and letting the seeds dry on paper towel. Why do you let it rot for a few days in a bit of water? does it make it better/hardier? thanks Lynn
It's supposed to kill disease organisms that might otherwise be on the seeds. Or that's what I've read at a seedsaver site somewhere.
Best regards, Bob
I have just left a tomato to dry up in the green house. When I have come to it the next year, and removed the seeds they have allways germinated. I think it is very hard to kill tomato seeds. you can even plant the whole thing dry skin as well, they will germinate. hope this helps you.
Richard M. Watkin.
Cool I never heard of it before. thanks
On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 18:09:36 -0500, zxcvbob wrote in rec.gardens.edible:
The only things I would add to this are to wait until there is a slight smell of fermentation and a small area of white appears at the surface. Dead seed float and live seeds sink. The seeds might appear slightly grey.
Wash them off and let the good seeds dry on a coffee filter or paper towel.
The seeds should be good for several years. The fermentation kills a lot of diseases.
If rubbing the seeds together between your fingers pulverizes them then you have overdone the fermentation.
-- Gardening Zones Canada Zone 5a United States Zone 3a Near Ottawa, Ontario
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