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seeds Seed Saving ,Drying and storage methods.
- Thread starter Sownseeds
- Start date
It depends upon a few factors, for me.
Fresh Pods:
- If I can get the seeds away from the placenta easily, I do so, then give them a brief bath in a 1:10 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water. Then I just lay them on a plate and let them air dry.
- If they're pretty embedded in the placenta, I loosen as much as I can and cut away as much placenta as possible, then lay them on a plate to air dry. When this is the case, clearly it takes longer. When I go to plant the seeds, I do the hydrogen peroxide/water bath before germinating.
Frozen pods:
- Same as for fresh pods.
Dried pods:
- I leave the seeds in pods I'm going to dry, and dry them at a very low temp (95F) to maintain viability of the seeds. When I am either going to use the pods or just want the seeds, they're typically easy to scrape out (if they didn't just fall out.) I do the hydrogen peroxide/water bath before germinating.
Try to store your seeds in a cool, dry place. Some people store in the fridge, but I just store in a drawer.
Fresh Pods:
- If I can get the seeds away from the placenta easily, I do so, then give them a brief bath in a 1:10 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water. Then I just lay them on a plate and let them air dry.
- If they're pretty embedded in the placenta, I loosen as much as I can and cut away as much placenta as possible, then lay them on a plate to air dry. When this is the case, clearly it takes longer. When I go to plant the seeds, I do the hydrogen peroxide/water bath before germinating.
Frozen pods:
- Same as for fresh pods.
Dried pods:
- I leave the seeds in pods I'm going to dry, and dry them at a very low temp (95F) to maintain viability of the seeds. When I am either going to use the pods or just want the seeds, they're typically easy to scrape out (if they didn't just fall out.) I do the hydrogen peroxide/water bath before germinating.
Try to store your seeds in a cool, dry place. Some people store in the fridge, but I just store in a drawer.
gemme is right on 
. But if you are lazy like me you can do it this way. I cut the pods in half and deseed. Then I lay them between two paper towels on a paper plate. Next step I set it on top of my fridge for about one month. I then store it in a tupperware in a drawer in my room.
I never have any problems with germination or mold. Knock on wood. Storing in fridge would be nice if the boss would let me
. But if you are lazy like me you can do it this way. I cut the pods in half and deseed. Then I lay them between two paper towels on a paper plate. Next step I set it on top of my fridge for about one month. I then store it in a tupperware in a drawer in my room.I never have any problems with germination or mold. Knock on wood. Storing in fridge would be nice if the boss would let me
Hi Romy6 , yeh mate im the same i just cut the pod in half and pull the seeds out with tweesers then dry them over a few weeks to a month in a bowl and i get very good germ rates , but what i was wondering isgemme is right on
I never have any problems with germination or mold. Knock on wood. Storing in fridge would be nice if the boss would let me
the storing of seeds as i have been collecting many varietys and i have so many now i cant grow that many each season so id like to store them and still have them fresh in say 1 or 2 seasons to grow.
They say you should put them in a dry dark place but but the fridge is very moist , so im not sure about the fridge.
Scrape seeds out, put in little plastic bowls with a scrap of paper describing them, put bowls in a big cardboard box with holes cut out at opposite ends and a 12V spec'd computer fan powered by an old cell phone charger (at 5V, lower voltage = lower RPM = quieter and less violent airstream) mounted on one of the holes.
When I get motivated enough to do it they go into those transparent brown tinted air-tight prescription pill bottles and are stored inside where the A/C keeps them cooler than the summer temps outside. The scrap of paper describing them goes in the pill bottle against the side so you can read it through the bottle wall. Supposedly they'll last several years longer if kept closer to freezing but some types of seeds won't survive freezing.
When I get motivated enough to do it they go into those transparent brown tinted air-tight prescription pill bottles and are stored inside where the A/C keeps them cooler than the summer temps outside. The scrap of paper describing them goes in the pill bottle against the side so you can read it through the bottle wall. Supposedly they'll last several years longer if kept closer to freezing but some types of seeds won't survive freezing.
I'm lazy.
I pick a couple of the ripest pods, cut them open, scrape the seeds into a standard lunch sack, put onto a partly sunny window sill for a week or so.
Then they go into a plastic baggie with a small wad of paper towel in the corner.
No humidity here, so this method may not be appropriate for your area.
If I have a bunch of pods, I'll take one or two and let them dry naturally---whole.
Again, no humidity here, so no mold issues.
I pick a couple of the ripest pods, cut them open, scrape the seeds into a standard lunch sack, put onto a partly sunny window sill for a week or so.
Then they go into a plastic baggie with a small wad of paper towel in the corner.
No humidity here, so this method may not be appropriate for your area.
If I have a bunch of pods, I'll take one or two and let them dry naturally---whole.
Again, no humidity here, so no mold issues.
I have just put them on a paper towel and folded it up, wrote the name on the towel, then put them outside to dry. In our 90+F weather, it only seems to take a few days.
EDIT: admittedly, I have yet to sprout any using this method. I do have a test batch in the germinator right now, however.
EDIT: admittedly, I have yet to sprout any using this method. I do have a test batch in the germinator right now, however.