Place the seeds in a glass jar or bowl and cover with just enough warm water so the seeds float (they will eventually sink to the bottom). Put the harvested seeds into a large bowl, and add an equal amount of water. Last Spring the cuke seeds failed to germinate. Ground vines should be planted about three feet apart. Step 4 – Set the bowl aside and leave it in a warm space – to allow fermentation to begin. Of course, if you’re going to save your cucumber seeds, you have to keep a few things in mind if you want to be successful. Tomatoes and Cucumbers. This means that the male and female flowers grow on the same vine and don't require other plants for pollination. My name is Lisa, and I’m on a mission to expand my plant knowledge. Place the bowl somewhere out of direct sunlight for 1-3 days. Many cucumber varieties (like the one I tried to save seed from) are parthenocarpic, which means that the female flowers with produce fruit without being fertilized by pollen from a male flower. Once you learn how easy it is to save and store cucumber seeds for next year's crop, you may decide to try saving other vegetable seeds. Basically used same procedure I used successfully with tomatoes. Saved seeds from hybrid plants are often sterile and of no value. To make sure the seeds are removed properly and are healthy enough to plant successfully, here are the steps you should take: The reason you’ll do this is to remove the gel coating that surrounds these types of seeds. Saving Cucumber Seeds Once you have chosen the plant let one of the cucumbers grow until it begins to turn yellow. Once the seeds are thoroughly dry, transfer them into a seed envelope/sleeve or a small glass jar. Store cucumber seeds in a cool, dark, and dry place in an airtight container to keep out moisture and humidity. I have read many versions of saving cuke seeds. It would be necessary to isolate the plant you wish to save seeds from by planting it well away from its cousins, which isn’t always practical for the average home gardener’s modest plot. Please help us improve. So it's the time of year where my mind really turns to making sure I have enough seed of everything. At one time, people saved nearly everything, and this included seeds from vegetables grown in their gardens. They will enlarge and turn yellow. In fact, these types of seeds are often sterile. These include serpent gourds, Armenian cukes, and West Indian gherkins. Once you save and replant one season, future seasons will be a lot easier to accommodate, making this activity something you can look forward to year after year. I attempted to save cucumber seeds last year. The good seeds will sink to the bottom of the jar or bowl. Because tomatoes and cucumbers have seeds that are coated with a gel, the first step is to remove it … You should select the best cucumbers for seed saving. If you're going to save cucumber seeds, you need to plant an open-pollinated (bred pure) variety. Cucumber seeds saved from a previous growing season are called heirloom seeds, and this is a very popular thing to do, even though some of the steps mentioned above are a little easier if you’re a commercial grower. Step 2 – Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Saving Cucumber Seeds (Fermenting!) If you're going to save seeds, you'll want only seeds from the original plant. Why? Fermenting the Seeds Cut your cuke in half lengthwise over a bowl and then scoop out the seeds. Most veggie seeds can be saved, and the people who saved their vegetable seeds at one time usually saved some from every growing season, which meant the following season had a head start every time and was guaranteed to grow well for the rest of the season. Of course, all of these things can be difficult for the casual home gardener to do, but it isn’t impossible if you get a little outside help. Skim the bad seeds and pulp from the surface and discard. Let them age an additional two weeks in cool dark place! I’ll share what I learn as I develop my green thumb. Seeds from hybrid plants are unreliable. How to Save Cucumber Seeds? You can use this same process to save seeds from tomatoes and cucumbers as well. The fermentation process of the seeds serves two purposes. They should stay on the … If you select too early, the plants may have not matured enough to produce good seed. Place the seed envelope sleeve or jar in the freezer for a couple of days to ensure any possible pests or disease that resisted the fermentation process are removed. There is also a good way to tell if the seeds are dry enough to store in a container. To soak up any moisture, place a silica gel packet in your glass jar and replace it every six months. The important thing to remember is to ferment them so the good seeds are at the bottom, dry them thoroughly, and place them in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Keep seeds out of sunlight. Don't wait until the end of the season when plants are at their lowest energy production. Remove the seeds from the freezer and store in a cool dry, dark place. When times were tough, people did this to save money, but it was also a way to make sure you had the chance to grow as many veggies as possible and keep your garden going for a very long time. Pour off the top 1/2 of the jar, losing the floating bad seed … This means that seed savers need to leave a few fruits to fully mature in the garden when they want to save seeds. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When stored under these conditions, cucumber seeds … The good seeds sink and the bad ones float (being full of air). Seeds from hybrid varieties produce a mixture of plant types, most of which are inferior to the parent. (If you haven’t read our primer on seeds, you may wish to review the article, “Start Saving Those Vegetable Seeds” first.) Happy planting! Sow Right Seeds - Cucumber Seed Collection for Planting - Armenian, Pickling, Lemon, Beit Alpha Variety Pack, Non-GMO Heirloom Seeds to Plant and Grow a Home Vegetable Garden, Great Gardening Gift. Some people store their seeds in a refrigerator. Why did they do this? As a general rule, you should keep the seeds in the freezer for two days, although an extra day or two won’t hurt them; ferment them in the water mixture for a minimum of three days, although you can leave them there for five days if you like; and dry them out for several days or even a few weeks. Slice your cucumber in half long ways, and scoop out the seeds. Some seeds are easier to save than others. Next season, plant your saved seeds one inch deep. During this process, the pulp and the bad seeds are going to rise to the top of the water, and the good seeds will sink to the bottom. A plant that is struggling or producing malformed cucumbers isn't a good candidate for seed harvesting. Immediately after storing them, place them in the freezer for two days to kill off anything that is harmful to them, such as pests. The cucumber will begin oxidizing as soon as it loses its skin, and this will turn it soggy. Hybrid cucumber seeds rarely produce tasty, healthy cukes. "The Seed Savers Handbook" Jeremy Cherfas, (Grover Books, 1996) is also good and also talks in more detail about the reasons that you might want to save your own seeds. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise to expose their seed. In order to save seeds from cucumbers, you must let them thoroughly ripen on the vine. Leave undisturbed for four days or longer if needed. Type above and press Enter to search. Their concern is whether cross-pollination will result in inedible fruit. The cucumber can be sliced, diced or grated, depending on the recipe specifications, after the seeds have been removed. These can be discarded. The first is to get rid of the gel sack so the seeds can dry out. Saving cucumber seeds ensures you have the same plant for next season. If you isolate your cucumbers at planting time, it makes saving the seeds later on a lot easier, so you should do this if at all possible. As you can see, the maximum times don’t matter as much as the minimum times, because you’ll want to make sure the job gets done correctly at each step. First of all, since cucumber seeds can carry and transmit certain diseases, you have to make certain the seeds have none of these diseases before you plant them in the ground. To remove the seeds, there has to be a method to your madness, so to speak. Just allow the cucumber to remain on the vine and fall to the ground. When purchasing heirloom plants or seeds, the description will state it is an heirloom. Hi! Below is a rundown of gathering, treating, and storing the most commonly-saved garden vegetable seeds. You want to allow the seeds to dry completely before storing. This means that to replant successful cucumbers, you have to make sure that the seeds are isolated because if they’re not, you could end up with some very interesting and not-so-great combinations once the veggies start to grow. Cucumber seeds take a little more effort. All Rights Reserved. Remove as many seeds as possible from as many cukes as you like, Place a tiny bit of warm water in a bucket, then place all of the seeds in there as well, Leave the seeds in there for a total of three days. Discard the flesh, which has become bitter. Let them get over-ripe, scoop out the seeds, and put in jar with water for a couple of days or so. Why wasn't this page useful? Store dry seeds in a cool garage that is frost-free. After the two days are up, you can place the concoction in the refrigerator, because it always needs to be in a cool, dry place. Slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. This is "saving cucumber seed" by Petra Page-Mann on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Step 1 – Harvest the overgrown cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Since its my first year saving these seeds I will test the unfermented seed to see how it compares with the cleaned seed. Place a tiny bit of warm water in a bucket, then place all of the seeds in there as well Allow it to turn yellow or orange and soft and then harvest the seeds the same way you would if left on the vine to mature. "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth. Be sure all seed is dried throughly before storing. The seed might not be pure, as there were pickling cukes in the same field, but I think its worth a try to save the seed. To replant the seeds so that more vegetables can grow. If you love cucumbers, you can definitely save and replant these, but not until you learn a few of the basics first. The second purpose is to kill any diseases or viruses the seeds might harbor. The bad seeds will float to the top of the water along with any pulp. Get it as soon as Mon, Dec 14. Once you've saved your own, you won't ever need to buy seeds. 25 Creative Ways of Remembering Loved Ones at Christmas, Pictures of Different Types of Palm Trees. The Practical Planter also participates in programs from ShareASale and other sites and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Label with the cucumber variety and date stored. You'll notice that the seeds are encased in a gel-like substance. Most of the time, the result is a lush plant that doesn't produce. Simply take one of the seeds out and bend it in half. Not all open-pollinated plants are heirlooms. Add a small amount of warm water, cover the bowl and let the seeds sit for three days. I picked a few overripe ones just for the purpose of saving the seed. You never know what you'll end up growing. If you have a lot of space--like a farm--plant one variety per half-mile. Cucumber seeds are relatively easy to save for planting next year. So, to make it easy on yourself, just stay away from seeds that belong to hybrid cucumbers. The Practical Planter is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Next, place the good seeds on a paper towel and leave them there until they are thoroughly dry, which may take one to two days. Spread the seeds out on a piece of paper towel or parchment paper. Heirloom seeds are handed down from one generation to another and must be open-pollinated to ensure the modern seed is nearly identical to the original parent plant. You should use it immediately, however. For seed-saving purposes, cucumbers must be left on the vines until they ripen, usually when they turn bright yellow or orange. Instead, look for the plant excelling in production and quality of cucumbers. 99. Harvest the cucumber from the vine. If you’ve decided to save your cucumber seeds so you can replant them at a later time, you can easily choose types that are known not to pollinate. If it snaps in half, it is dry enough to move onto the next step. First, it will kill any virus that is in the seeds, and second, it separates the good seeds from the bad seeds and the pulp, which you won’t want to keep. Lastly, seeds can transmit some diseases, so be sure that when cucumber seed saving, no disease has infected the crop that you are trying to harvest. Saving seeds from cucumbers uses a similiar technique to saving seeds from … The mixture will essentially ferment over the three-day period, which does two things. Set aside the best vines for … They are considered wet seeds. This gel sac needs to be fermented so it falls away from the seed. Saving Cucumber Seed: Here is Josie, aged 2, saving cucumber seed. Step 3 – Place the seeds in a bowl, or jar, and cover the seeds with water. It should release from the vine very easily. Scoop out the cucumber seed with a spoon and deposit the seed into a jar of water. It is best to ferment the seeds before drying to find the seeds which will germinate. Seeds for saving must be fully developed on the plant or vine. Keep the Seeds Dry Using a Silica Gel Packet or Raw Rice It's essential that the seeds remain dry while being stored. Ideally, you’ll plant just one of these varieties at a time, but if you do choose to plant more than one variety, make sure they are planted a minimum of one-half mile apart. Many varieties could be hybrids but may not be designated as such. Fortunately, the pollen source does not affect the current season’s fruit. For vertical vines, plant seeds one foot apart. Finally, you should always isolate the seeds you’re planning to save and plant. I know a lot of people have been asking me, When is it ripe? Allow the cucumber to turn yellow (some varieties turn orange) and the peel to become soft. Because cucumbers have to pollinate and, therefore, can cross-pollinate with other members of their family from time to time. Don't save seeds from vegetables or flowers labeled "hybrid." 4.5 out of 5 stars 86. Strain the good seeds through a mesh sieve and gently rinse them to ensure all the gel sac is gone. $10.99 $ 10. To remove this sack, place the seeds in a dish and cover with water. This spring, I used the last seeds of our favorite early tomato, open-pollinated Stupice, so I needed to collect and save a fresh supply of seeds. You want to select the healthiest cucumber plant for harvesting seeds. Leave the seeds soaking for three to four days. Seed saving is a HUGE subject, and the instructions for saving seeds from one species may differ from another. Saving cucumber seeds isn’t complicated; you just have to be aware of a few tips that make the task more successful. And if you harvest and save your own cucumber’s seed, be aware of the fruit’s parentage. Another video installment on saving seeds! Choose the cucumber that is the healthiest and let it remain on the vine long past the harvesting time. It's easy to save and store cucumber seeds for next year's garden and beyond. Commonly Saved Vegetable Seeds. You can store them in a drawer, cabinet, or plastic container. Let them turn yellow on the vine well past ripeness. This means you need to grow only one variety of cucumber so there's no danger of cross-pollination. My first step was to collect a few ripe fruits free of cracks or bug holes, which can serve as entry points for disease microorganisms. When you go to remove the seeds from your cucumbers, you need to remove them at the right time. Eggplant, cucumber, and summer squash fruit are eaten when the fruits are immature and still edible, but before the seeds are actually mature. If the fruit is yellow or orange, you’ll know it’s alright to start removing the seeds. Saving seeds from mature fruit in the middle of the season is your best bet for collecting high-quality seed. At this time, you can remove the good seeds and discard the bad seeds and the pulp. © 2006-2020 LoveToKnow, Corp., except where otherwise noted. Something else you need to look for is whether the original cukes were hybrids. The seeds are enclosed in a slippery jelly like sack to keep them from sprouting inside the moist fruit. This is what gives heirlooms their value. When the seeds are completely dry, you can store them away until you’re ready to use them. When properly saved and stored, cucumber seeds can last between five to ten years. Hybrids are made to produce a certain characteristic and little else, and as such, they never reproduce a true copy of the parent plant. Before saving cucumber seeds, you'll first need to make sure you are dealing with an open-pollinated or non-hybrid variety, otherwise known as an heirloom. This may take a few weeks depending on your climate. Wait too late, and you leave a better chance for the seed to cross with another variety. You can also keep seeds dry using rice kernels. The perfect time to pick a plant to eat … Therefore, it needs to be at the end of the growing season and past the eating stage before you harvest the seeds. However, seed saving requires a little planning if you want to make sure that your open-pollinated seeds remain pure, since zinnias can be cross-pollinated by insects from different varieties. It's really simple. The seeds will need to ferment to remove the outer coating on the seeds. If you pick a nice healthy ripe cucumber to eat but later decide you wish to save its seeds, set the cucumber in a cool dry place to continue ripening. Again, they can remain there for up to three years, so at this point you’ll have plenty of time to go outside and replant them. Saving Seed of Pumpkins, Squash, Cucumbers, Melons and Gourds New gardeners often ask whether it’s alright to plant cucumbers, squash, or gourds next to each other. If you search the internet for suggestions on how you can save and store cucumber seeds, you’ll likely get some different numbers when it comes to storage and drying times. Cucumbers are self-pollinating. (ISBN 1882424581) tells you simply and clearly what you need to do to save seed of any veg you care to mention using materials you have at home. This means removing the seeds from the cucumbers once they are fully mature. It’s best to place them either in an envelope or a clear jar, but make sure you write down the date because these seeds have to be replanted within three years of the date you dried and stored them. Press Esc to cancel. Once the fruit is done, melon and watermelon seeds simply need to be washed, dried and stored for next year. this time we are saving seeds from a cucumber! Cucumber Seed Saving and Planting Tips Cucumbers can self-seed. This precaution will ensure you harvest seeds from the parent plant only. If you save seeds from a hybrid variety and replant them, you likely won't get any cucumbers. You want to harvest the seeds from the over-ripened cucumber as soon as you pick it. Only disease-free cuke seeds will produce good results. Bad seeds and the pulp it needs to be washed, dried and stored, cucumber ensures. Seeds, there has to be aware of the growing season and past the harvesting.. 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