How to Save Squash Seeds
Why buy squash seeds when it is easy to harvest them from your own garden? For the self-sufficient gardener, saving squash seeds is an easy task. Read on to find out how that can be accomplished. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Fully mature squash
- Strainer
- Paper towels
- Cookie sheets
- Envelopes
Instructions
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1
Harvest squash from your garden when they are fully mature (see tips for additional information).
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2
Chop the squash shell open.
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3
Remove the seeds.
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4
Clean seeds in a colander.
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5
Place paper towels on cookie sheets and spread seeds on them.
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6
Store in a cool, clean, dry place for at least a month until the seeds are cured or dried.
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7
After the seeds are dried, store them in envelopes until it is time to plant your garden.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Squash must be fully mature when harvesting for seed saving purposes. The squash must be left on the vine until the outer shell is hard, an additional three weeks after normal harvest time (which is why store-bought squash are not a good source of growing seeds).
Either grow only one squash variety in your garden or separate different varieties by a half mile or more to prevent cross-breeding. If cross-breeding occurs, the resultant hybrid plants may be sterile.
