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I think the seeds would appreciate post harvest maturing off the plant. If the plant has been full size for some time, it isn't as necessary to keep it on the plant anymore. For whatever reason post harvest maturing is a good thing according to what I have read, especially if the fruit is further matured in sunshine. Not sure whether the plant sends a signal to seeds that it is now no longer on the plant, for seeds to mature that doesn't happen while on the plant. I hope you can get the definitive answer JanG. For what it is worth I have always been told to let seeds mature after harvest, in other words off the plant. This is the sort of thing that Ben from Real Seeds could probably better advise on.
I have a courgette which I hand pollinated and would like to contribute seeds of. It fruited quite early in the season, perhaps by the end of May or early June. It has been of a large marrow size ever since then and pale yellow in colour but, as it was pale to start with, the change in colour isn't at all dramatic. I picked it about 10 days ago.I'm not sure of the best way to treat it. Should I leave it to mature a bit longer off the vine? This excellent seed-saving series of videos - https://www.diyseeds.org/en/films/ - recommends a month. If I do that, the seed will still have more than a month to dry out before the end of November which hopefully will be enough. Any advice from anyone who has more experience of saving courgette seed? I'd really hate to open it up before it's mature and viable after having watched it sit there for several months.
Ooh flowers , brilliant. As I type I am mesmerised by a couple of dahlias ( think I have read tubers edible) and had intended to add seed if I can save , they may not come true but anything near would do. They really are the last hurrah of summer. I’ll be back with names.
Quote from: JanG on October 04, 2022, 10:15:27I think galina is right JanG. When I saved courgette seeds a few years back I kept the massive courgettes in my kitchen for a few weeks to cure before cutting open and then washing & drying the seed. I think this was after a reply to my 'help!' email to RealSeeds... My abiding memory is that the courgettes were so overripe that they absolutely stank!Thanks for the confirmation, sparrow. I’ve certainly experienced cucumbers quite quickly becoming yellow and squidgy when saving for seed. So far my courgette is stubbornly firm (and odourless) but I’m still hoping for viability. We’ll see.
I think galina is right JanG. When I saved courgette seeds a few years back I kept the massive courgettes in my kitchen for a few weeks to cure before cutting open and then washing & drying the seed. I think this was after a reply to my 'help!' email to RealSeeds... My abiding memory is that the courgettes were so overripe that they absolutely stank!