Saving Seeds from Heirloom Watermelons or Squashes

Collect seeds from standard or open-pollinated varieties only—not from store-bought fruit or F1 hybrids whose seeds may be impure or not breed true. To ensure maximum seed purity, grow melon or squash in isolation from other varieties with which they could cross-pollinate—or learn to hand pollinate. To ensure viable seed, it is important to allow the fruit to mature on the vine. If, after harvest, pumpkins and squashes are left to sit for a month or so, the seeds will mature even further.

What You Need:

* Knife

* Paper plates

* Paper envelopes

* Colander

* Glass or metal storage container with airtight seal

* Harvest the seeds:

* Cut fruit open.

* Pull the seeds away from the flesh and put them in a colander. With watermelon it's perfectly OK to eat the fruit and spit the seeds out into a container.

* Wash the seeds under a stream of cool water and remove any fibers.

* Throw away any broken, immature, or deformed seeds.

Dry the seeds:

* Blot the bottom of the colander on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

* Place seeds on a paper plate. The plate will absorb extra moisture and aid in the drying process. Label the plate with the name of the variety.

* Let seeds sit for two or three weeks at room temperature in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. Under no circumstances dry them in the oven—unless you plan to eat them.

Do the brittle test:

When the seeds break rather than bend they are dry enough to go into long-term storage.

Store harvested seeds:

* The enemies of seeds in storage are heat and humidity. If you want to store seeds for a long period of time, they must be very well dried and kept in a cool, dry, dark place. But don’t forget about them: Grow seeds out from time to time and then replenish your seed stock.

Recommended readings:

Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carol Deppe, Chelsea Green Publishing (2000)

The New Seed Starters Handbook by Nancy Bubel, Rodale Press (1988)

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth, Chelsea Green Publishing (2002)