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Louth , Ireland

I failed to save my fruit last year and I'm determined to dry them this year, how do i go about it?

11/26/2008 5:52:36 PM

Ohio

Keep them in a cool dry area, give them a sponge bath with 10 percent clorox (clorine) once a week or so. This keeps them from rotting when they go thought the drying process.

11/26/2008 7:10:02 PM

Flowery Branch, Georgia

Hi Paddy:

Good to hear from you.

I dry my seeds just like I do pumpkins seeds.
Wash them and put in a sunny spot on paper towels for a couple of weeks.

There are many different ways and most of them work.
I find the bleach solution interesting.

I hope you hear from other growers on how they dry their seeds.

Happy Holidays:
Bob Attaway

11/27/2008 10:29:36 AM

Ohio

I thought he was wanting to dry the fruit out, when he saidhe was trying to save the fruit... not the seeds. Yes, Bob is right, by all means if you are drying just the seeds just wash them and lay them out. I put them on a screen for a couple of weeks in a cool dry place. If you are drying out the gourd itself to keep to display the clorox sponge bath keeps the skin from getting to nasty from the mold that will form on the exterior.

11/27/2008 12:37:43 PM

Louth , Ireland

Thanks Venari and Bob
Yes I'm saving the gourds for display... hopefully!

One is good except a patch near the top around the "stump" has turned brown.

Another is very solid but has quite a lot mutli-coloured mould all over it. Both are drying in a greenhouse at present.

11/28/2008 1:31:08 PM

Ohio

It takes a good 6 or more months for the fruit to completly dry out. They become very light. I turned a couple into rain sticks. A couple of firm wacks on the end of the gourd will losen the seeds. You can even sand them down a bit to clean them up after they are completly dried out. Or paint them. Carve designs into them. Makes some interesting art projects sometimes.

11/28/2008 2:14:33 PM

Louth , Ireland

Hmmm sounds good !
Do I have to wait until the gourd is dry before removing any seed say if i want to diplay it (not for a rain stick).

11/29/2008 4:47:01 AM

Ohio

For me personally, after I have picked the gourd I will let it cure for about 2 months before I remove the seeds. If you want to remove the seed after the fruit is completely rock hard dry you may have to use some type of small bladed tool. Maybe a dremmel with a cutting attachment on it to get to the seeds so you dont mess up the outer shell to much. When these things are totally dry the skin or shell is like very hard thin wood. I dont see why this would effect the viability of the seed.

11/29/2008 11:56:03 AM

Ohio

One more thing the fruits that I remove the seed from when they have cured for two months or so I do not keep they will get pretty nasty fast after air gets into them. So if you really want to keep the fruit for display you need to let them completly dry out 6 to 8 months before attempting to remove any seeds.

11/29/2008 12:31:14 PM