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South Hero, VT

Someone recently sent me seeds in a plastic bag that have turned moldy. Can they be saved?

Perhaps a quick tutorial on drying seeds should be posted(again).

11/18/2010 8:06:57 PM

Minnesota

Yes, the same thing happened to me. This year I had my seeds on a pizza pan, it has holes in it, with a stick on the edge for more ventilation, a fan on low on thea month straight, I mixed them up, tossed them around once a day, twice a day at the beggining. I learned my lesson before, I thought they were dry, I put them in a air tight mason jar I checked them a week later and most were moldy, dark.

11/18/2010 8:12:36 PM

Minnesota

(the stick I placed under the pizza pan)

11/18/2010 8:13:17 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Steve, the seeds may be saved yet. I don't use plastic for that very reason. Separate the seeds, very lightly try to sand the mold off with fine grit , and lay them out for more drying time. Mold can't live in dry conditions and if it's a mild case you should be fine.

11/18/2010 9:22:17 PM

South Hero, VT

Thanks, Andy. I don't want to seem ungrateful for free seeds. I just don't want 40 hour weeks in the patch to be wasted by hasty drying. You can be sure my seeds are going to dry for at least a couple more weeks after this experience.

11/18/2010 9:39:08 PM

Deer Park WA

Spritz with a light bleach and water solution and place in a warm (75-80) dry place. They will be fine. Lots of growers send out seeds that are not completly "cured" which often results in mold on the seed casing. We have successfully grown "moldy" seed with no ill effects.

Best of luck!

Gerald

11/18/2010 10:45:21 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Does the old story about...seeds are dry when the skin flies...hold any truth...(I almost said water)? Peace, Wayne
PS...if not, what is the correct way to tell if they are truly dry?

11/18/2010 10:46:30 PM

Las Cruces NM

Plastic doesn't breath, paper does!

11/18/2010 11:18:46 PM

West Chazy,N.Y.

Steve try to get some of those moisture packs to put in with them.
The packs will draw out the moisture.

11/19/2010 5:05:45 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I found a good, quick way to get seeds dried out. Once you rinse them off, put them in a bowl and keep them moist. Then sit down in front of a good movie or football game on TV and use your thumbnail to scrape off the soft membrane. You can get most of it off, but some will stick on the edges. I can do about 100 per hour, which makes for a good excuse to relax in the living room. Once they are all "skinned" put them on a cookie sheet with a fan blowing on them. Stir them around every few hours and in a day the rest of the dried membrane will come off. Another day in front of the fan will get them nice and dry.

11/19/2010 8:27:41 AM

Wilmington.Ma.

I put them betwen 2 screens and turn every few days.
Dry for 2 weeks at least.

11/19/2010 1:02:21 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

I put mine in on paper towels, spread out, in a small room in basement, with a dehumidifier running the entire time. Takes about a week and the outer skin sloughs off, then after about another 14 days, after the coat has fallen off I box up the seeds.

I find the dehumidifier is the trick.

11/19/2010 7:00:43 PM

Wa

Like I always do is go to any shoe store and pick up the silica packets that are always laying around or grab some out of the shoe boxes, the employees usually let you take them for free, I put them in canning jars with seeds, after they are dried and the skin starts to flake, I have never had a problem with mold or mildew.

11/26/2010 1:13:23 AM