Re: [gardeners] This and that
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 05 Sep 1998 19:14:49
At 02:36 PM 9/5/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>
>>The cucuzzi is starting to die back and now I'm in a dilemma. Have one
>>large cucuzzi I have saved for seed. About 4 inches in diameter by 3 feet
>>long. I know you wait until the gourd stem drys and then cut and hang for
>>up to one year to cure but - how long do you let them dry for seed use
>>only? I'm not interested in making anything out of the gourd, just want the
>>mature seeds. Any hints?
>>
>>George
>>
>George, Suzanne Ashworth ("Seed to Seed") says you should harvest when the
>stem turns from green to brown or yellow, and if you're not going to use
>the hard shell for a craft project, you can harvest seeds from a
>not-completely-dry gourd. Separate seeds from the pulp and air dry. The
>pulp can be very irritating, especially if you have small cuts on your
>hands. Dry pulp can irritate the nose and respiratory tract. Seeds that
>snap in half when bent are dry enough for storage. If they just bend,
>they're not dry enough. Margaret
>
I'm going to have to get that book since I'm now saving seed on a routine
basis. Seems as though home grown seed does better after a few seasons than
does store bought. May just be my impression though. Thanks for the info
Margaret, got it printed out and hung on the gardening calendar.
George