Saving Cucumber Seeds

Have you ever overlooked a cucumber growing in your garden only to find it when it turns yellow and is way past the point of eating?  I hate to waste any produce.  Don't throw it away!  If it is an open pollinated, heirloom cucumber, save the seeds.  Here's what you do:



Over-ripe cuke

Leave it on the plant to continue to grow until you see the vine that is attached to it turn brown and wither.



Hard to miss this yellow fellow

After a few weeks, the cucumber is ready to harvest for seeds.  It is kind of soft, just cut the stem.

Ready to pick for saving seeds

Cut it in two pieces with a sharp knife and this will expose the seeds.

Use a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds onto a plate.


Scooped out cuke seeds

Add some water to a glass and dump the seed mixture into the water.

Cucumber seeds in water

Sit the glasses of water with cucumber seeds on a window sill for 3 or 4 days.  The reason there are two glasses is that I had another cucumber as well that I was saving seeds from. 


Setting out to ferment for a few days

When you've got a smelly, fermented solution growing on top of the water, you know it is ready to drain.  Fermentation helps to kill viruses or disease organisms on the seed.


A nice layer of mold and scum

Pour the mixture into a sieve and shake.  Separate the pulp and fleshy parts from the seeds. 

Running the seeds through a sieve

Now place the seeds on a paper towel for a couple of days to completely dry out.


Seeds are drying

After a couple days, remove the seeds from the paper towel.


Seeds are dry!

At this point they are ready to be stored.  I store mine in old vitamin bottles that are not transparent and have a good seal to keep out moisture.  I also label the bottle so I know what's in it as some seeds are very similar. 

Label on a seed storage container

I'll store this with my other seeds and this will save me from having to buy seeds next Spring.  I can simply dig in my seed bank for seeds.  Hopefully the germination will be good.  We'll know in 8 months or so...