save courgette seeds?
- Zech
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save courgette seeds?
I'm aware that it involves elastic bands and hand fertilizing flowers, but what I want to ask is, what effect does it have on the rest of the courgettes? My plants have just started fruiting and they're very nice - I'd like to save seeds from them. If I do it straight away - or as soon as I've figured out which are the male and which are the female flowers - and leave that courgette to grow big and seedy, will the plant stop bothering with more fruit? Should I wait until later in the season to select my flower for saving seeds from?
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Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Re: save courgette seeds?
I haven't the foggiest. I'm watching this one with interest.
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: save courgette seeds?
If you only have the one courgette variety and no squash plants, then it's a case of either leaving nature to do it's thing, or hand pollinate to be sure, to be sure (to be doubly sure as they say in Ireland). Surely I don't have to tell you how to identify male and female flowers ? (Hint, male flowers DON'T have a miniature courgette behind the flower.)
Then wait for the courgette to turn into a marrow and then go yellow (probably) and then wait for it to start to rot, about December.
That takes quite a time so do it sooner rather than later.
Yield will probably stay the same if you only allow one to grow as the plants aim in life is to produce as many seeds as possible.
You will end up with several hundred seeds, so I hope you like courgettes.
Then wait for the courgette to turn into a marrow and then go yellow (probably) and then wait for it to start to rot, about December.
That takes quite a time so do it sooner rather than later.
Yield will probably stay the same if you only allow one to grow as the plants aim in life is to produce as many seeds as possible.
You will end up with several hundred seeds, so I hope you like courgettes.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
- Zech
- Site Admin
- Posts: 857
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:05 pm
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Re: save courgette seeds?
I also have two varieties of squash and a cucumber in the greenhouse. I don't know what my neighbours have.Odsox wrote:If you only have the one courgette variety and no squash plants, then it's a case of either leaving nature to do it's thing, or hand pollinate to be sure, to be sure (to be doubly sure as they say in Ireland).
Oh, of course! I was being a bit dim. I thought I had to examine the flowers themselves.Surely I don't have to tell you how to identify male and female flowers ? (Hint, male flowers DON'T have a miniature courgette behind the flower.)
Thanks, that's what I wanted to knowThen wait for the courgette to turn into a marrow and then go yellow (probably) and then wait for it to start to rot, about December.
That takes quite a time so do it sooner rather than later.
Yield will probably stay the same if you only allow one to grow as the plants aim in life is to produce as many seeds as possible.
Probably not that much I wonder if the seeds are good to eat, like squash seeds.You will end up with several hundred seeds, so I hope you like courgettes.
It was peas that made me think it might be worth waiting. I believe you have to keep picking them to encourage the plant to go on producing more... or have I got that wrong?
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Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Re: save courgette seeds?
If you have 2 courgette varieties then obviously stop bees from pollinating willy nilly.
I think it might be sweet peas you're thinking of, those have to be regularly picked or they will stop flowering.
I don't think peas stop producing, but then I never leave my peas to get old. My saved pea seed is from the ones that I missed, and I must be useless as a pea picker cos there's always enough left for seed.Zech wrote:It was peas that made me think it might be worth waiting. I believe you have to keep picking them to encourage the plant to go on producing more... or have I got that wrong?
I think it might be sweet peas you're thinking of, those have to be regularly picked or they will stop flowering.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
- Zech
- Site Admin
- Posts: 857
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:05 pm
- latitude: 52.36
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Re: save courgette seeds?
Yes, that's what the elastic band's for.Odsox wrote:If you have 2 courgette varieties then obviously stop bees from pollinating willy nilly.
Ah, that was it! I just assumed it applied to eating peas (and possibly also courgettes), too.I think it might be sweet peas you're thinking of, those have to be regularly picked or they will stop flowering.
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Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Re: save courgette seeds?
I just made this video for a seed bank I founded. You may find the technique useful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdCVC52 ... load_owner
- Zech
- Site Admin
- Posts: 857
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:05 pm
- latitude: 52.36
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Re: save courgette seeds?
Thanks for that! I'd read about it, but it's nice to see a video of how it's done. Out of interest, why cut a hole in the flower rather than pulling it open? Is it really difficult to do that without tearing it?
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Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Re: save courgette seeds?
I have to say that's a lot of buggering about.
All I do is pick a male flower, pull the petals off and poke it into the female flower, then put a stone on the ends of the female flower to stop it opening. It's quicker than it takes to read this.
Plus I don't think masking tape would stay stuck on a wet flower petal.
I hand pollinate all my squash flowers as the plants are growing in my mesh doored polytunnel, and if I had to faff about like that every morning I don't think I'd grow them.
All I do is pick a male flower, pull the petals off and poke it into the female flower, then put a stone on the ends of the female flower to stop it opening. It's quicker than it takes to read this.
Plus I don't think masking tape would stay stuck on a wet flower petal.
I hand pollinate all my squash flowers as the plants are growing in my mesh doored polytunnel, and if I had to faff about like that every morning I don't think I'd grow them.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.