Many gardeners with mistrust treat the seeds sold in shops and in the markets, preferring to collect seeds of cultures which are grown up on own site. If you want to collect seeds from squash, it is worth knowing several basic rules which will help you to collect qualitative seeds and in the future to receive from them good harvest.
Instruction
1. The squash is perekrestnoopylyaemy culture therefore to receive squash seeds, you have to put number of plant of the same grade. Otherwise, the result can be unexpected. For example, instead of the expected striped squash, the most ordinary will grow from the received seeds. Seeds of squash can be received also as a result of artificial crossing.
2. The vegetation period at squash lasts about 100-115 days. After ovaries are formed, there have to pass not less than 60 days that it was possible to leave squash on seeds.
3. To accelerate maturing of squash which you are going to leave for receiving seeds you prishchipnit the main stalk at stage of budding of plant. It will allow to receive larger fruits for receiving seeds. Reduce twice the number of fertilizing for those plants which you leave on seeds. Leave for collecting seeds on 1-2 squash on one plant. Choose the healthy, beautiful vegetables having the form and coloring, typical for grade.
4. To check maturity of squash and its readiness for dredging of seeds, press on vegetable thin skin nail. If the thin skin is not pressed through, then it is possible to start collecting squash.
5. Remove squash for dredging of seeds from dry plants. Before taking out seeds, squash need to be put on ripening in the aired room for 10-15 days. After that squash cut and take out seeds. Semyon, brought together from immature squash, have low viability therefore it is not necessary to hurry with collecting seeds.
6. Seeds should be dried carefully before removing on storage, otherwise they will decay. Spread out seeds to the sheet of paper and leave before full drying. When seeds finally dry up, accurately separate them from the sheet of paper and remove in linen sacks on storage, having specified year of collecting on sacks. If you have decided to store seeds in paper bags, then puncture each package with needle in several places. It will allow to improve air exchange.
7. Do not wash out seeds in the iron neozinced ware as it will lead to darkening of seeds and will worsen their quality. Also you should not ferment collected seeds of squash as it can be done with seeds of tomatoes. Correctly collected and processed seeds of squash keep viability up to 7 years.
8. Squash are well stored, and many gardeners advise to collect seeds from squash in the winter when vegetables have finally ripened in the conditions of room storage.