Quote:
Originally Posted by Grub
Interesting technique re the blender... my first thought was the seeds would get chopped but I see you've put such fears to rest.
I just split them lengthways, find the seed veins, and flick them out with my fingers or a spoon or screwdriver. Then I dry them.
This is my first year saving eggplant seeds and some are very fertile, but others aren't germinating at all. Mostly I've been successful, but I think there's room for improvement.
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I've tried just digging them out of the eggplant before, but that has not worked out too well for me. Must be your delicate touch, Grubs
, because I usually end up with a mess.
A few years ago, I read about using a blender to process tomatillo seeds and was skeptical; figured it would chop the seeds for sure. But when it worked, I thought I'd give it a go for eggplant too. You know how when you blend up strawberries to make a fruity drink and the seeds are still there in the mix? Like that, I think.
I do doubt this would work for vegetables with larger seeds, like cucumbers.
I germination tested my blender processed seeds this year, and ended up with 80% germination (over 10 days outside in my warm climate), which is fairly decent for eggplant, I think. Might have been a little more if I had waited two weeks.
I've also found I get much better germ results (in the spring) with both peppers and eggplant, if I just go ahead and use a heat mat.