Once a year I'll collect seeds from each species of veggies that is in my mini-farm. Matured Brinjal ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Today as I sat down to pick the seeds from a brinjal that I left it to grow to maturity, I started thinking is there an easier way. With a toothpick! ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) At the moment, I pick the seeds out one by one with a toothpick and it is tedious. I only need about 10 seeds per year and I do not want to just put what I don't need into the compost pile. I like to get as much of the seed out as possible and give them away to whoever wants them. Is there a easier way?
Hi kk, Do you ever place the eggplant pulp in water and try to mash it up with your hand? The pulp and unviable seeds should float and then you could gently scoop out the floaty stuff, strain your seeds and ferment if needed or dry and save. which ever you do. I know that tomato seeds are supposed to be fermented and assume eggplant would too, but I have found that tomatoes seem to germinate just fine for me without the fermenting when I save my own seeds. Give it a try and see if it works better for you than the way you are trying. Carolyn
This method is messy, but easy--just let the eggplant ripen and start to rot. Cut it open and the seed cavity will be mushy, then use Carolyn's rinse and dry technique. I save Louisiana Long Green eggplant seed this way, and have never fermented the seed. Just don't do it where anyone who might want to eat eggplant in the future can see you harvesting the seed. It isn't a pretty sight!
Thanks Carolyn, I'll give it a try. Marlingardener I did tried the ripen and start to rot method and it is really yuckie!!Thanks anyway but I don't think I would want to try that way again
This is such a good post. After many years of gardening in new england, I think I can count on one finger the number of times I got eggplant that ripe. You might want to save seed of more than one fruit, to avoid inbreeding depression.
Besides I think I've seen you post on more than one forum. More seed equals more stuff to barter with.
Great. I glad you gave us an update and that it was so much easier for you. ':-D' Coppice, this year I planted my eggplants in a hightunnel. Hopefully this will extend the growing season and get a few more ripe ones. Last year I got only a few before the frost hit.
None of my elderly eggplant seed germinated this year. It-they were my only wintersown flop. No time, and maybe, no space for this year.
Hi coppice, Were they your own seeds or just a store bought seed? I bought some burpee's seed last year and I got only a few(3) out of the whole seed packet to germinate. I think they were the hardest seeds I had to germinate. I had better luck germinating Rosemary. I bought them again this year( because i forgot to order seeds from the catalog) And they germinated only a little better. Is there trick to it? The ones that did germinate look really good so far though.
KK, do you have poor or good germination on your eggplant seeds? Do you soak them, or just put them in the soil and water them in? are you saving the seeds for later in the year to start them or do you start them right away?
Carolyn, the germination is good, I just put them in soil and compost and water them in. I usually start them nearly right away and I plant them through out the year so that I'll have a constant supply. Next year I'll let a fruit mature and collect the seeds again.
Thanks KK, Maybe by the time the seeds are sent out they have dried to a much harder seed casing. I didn't have very good germination with the one packet that I bought. I bought the same ones last year and the germination rate was really poor. the other pack was better germination rate, but a different variety.
