Saving Zucchini seed

8 years ago

I have a zucchini that I am growing to save the seeds. It is huge. Can anyone help me to know when it is ready to pick? I heard that it needs to be tough so that a fingernail cannot dent the skin. Well, mine is getting that way, but I can still dent it. It has been HUGE for several weeks now.

Featured Answer

zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin

8 years ago

Sorry for the lateness of this response, I don't check this forum often.

For seed saving, the squash should be fully mature. In most cases, it will change to one of the "warm" colors (yellow, orange, red). Leave the squash on the plant as long as possible, until just before frost, until the plant dies, or until you see the first sign of decay. Storing healthy fruit indoors after harvest (for 2-3 weeks) will allow the seeds to mature further; they can fatten up considerably, which will increase their storage life.

All that being said... saving seed from zucchini is problematic. Much of the zucchini seed sold commercially is hybrid, and the plants grown from saved seed would likely be both different, and inferior in quality. Even if the original seed was not hybrid, it will likely contain crosses, unless the flower of the saved squash was hand pollinated. The species of squash to which zucchini belongs (C. pepo) contains nearly all summer squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, most pumpkins, and warted gourds. These are so commonly grown that it is probable that one of your neighbors grew at least one of them... and because squashes have such high-quality pollen, bees will fly up to a mile or more to feed on them.

One year, I saved seed from an acorn squash in my rural garden, with no other gardens visible within a half mile. When I grew the saved seed the next year, there were about 25% crosses... apparently with a pumpkin and a yellow zucchini.

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Comments (9)

colcol
8 years ago
I hope someone can answer. I'd like to know too.
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colcol
8 years ago
That's really good to know. Lots to consider! Thank you for answering.
peggyhamill
Original Author
8 years ago
Hello again friends, Just an update on my project. Since my plant produced no male flowers until the weather cooled in September, it was tricky to get a pollinated female. Seems the female flowers came one day and the males the next but I finally did get 2 squash pollinated. The first one, I used a day old male, the second one I finally got lucky and had a male and female bloom the same day. I protected the pollinated flowers with bags. I let the first one get huge, and then left it a while longer, before I picked it and let it sit inside for 3 weeks. When I opened it for the seeds, I was disappointed that the seeds did not seem to be fat enough to sprout. I saved the fattest ones, and will try them. But I still have my prize - the one with the male and the female bloom on the same day. It is in my protected greenhouse so even though we have had many frosts the plant is still alive. The zucchini is still maturing and I will leave it out. The skin is getting really tough. I will let you know later how this turns out. Thanks to all. Peggy
peggyhamill
Original Author
8 years ago
Well - here is the result. My "prize" zucchini was actually a little runt. The flower was small, and so was the fruit. I let it get really really ripe and the rind was hard. Then I let it sit for 2 weeks in the house. Alas, when I went to open it, no seeds ..

I did try to sprout some of the seeds from my other saved plant, but they did not sprout. I will try them all in the spring, and maybe, possibly one will sprout, and I can try again. Happy New Year to all. Peggy in Taos, NM
theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
8 years ago
As zeedman mentioned in a previous post, zucchini (well, all squash) need to be left on the vine until they are mature. Big, huge, baseball bat sized fruit does not equal mature. Zucchini need to turn a yellowy color and become very hard before being harvested and left inside to mature even further. Then you can cut it open and collect seeds. Next year if you plan to save seed from a zucchini you will need to leave the fruit on the vine for a much longer time.

Rodney
beth_b_kodiak
8 years ago
Peggy do you need some seed for next year? I was not trying for seed but missed one and after it turned to mush, I found some nice seed inside (before the birds got them all)
zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Beth, if you garden in an urban or suburban location - with other gardens nearby - that seed will likely produce some squashes very different from the parents. It could be fun to try if you have the space; but if you can't tolerate a portion of the crop being unpalatable, it would be better to start with fresh seed.
peggyhamill
Original Author
8 years ago
Hello Beth, No, I do not need zuchinni seed. I had hoped to have some seed from this particular plant because it had parthenocarpic tendencies. But oh well....