Mold growing on replanting seeds.

[Mason Farina]

Hello, This is my first post here, and my first real garden. I have been attempting to harvest seeds from my crops for re-seeding next year, but each try white mold grows on the seeds. I thoroughly dry them(Or at least I think I do) and place them in a plastic container with a lid. Any help preventing this, and better storing options would be appreciated.

 

[Owdboggy]

The plastic container is the problem. Seeds are best saved in paper envelopes so that any residual moisture is absorbed by the paper. The atmosphere in a plastic container will be too damp for them.

 

[Mason Farina]

Thanks for the reply, I went looking on Amazon for seed packets. Would you be able to comment on these? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019YE7PBY/ref=crt_ewc_img_gw_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1KHBZO1OJF9CV

 

[Beverly]

Welcome to the forums @Mason Farina. When i am harvesting seeds, i usually wrap them very loosely in a paper napkins so they are exposed to air, but only limited light. I leave them for 3 - 5 days in the napkin, depending on heat, what size the seeds are, if they were already very dry when harvested, etc. When the seeds are good and dry, i transfer them to opaque small plastic containers where they are not exposed to light, air, or moisture. I have planted some of these seeds as long as two years later and they germinated very nicely and i've never had a problem with moldy seeds. This way the plastic containers keep the moisture out (i live in a tropical climate), but without drying the seeds well first, the plastic containers work to keep the moisture in.

 

[Mason Farina]

Welcome to the forums @Mason Farina. When i am harvesting seeds, i usually wrap them very loosely in a paper napkins so they are exposed to air, but only limited light. I leave them for 3 - 5 days in the napkin, depending on heat, what size the seeds are, if they were already very dry when harvested, etc. When the seeds are good and dry, i transfer them to opaque small plastic containers where they are not exposed to light, air, or moisture. I have planted some of these seeds as long as two years later and they germinated very nicely and i've never had a problem with moldy seeds. This way the plastic containers keep the moisture out (i live in a tropical climate), but without drying the seeds well first, the plastic containers work to keep the moisture in.

Thank you for the info! This is my first garden, and im still learning quite a bit

 

[Owdboggy]

Those envelopes are exactly what I use.

 

[Beverly]

You are very welcome, Mason. I have had a tropical garden for 10 years and i am still learning quite a bit too That's the thing about gardening; the learning is never ending.

 

[Owdboggy]

Once the seeds are safely packaged in those paper envelopes (and carefully named) I store them in a plastic box in the salad compartment of the fridge until they need sowing. (Not the freezer section, they only need to be cold not frozen).