Saving Cucumber Seeds

These North Carolina heirloom cucumbers from Seed Savers Exchange may look a little funny, but they are easy to grow and very tasty. I pick them when they turn yellow, rub them to remove the little spines, and then peel and eat. This is an heirloom cucumber. I can save the seeds to sow next year. To save the seeds, the cucumber must be botanically mature. That is, the fruit must be mature, and seeds must be fully developed. This is a more mature stage than when most people like to eat their cucumbers. Leave a few on the vine until they turn orange, become bloated, and pull off easily. Then cut open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Put seeds in a glass jar. Cover with water by several inches. Let sit at room temperature for a few days with no lid. It should ferment. Then remove the fermentation and clean the seeds by adding water and mixing and pouring a little off at a time. Rinse and repeat. Eventually the non-viable seeds will pour out and the viable seeds, which are heavier, will stay at the bottom. Do several times until water is clear.

Place seeds on paper coffee filters or cookie sheets to dry. If seeds snap when you bend them, they are dry enough. Store them in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Don’t forget to label and date because you will never remember. Here is a link to more seed saving methods.

The Seed Savers Exchange has a virtual seed saving class from September 29 through November 3, 2025. I took this six-week course last year and it was well worth it. Sessions are recorded and there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions. The curriculum follows along with the book, The Seed Garden, which I purchased because I knew I would use it as a resource for years to come. Registration is open now. If you are interested in saving seeds, this is a great introduction.