Drying egg plant seed pods.

I need to dry some seed pods and I do not know how other than hanging in a dark dry place. Is it possible to put them in the microwave? They are the egg plant seeds and full of moisture. I cut them in half and they just sat and got moldy. I am at a loss. The plants I pulled with the balance of the eggs on are hanging upside down in the dark, dry barn. Nothing happening to them yet. I do not have a dehydrator or I would try that. I am going wild because there are so many seeds and they are just not drying. I have removed them from the pods and laid them out on a paper towel. They seem to be doing o.k so far. These plants are making me crazy. They better be worth it. So many of us are depending on these seeds.

LOL! Poor JB!

You got that right Sheryl. And getting poorer.

Oh dear, that's not right!

JB, it's the humidity. This time of year there is so much moisture in the air. Do you have a lot to dry? Sounds like it. When I was drying seeds this fall I put each kind of seed on a paper plate, wrote on the plate what they were and then just stacked them up, kind of off center of the one underneath so there was air in there, then I had a stack of them and put them on a shelf above my computer. 'course I have my computer in a kind of cupboard and it is warm in there. Can you put them above your hot water tank, or some other warm place? Above your refrigertor, cupboards are kind of cold beng they are on the outside wall, maybe a closet in a warm area of the house?

My bathroom is the warmest room in the house. Maybe you are talking about way more seeds then all of these suggestions wouldn't work for. If you do that many, maybe it would pay to invest in a dehydrator. If it is for your business it would be a write off. I just bought one and so far it is nice. I am just trying it on apples, pineapples etc. Unfortunately I got it past the season for most things.

Jeanette

Thanks for the suggestions Jnette. I had them in the warm for weeks and that is when they got moldy and stinky. Now they are in a dark, dry but cold barn. They are starting to shrivvel up and get dry. At last. I will keep your method in mind for some other pods I have...not egg plant though. I just got rid of my dehydrater because I did not like the way it worked. I used to dry fruit. I would love to buy a really good one.

I learned how to remove the seeds from the pods in water and the bad seeds float and thegood ones sink. It is really easy when you do it the way you are supposed to. LOL

I am hoping they will be dry enough to send them to those of you who have requested some just after the first of the year.

Keep your fingers crossed.

I have never worked with egg plant seeds JB. Guess you have to learn some way.

Keep notes!!! Jeanette

Fabulous!!!!

JB I have tried different dehydrators and gave up on them. So, this last fall I bought an Excaliber one and really like it. It has a heater, fan, and timer. Square with 9 trays. It was expensive. I got it on the classifieds. But they do run around $250. Someone had a coop last year on them.. But, I don't know what they got them for.

Jeanette

Jen, I had a dehydrator in fact I still do, and I find I do not have the space for it here in my new home. I used it only a few times at my other home and was afraid of the way it heated, etc. I get scared at those kind of things especially if I am not near it.

The seeds look great and they are drying fine. I am hoping they germinate. I also want to get them in the mail right after the first so they can be planted. These plants are to be blooming for Easter That will never happen here. I can not put mine outside until April or May and therefore, Easter Egg Plants will be late this year. LOL

Are you growing anything special this year?