I cut a couple of early pods and forgot them in a paper bag. Found them later with black mold on them. Now I'm getting ripe ones splitting, galore, seven or eight yesterday. Should I worry about the black mold? Should I pick off the still-fleshy outer parts and try to dry the rest in a low oven?
Datura pods black mold
I've never worked with Datura seeds, but you can dry most seeds by taking them out of the seed pod and putting the seed on a layer or two of paper towels for a few days. If you want to dry them in the oven, don't turn the oven on. Place the seeds on paper towels. Then place the paper towels on a baking sheet in the oven. Open the oven door wide enough to make the light come. Then heat from the light bulb in the oven will provide just enough warmth to dry the seed.
Sally if you are getting ripe ones now that are splitting, why not just toss the moldy ones? I'd be concerned about spreading the black mold when it comes time to germinate the seeds. JMHO.
Collect the ripe seeds by securing a bag or cheesecloth loosely over the pod while still on the plant. Or hold a bag under the pod so when you cut it off the plant it will drop in the bag collecting any loose seeds that may drop in the process, I dried mine on a plate in the open. It is just the pod that you need to dry and get rid of, the seed coat seems pretty hard to me.
Tanks for the tips. My pods seem pretty moist and fleshy--I guess I should knock or pick the seeds off the soft stuff and help them dry. I''ve been picking the pods off because I was afraid they'd get frostbit.
I am going to toss the old pods. I still have al these fresh ones going!
Anne, I am new at dats and collecting seeds, but the first ones I collected, I put the whole seed pod in a brown paper bag with the flesh and all, and of course i got mold. I learned my lesson, when they are ripe and open, take the flesh out of them and distribute the seds in the bag, no flesh, voila, nice dry seeds later, hope this helps, I am a newbie too!
I used to grow a lot of dats and loosely tied the foot of a nylon stocking around the pods, when they are ripe they explode, this way you catch all the seeds. Usually the pod is pretty dry by the time it explodes and you don't get the mushy stuff.
Paper bag- did that exactly!
My pods are splitting open very moist. I'm going to leave the next couple on the plant longer. Maybe round up some nylons t cover. Probably have some stretched out knee highs I can spare
The last few fresh pods- I picked the outer parts off then put therest in a container with some floral dessicant.
You can rinse moldy ones with H202 . Easiest way is to 1/2 cup of 3 % H202 in a gallon of water .
Then I put in a water bottle about 3/4 full , put in seeds , screw top on tight put on floor of car and go to nursery . Don't shake the seeds , you can bruise them . pour thru a strainer - cheapee plastic one . [ Use same strainer to sift dirt over seeds wren planting . ]
You then dry on plastic screen or napkins .
I do this with any seeds I plant - I don't want to take a chance of adding molds , funguses mites or whatever else may be hiding on seeds .
I dump the H202 water on wife's orchids .
Caution , the water can kill good and bad things in dirt . Same thing if you use it as a spray [ kills white flies and aphids , lady bugs , cats etc . ]
''go to nursery' tee hee, that's a great way to time something!
Thanks tony.