how do i save seeds from a cucumber in order to plant them next year?

Question

my sister gave me some cucumbers from her garden and now i would like to save the seeds and grow them, is there any special procedure?? or something i need to do to them to help ensure growth?

Answer 1

sorry but if you received cucumbers that are good to eat the seeds are unripe, useless. Either ask for a ripe cucumber or buy a seed packet. I recomment the packet as genetics will tell you that children are the not same as parents, even for cucumbers (others have already posted this here)

Like you cannot eat your cake and have it you cannot eat your cucumber and save the seeds. Ripe cucumber tastes bitter.

EDIT: somebody sugested fermentation of the pulp, this is nt neseccary unless you want a heap of seeds, just rub the seeds to remove the slime and let dry (i use some useless little cloth that i discard afterwards)

Answer 2

From:
http://www.life.ca/nl/43/seeds.html

"Different varieties of cucumbers will cross with each other. However, Armenian cucumbers, West Indian gherkins and serpent gourds belong to other families and will not cross. Separate varieties by one half mile or else just grow one variety. Otherwise hand pollination is necessary. Space does not allow a description of this, perhaps in another article.

To save cucumber seeds, the fruits must be allowed to mature far past the stage they're usually eaten – until they're ripe and have turned orange or yellow. Remove the seeds and let them ferment in a pail for three days the same as tomato seeds to remove the gel around them. Then they can be cleaned by repeatedly filling the pail with water and pouring off the top layer. The good seeds will remain on the bottom while the debris will float and can be poured off. Dry the seeds thoroughly before storing.

The rest of the cucurbits are easier to do as the seeds don't have the gel coating and don't need fermenting."

Answer 3

Leave the cucumber on the vine until the vine dies. If this isn't until first frost, then be sure to take it from the vine when first frost occurs. When removed, let it dry out in a warm dry place until next season. Then break it open and plant the seeds that are inside.

Answer 4

Cut the cucumber in half, take a spoon and spoon out the center along with the seeds. Put in a container and let dry, once dry cover.

Answer 5

You are better off buying seeds. If you want to save seeds scrape them off and let them dry then put them in a paper bag in a cool dry place until next spring.
The problem is many vegetables are hybrids and their offspring may not be anything like the fruit it came from.