Saving Seeds...

COSTMARY

Today, I spent most of my morning time working in my makeshift "Harvest Room," as well as in the Herb Garden. (Note: the "Harvest Room" is actually an enclosed porch on the front side of the house, and is only temporary until my husband builds my permanent harvest room on another section of the property.) I worked a bit on Chives, Parsnips, and Yellow Dock, but mainly I focused on the dry Costmary flower heads. Certain types of herbs fascinate me as far as the way that they go to seed: Costmary, Calendula, and Chamomile are some of them.

The Costmary flower heads are tiny, as you can see.

I work with a seed screen, and, using my fingernail, gently work the seeds free from the flower head.

I let them fall onto the screen, and then gently tap/shake the screen over a plastic plate.

The seeds fall through, leaving the flower petals remaining on the screen.

This is what the "empty" flower heads look like...

Costmary is a wonderful herb if you are into experimental homebrews. It was used to add a spicy flavoring to beers, thus its other name "Alecost." Costmary has a wonderful scent that it retains after drying, and so was also used in strewing and in sachets. The leaves were sometimes eaten in salads, or used as a spice. Medicinally, the plant is considered useful in treating complaints of the stomach.

Liquid Sunshine

High winds and heavy rains have forced me to call a halt to outdoor gardening projects today. This weather is also going to make the daily chore of gathering and chopping firewood a real pain! However, being house-bound means that I can get some of my other projects done. For example, I can get another batch of Cherry-Fennel Granola baking in the oven, and begin collecting and fermenting some more of my cucumber seeds. Saving cucumber seeds is an interesting process: you leave the cukes on the vine until they turn completely yellow and mushy (or, if this isn't an option, you can pick them and leave them in your cellar until the same results occur). Then, you split the mushy cucumber in half, and scoop the seeds out (using a spoon) into a cup or bowl, getting some of the gel & juice in there too (enough to cover the seeds). I generally place a paper towel over the container to keep insects out, and then leave it in a warm place for 2-3 days to allow the fermentation process to take place. Fermenting the seeds (just like you do with tomato seeds) helps break down the germination-inhibiting compounds that are present. Stir the mixture daily. I'll warn you: it's going to smell, and if you see a whitish mold developing, that's ok. Once the fermentation process is finished, pour water into the container, wait a moment for the viable seeds to settle to the bottom, and then slowly pour the water off. With the water will come the gel and other bits of non-seed material, as well as those seeds which are not viable. The good seeds will stay at the bottom of the container - do not pour them out! Keep filling the container with water and pouring it out until all the debris has been poured out and the water is running clear. Then, spread the remaining seeds on a screen somewhere warm but out of the sun and allow them to dry for a few days. Viola! You now have cucumber seeds for next year's planting!