Store Bought Melon & Tomatoes Germinated YIPPEEEEE

[englishladyMember]

 

Scavenged the melon pips from a pricey canteloupe melon — so blooming expensive here  — and put the pips in sun to germinate, and they have run away in leaps and bounds.

Now transferred 6 of the strongest looking to the mini greenhouse setup for the windowsill (prior to moving to a place with a conservatory and a polytunnel).  I have lots over  –  they are still germinating.  If anyone wants some of the dry seeds or of the germinated seedlings let me know, happy to share.

Did the same thing with some extra tasty tomatoes sold on the vine, and they too are starting to germinate on the windowsill in their moist kitchen paper ziplock environment.   I also have poppies, apples, honeydew melon, giant strawberries, pineapple strawberries and about 4 more whose name eludes me now.

Very exciting !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Julie

 

[englishladyMember]

Just wanted to update this post, the canteloupe melon seeds grew very fast and very strong.  There is an interesting page on the RHS site which says they are one of the best melons to grow here, so fingers crossed.

The tomatoes too have just been transplanted to larger trays and are thriving.  So are wild garlic seeds, spinach beet,salsify and peppermint.

Having read up about this, I understand now that if any of the scavenged pips come from F1 cultivars, then they are unlikely to grow true or even to germinate.  So I guess I was lucky with that !

It is certainly a very inexpensive way to get seeds from those veggies and fruits you enjoy and the price is right – FREE

Julie

[charlesModerator]

Just to straighten things out here Julie, F1 seeds usually germinate well but that does not mean you get the right plant… probably you will have a good old mixture of unusual plants with no fruit like the parent. I tried it once with Sungold tomato, it was a waste of time and precious space. Or, perhaps, your melon was not a hybrid. No way of knowing until it fruits. The cost of seed is small compared with potential losses from cost of compost etc.

[englishladyMember]

Done so much reading I must have gotten the wrong end of the stick.  Thank you for straightening me out.  Now I am not sure whether to throw the whole lot out and start again, to be sure.

Of course you are right, the cost of seed is little by comparison.  Thank you for putting me right.

Best wishes

Julie

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