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I have become entrhalled with collecting seeds from my garden this year.
When my son carved his pumpking recently and my wife had me clean a cooking pumpkin, i just had to have the seeds from both pumpkins. I decided to clean the orange residue off the seeds by putting them in a bowl of water and then pulling out the orange strands (pumpkin guts) and eventually straining it all in a coffee grounds strainer.
Question: Did I inadvertently add moisture to the seeds? DId the seeds absord some of the water? HOw long do I have to wait for them to dry before I can put them in a seed container; ie. an old medicine bottle, with a air tight cover? Do I run the risk of any mold developing if I don't wait long enough for them to dry thoroughly? Yet I don't want them to totally dehydrate either I imagine.
Iris,
Think of the pumpkin seeds that end up loose on the ground. It goes through a winter of rain/ snow/and maybe other weather conditions, but it returns with vigor the next growing season with no help from anybody. They are pretty resilient.
It depends, I think, on how long they soaked in the water,,,too much and the skin covering the seed might split, and that would be a problem. If you just rinsed them off, then they probably will be OK, particularly since they have been imbedded inside the moist pumpkin.
I think I would put them on a layer of paper towels, and just let them dry in a cool dry place, a garage, attic, top of the fridge, then later when you think about it, check to see if the paper towel is bone dry, maybe a month or so, then store them.
You've got the right idea, though...when I don't know a definite answer, I usually search the net till I find it, or just do what I said above, think of what happens when seeds are exposed to the elements for a winter, and whether or not they end as in a new seedling.
Good luck with your pumpkin patch next year, let me know how it grows!
Sharon
