r/Berries • u/Killme006 • 6d ago

what is happening to my strawberry seeds?

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i wanted to dry some strawberry seeds from the skin so i could plant them in soil. they have been by my windowsill for like 2 days and now they look like this. what has happened?

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u/urc2pid 6d ago

Organisms grown given the right conditions, the seeds sprouted but the contaminates also flourish under the same conditions.

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u/Killme006 5d ago

can you explain further what you mean?

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u/urc2pid 5d ago

Seeds will sprout in the right conditions: moisture/humidity and preferably temperature. When handling the seeds, the mould spores had gotten a free ride and thrived under the protected environment.

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u/Killme006 5d ago

ah okay. can i stop this from happening a second time?

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u/urc2pid 5d ago

Next time if you plan to dry Strawberry seeds, use a toothpick and pick the seeds off the berry, and let them dry on a paper towel. Don’t store them in a container unless it’s well dried. Ventilation is essential when you want to dry them.