Does anyone know the proper way......

[Pulsegleaner]

To prepare the seeds of a passionfruit for storage? Given the way the seeds seem to be positioned, I ASSUME you do it much like you do a tomato or a cucurbit (i.e. let the flesh ferment off, then wash it away and dry the seeds.) But having never done it, I could use a second opinion. Especially since, with the rather strict standards I used in selecting my starter fruits, I don't have all THAT much seed to play around with.

 

[flowerbug]

To prepare the seeds of a passionfruit for storage? Given the way the seeds seem to be positioned, I ASSUME you do it much like you do a tomato or a cucurbit (i.e. let the flesh ferment off, then wash it away and dry the seeds.) But having never done it, I could use a second opinion. Especially since, with the rather strict standards I used in selecting my starter fruits, I don't have all THAT much seed to play around with.

just seeing things that say separate the fruit from the seeds and then dry, store in a cool dark place. to plant soak for 1-2 days, put in starting soil down fairly shallow. keep evenly moist. indirect light. the older the seed the longer it will take to germinate. so it sounds like the freshest seeds may be the best to plant.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

just seeing things that say separate the fruit from the seeds and then dry, store in a cool dark place. to plant soak for 1-2 days, put in starting soil down fairly shallow. keep evenly moist. indirect light. the older the seed the longer it will take to germinate. so it sounds like the freshest seeds may be the best to plant.

So I basically got it right. Let the fruit separate then dry the seeds.

Obviously they'll have to wait until at least next year; it's far too late in the season to start them now. But they'll still be pretty fresh then.

There has been one interesting twist in this. One might wonder WHY I am trying to grow passionfruit vines, given that I have stated before that I don't like the taste of passionfruit. The answer is that, three years ago, I passed on a passionflower vine whose mostly white flowers I liked. I went back later, but it had already sold. At that time, my dad gave me basically an open offer that I could get the next one I liked no questions asked. The problem is that, since then, I haven't SEEN a white flowered passionflower vine like that. So, out of desperation, I decided I would try to GROW one. I happened to see two white passionfruit at the Korean grocery store and though they would be a good try (yes, I know that passionfruit come from a different kind of passionflower vine then the kind they sell in the nursery's, if it looks OK, I don't care.) since a pigment free fruit may come for a plant with pigment free flowers.

Now for the surprising part. When I was getting the seeds out yesterday, I licked my fingers afterward, and it looks like I may not hate passionfruit as much as I thought. The white ones were tolerable and the odd purple one I got at the same time (which I think may be a different species; they sell more than one species' fruit, right?) is actually marginally tasty. Not the greatest thing I've ever had (sort of like a nectarine) but perfectly acceptable.