>> Now if I can learn a more efficient way to remove fluff from the seeds... I can tell you all the things NOT to do.
I would love to read that idea, and learn yet more ways that don't work well! Maybe they just need more input from Rube Goldberg.
The most experienced seed-savers I know say "JUST blow on the fluff gently".
Any advice that starts "JUST ..." shows that the person giving the advice has forgotten why it seemed difficult in the first place.
For me, "blowing" works fairly well after harsh rubbing, if I'm willing to have LOTS of seeds and chaff embedded in my living room carpet
I always use hardware cloth or window screening and strainers to remove big and tiny chaff, then struggle with seeds and chaff the same size as the seeds. I do some blowing and some finger-picking.
It helps if you never "beat up" the seed heads harshly.
That creates huge amounts of small chaff and dust you can never remove fully.
Letting them get as mature and dry as possible "on the vine" helps.
Drying them FULLY after collecting is crucial, and I think that gentle cleaning works best AFTER full drying.
If possible, collect so MANY seed heads or pods that yo can just let them dry, dry Dry DRY, then shake them gently in a paper bag, seal-able box or big jar. Don't shake any harder thannecessary to release
fully mature and dry seeds.
If you collected so many seed pods that this single step releases enough seeds for trading - declare victory. Save those CLEAN seeds for trading.
Then, toss a rock or golf ball into the box or jar and shake harder. Now you get more seeds plus lots of chaff and dust. Remove SOME of the trash with screens or puffing or hand-picking or whatever, but mainly,
save them along with some chaff for your own planting.
Chaff doesn't hurt, and it helps you see where you have already sown.
When I cleaned some Alyssum seeds , the chaff appeared to have a few immature seeds, so I tried a germination test on my "chaff". Darn if a tablespoon of that "chaff" didn't sprout tons more seedlings than 1/16th tsp of "seeds".
And when you break up some unfamiliar flower head and can't even tell which things are the seeds and which are the caff?
Save some of each, then test-germinate each batch. Just trade the "pretty" and "clean" batches for ego reasons and because some people like their seeds to look like they came from a store. But plant for yourself whatever works and is easy. That's my policy!
If you worry about insect eggs hiding in the chaff, consider freezing them to kill them.
First get them really dry. For most seed types, below 30% RH is better for long-term storage. As low as 15% RH is ideal for maximizing viable lifetime in storage. Desiccants like silica gel make that super-easy.
Seal the seeds + chaff tightly in a small labelled Zip-loc with air squeezed out, to reduce condensation on the seeds as they chill down, and again when you pull cold bags into warm, humid room air..
I would double-bag them to keep condensation away. I would put silica-gel desiccant in with the seeds, and especially between the double bags, to avoid condensation.
Then pop into the freezer for a few days or weeks. If you really do have a problem with insect eggs, freeze for a while, then let room temperature encourage them to start hatching for a few days or weeks, then freeze them again.
If you put them into, or take them out of the freezer, minimize condensation any way you can. Mold and slight humidity destroy more seeds than insects.
will at least allow the traders the chance to decide if it's worth the gamble.
