To wonder why my conkers keep shrivelling up?

[LEMisdisappointed]

Has anyone else noticed that conkers tend to shrivel up and go all wrinkly and dull after a few days??

I am pretty damned sure they never used to do this as that is why i always collect loads as i think they look nice in a bowl, just not the wrinkly shrivelled ones.

Whats going on????

Central heating?

Nup, i haven't had the heating on yet this year

They are just seeds, so once they are off the tree, they just dry up and shrivel like anything else. 'Twas ever thus in my experience, so the real question is how did you get your previous conkers to stay shiny?

dojo, you can't be right, you can't - otherwise it means im losing my conkers marbles

could it be this?

pop them in vinegar.

Makes them hard and shiney

You may just be picking up the crap conkers. There were always a few in my childhood that wrinkled after a few days

But the champion conkers lasted for yonks (ers)

if they are quite small they are not ready apparently so will crinkle you need to open the huge ones dd has a few in her drawer she has had for years

We had a discussion about this with friends at the weekend (cue much innuendo from the men). The consensus was the vinegar trick doesn't work, but I'd guess it is over twenty years since any of us tried.

I'm sorry, LEM, but your title has made me snigger in a most silly way.