Pumpkin seed question

[Chaesman]

Just a quick question. I am new here and was wondering. I am suppose to carve a pumpkin tonight with my grand daughter. Usually I just roast the seeds and eat them. However I would like to save some to plant next year. Is there a special way to save the seeds or do I just rinse and let sit till dry and then store? Thanks

[applestar]

When you wash the seeds, put in a deep container with water -- bucket, bowl, etc. The ones that sink are the viable seeds. Discard the floaters (I dry them separately and put in the bird feeder in case there are anything salvageable). Pour off the water with any other debris, then drain the good seeds in a colander or strainer. After that I just allow to dry thoroughly before storing. I usually sort out the biggest/plumpest seeds to plant next year and eat the rest.

Remember, sometimes the pumpkins are grown in the same field as other variety pumpkins, summer squashes, or ornamental gourds and you'll get weird crosses next year. (We have a few of those Gourdkins that we're using for decoration this fall -- upright, football sized with warty orange skin mottled green ) Some pumpkins could also be hybrids and have unpredictable offspring.

Stella posted an excellent link to cucurbit cross pollination in [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=167691#167691]this thread[/url].

[Chaesman]

Thanks for the fast response it is appreciated. I guess a carving we will go now.

[Chaesman]

Well tommorow afternoon we will be carving just didn't happen tonight
But I do Have another question.

When I plant the seeds next year How many Pumpkin seed do I need to plant to get approximatly 10 each 20-30 lb pumpkins (of course I will plant extra just incase just don't want and over aboundance of pumpkins to deal with)

Also do I need a Special type of seed or special care instructions to get a couple 50lb + pumpkins?

Just trying to plan ahead still have lots to learn
Thanks

[stella1751]

Well tommorow afternoon we will be carving just didn't happen tonight
But I do Have another question.

When I plant the seeds next year How many Pumpkin seed do I need to plant to get approximatly 10 each 20-30 lb pumpkins (of course I will plant extra just incase just don't want and over aboundance of pumpkins to deal with)

Also do I need a Special type of seed or special care instructions to get a couple 50lb + pumpkins?

Just trying to plan ahead still have lots to learn
Thanks

Chaesman, I had a blast growing pumpkins this year; it is a wonderfully aggressive plant that pretty much does its own thing unless the gardener stays on the ball. My three pumpkin plants put on 21 viable pumpkins; unfortunately, the plants couldn't support that many, and they aborted all but 14. This website, [url=https://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/fruit.htm#number]The Pumpkin Nook[/url], says that pumpkins will put on two to five pumpkins per plant. In my experience, the more pumpkins per plant, the smaller the pumpkins. I'm going to try two, maybe three, plants next year, but I am only going to let them put on two, maybe three, pumpkins per plant. It's easier to process one large pumpkin than it is to process two small ones

Regarding an attempt to get some 50-pounders, I think you need to grow [url=https://www.howarddill.com/]Atlantic Giants[/url], but I'm not certain. The world record pumpkin in 2009 was 1,725 pounds, and it was an Atlantic Giant. The thing with those is that one seed from one of the big 'uns can cost an arm and a leg, and IMO that's too much to pay for a novice grower.

You can also buy a packet of Atlantic Giant seeds at most of the commercial seed companies. You probably won't get a huge pumpkin, but you can count on some large ones if you manage them carefully. I believe the Pumpkin Nook has instructions on how to grow the mammoths: one pumpkin per vine, prune off all tertiary vines, lots of compost, plenty of space, that kind of stuff.

Like I said, next year I want to grow pumpkins again. Because my garden is teeny tiny, I plan to trellis them if possible. I saved the seeds from my F1 Autumn Gold this year, and I think it will be great fun to see what this hybrid will do in its second generation. Then again, my neighbor did grow zucchini at the same time

[rainbowgardener]

Agree with above. Also you can have size or quantity but not both. To get the big pumpkins growers pinch off all but one or two, so the plant puts all its energy into those one or two pumpkins. And you will need to water and fertilize the heck out of it.

[garden5]

All this talk about pumpkin seeds is making me want to go dig the seeds out of my butternut squash right now and roast them up.

As for the big ones, there are several great books on growing giant pumpkins and also a few sites and a forum as well (just Google "giant pumpkins").

To get a pumpkin like the size you want, I'd say you want at least 7 or 8 plants, though 10 would probably give you bigger pumpkins (1 per plant). So, to that end, I'd say plant 15 seeds, to give you a buffer in case of germination problems, and then prune to 10.

For variety, you'll want to go with Atlantic giant, though, like Stella said, you'll probably want to wait until you're experienced in pumkin growing before you shell out $5+ per seed for seeds from a 1,000 pounder.

I'm not too skilled in the details of giant pumpkin growing, but to get some the size you want, I'd say use a lot of compost, give the plants room, prune to 1 or 2 per plant, and give plenty of water.

Good luck .

[Chaesman]

Do the viable seeds sink immediatly or does it take a little bit to do so?

I will leave them sitting in the bowl till I finish carving then check them

Thanks

[applestar]

How'd they turn out? In my experience, the ones that sink will sink right away as long as they're not attached to the stringy stuff -- which float and will keep the seeds from sinking.

[Chaesman]

Well there where a lot of seeds every single one of them are still floating

Could it be the type of pumpkin

This pumpkin is very thick walled compared to ones I have bought in the past and it was probably a 15 lb er and The inside had very little pulp if I pulled out half a cup of pulp I would be supprised. I would say if I put the pulp and seeds in equal size containers the seeds would have the greater volume.
any thoughts

[applestar]

Are the seeds flat or plump? I suppose these seeds *could* NOT sink.

If they won't sink, I guess I would go by size and thickness for best seeds. All I can tell you is that I've had 100% germination with sunken (? ) seeds. Maybe someone else would know for sure.

[Barbara Lloyd]

I've heard all sorts of uses for the pumpkin seeds and of course there is always pies, but I'd like to share another use for edible pumpkins or hard squash. I don't know if anyone is interested but here it is.

Holiday Dressing

1 basket ball sized, edible pie pumpkin, hubbard squash or even several acorn squash.

1 box Krustees or Jiffy cornbread mix. Mix ahead per box instructions. (Or make your own)

1 box Stove Top, chicken dressing.

1 tube Jimmy Dean, Sage, sausage.

1 tuna sized can of water Chestnuts (for texture-crunch).

1 can chicken broth.

Medium onion

Several stalks of celery and what ever else your family likes. Some add apple.

Prepare Dressing per package instructions. Place in Large mixing bowl.

Fry sausage till done along with the celery and onions along with any grease and add to mix.

Add crumbled up cornbread, chopped water chest nuts, can of chicken broth to mix.

Mix well and stuff the pumpkin/squash loosely. Put any left into a baking dish or the bird.

Bake @ 350 degrees till pumpkin is done and dressing middle is hot. The seasoning in the dressing permeates into the pumpkin and visa versa.

Happy Holidays Barb

[Chaesman]

Ok I will pick out the plumpest and dry them and roast up the rest I guess I will not the package they did not sink and a note to update the area once planted next year on the viabillity of these unsunken seeds.

Thanks

[gixxerific]

Mmmmmmmm! pumpkin seeds YUMMMY.

[jal_ut]

I usually plant Connecticut field pumpkins. They will get up to 60 pounds. I have planted Big Max and they will go over 100. These seeds are not as expensive as some of the real giant varieties. I never save my pumpkin seeds to plant because I have other squash and the seed never comes true to form. They all cross. The next year the fruit is weird. You never know what you will get. If you have five plants, each will have a different looking fruit. I guess its ok if you want to see what you will get, but if you want pumpkins, buy your seed.

[Alan in Vermont]

I ran afoul of the mongrelizing of cucurbits that Jal mentions. Last year I had a bunch of really nice Prizewinner pumplins, some well over 100 lbs. I saved the seed from the biggest to try this year. I also had two other pumpkin varieties in the patch as well a several types of gourds.

I had a crop of the most diverse bunch of mongrels you could imagine. Not got really big, some were orange with dark green stripes and blotches, not a one could be identified as a Prizewinner.

I read how to hand pollinate just recently so mext year I am going to try getting true prizewinners to save seed from and may try crossing them with Big Max to see what I get from the marriage.