Pumpkins make great Halloween and fall decorations, but don't throw out your pumpkins as fall turns into winter. Pumpkins are versatile and can provide a variety of products. Best of all, it is easy to grow pumpkins from your seeds.
Follow these simple steps for saving seeds and you will have home-grown pumpkins for next Halloween.
- Cut open the pumpkin and remove the fibers and seeds. Place them in a bowl of water and rub the bundles of seeds to separate them from the fibers. This is a messy slimy job - kids love it!
- There will be a lot of seeds. Plan on saving two to three times more pumpkin seeds than the number of plants you plan on growing. Larger seeds will have a better chance of germinating.
- Place the seeds on wax paper or parchment paper and allow to dry for about a week. Don't use paper towels because the seeds stick and are difficult to remove. Space the seeds out so they don't stick to each other. Once the seeds are dry, store in an envelope in a cool dry place. You will know that they are dry when they are white and feel papery. Don't store in a plastic bag because the plastic will hold in moisture. Some people store their pumpkin seeds in the refrigerator. Don't forget to label the packet with the type of pumpkin. All seeds look alike and you will want to know what type of pumpkin you are planting.
Planting seeds
I like to start the seeds inside. I usually start them in March to harvest my pumpkins close to Halloween. To see if the seeds are viable you can also perform the water test. If the seeds sink after being in water 15 minutes, then they're still viable. Otherwise, they might not sprout.
I always test to see if the seeds will germinate before I plant them. To test the seeds place them between damp paper towels. Place the paper towels with the seeds in a Ziplock bag. The healthy seeds will germinate within 7 to 10 days. It is easy and fun to see the seeds sprout so quickly.
Now it is time to plant your seeds. Young pumpkin plants do not like to be moved so planting the seeds in peat pots allows you to plant the seeds and move them outside when ready. Plant 2 to 3 seeds in each peat pot. Once they are growing well, choose the best one to keep in each pot and clip the others off. After the soil has warmed, leave the plants in the peat pot and place into the ground. I usually plant outside in May when there is no threat of frost and the plants are about 3 inches tall. When planting outside, proper spacing is important. It may seem like the little pumpkin plants do not need much room but each plant grows long, large vines. Make room because one pumpkin plant can take over your garden.
Other uses for pumpkins
There are so many other uses for pumpkins. Seeds can be dried or roasted to eat. Pumpkin seeds are very high in magnesium and are a good source of protein and fiber. Many pumpkins are delicious for eating as candied pumpkin, pumpkin preserves and, of course, pumpkin pie. Look up UCANR Master Food Preservers for more information on safely cooking and preserving pumpkins.
Enjoy the versatile pumpkin and happy growing.
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