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Location

Message

Date Posted

Key West, FL

when selecting seeds to keep for yourself out of your pile of seeds that came from your pumpkins, which seeds should i pick to keep and the others to give away? I am keeping 15 seeds from each of my pumpkins and i will give the rest away. My question is does the size or shape make any difference in the quality? Will a deformed ( bubbles out on one side and concaves in on the other) have any effect? These sound like kind of silly questions to me but is there any difference?
ben

11/6/2002 9:30:21 PM

Western Pa.

I have always heard that from an 800# pumpkin, a few will have the potential to reach or exceed that weight, a few more will reach "respectable" (whatever that is),weights (considering conditions), and the rest will reap "so-so" results. Don't know if this is a crock or not, but I do know that seed size has absolutely nothing to do with results! Certain seeds, like the Calai 846, Stelts 801.5, Bobier 723 and 845,(sorry if I missed listing you), have a lot better odds than that.
My 680# this year produced only about 30 viable seeds, my wife has already chosen the one she wants to plant next year. I think this is where the "luck" factor enters in!

kilr

11/7/2002 1:13:05 AM

Puyallup, WA

Ben,
I look over all the seeds and choose the largest and fattest I can find as well as those that have the best shape.
In other words, I look for the perfect pumpkin seed! Is it a matter of "luck" that they will have the best genetics....
sure!

11/7/2002 2:08:05 AM

Walton N.y.

we also look for good seed shape and hope that they'll perform in don langevins book it says plant proven seeds for a big pumpkin but how do you prove a seed if you don't plant it and on an odd note we gave seeds from our last years pumpkin to all that wanted them the seed had no squash colors in the parents cross all but 1 person that planted them got yellow/orange fruit that looked like either parent but the 1 person had 2 greenies so there is a lot of genetic differences from the same fruit

11/7/2002 9:09:35 AM

Caceres, Spain

Do a radioesthesia course and then, if you are good with the pendulum, use it asking about the seeds. It is not a joke.
Don

11/7/2002 2:37:05 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

a who da whata?

11/7/2002 3:43:06 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I think he means one of those "magic eightballs" you ask a question and then tilt it up to see the answer???

11/7/2002 3:56:01 PM

ontario

I think the key is proven lines...weigh of seeds does not matter quite as much a seed history...check out most producers....they all have great backgrounds....yes I know someone will say but there are exceptions...but not many...look at 723 Bobier and 845 Bobier...935 Lloyd...567.5 Mombert...946.5 Geerts....what else can be said..look out for the 845 & 723 offspring to perform....

11/7/2002 5:18:11 PM

Key West, FL

I think some of you got my question and others didnt but it doesnt matter. I was asking about what seeds from your own pumpkin would you keep, based on shape and size. Thanks for all the quick responses. I was picking the biggest and best looking seeds to keep for myself.
thanks ben

11/7/2002 5:55:02 PM

Caceres, Spain

Can anyone honestly say to pick the smallest and the ugliest ones?
I think you were looking for a hidden secret, Ben, a track to recognize and select the best seed, that one wich can give you your next personal best, or even the 1500 pounder, and you didn't find it... yet. Still looking for and when you find it, tell us please.

11/8/2002 12:57:32 AM

ontario

Ben seed size has nothing to do with it...small seeds, big seeds, tan, white....many good producers are varying sizes...pick the seed from the pumpkin you believe has the best genetics...as for which ones out of the one you pick..well just put them in a bowl and pick any one....thats where the luck factor comes in....my biggest pumpkin this year has the smallest seeds ???...

11/8/2002 7:32:01 AM

Riverton, WY

Ben, my thoughts are that the larger, fatter, more uniform seeds in a given pumpkin have a little better chance to get off to a better start than the smaller, odd shaped, & more hollow seeds out of that same pumpkin. I think there is a little more energy stored in the seed leaves, & they might have a better chance to get out of the ground with the seed leaves in better shape......still a crap shoot, but it might increase the odds of getting a healthy plant.

11/9/2002 11:03:53 AM

Key West, FL

Thats what i was thinking.

11/9/2002 12:03:58 PM

Long Island,New York

After you remove the seeds, wash them and dry them put them in a ziplock bag and toss them out in the garbage. Go back to the stinking sunken jackolantern that looks like a shrunken head with fur and chop it up for the garbage too.....in there you will find a seed you missed...tucked inside an internal crack somewhere....THATS the seed to grow...guaranteed THAT was the 1000lber.......G

11/9/2002 1:32:37 PM