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Caceres, Spain

Do you wash the pumpkins seeds prior to dry them? just in water? How do use to you dry them?
Don

12/12/2002 2:48:44 PM

Connecticut, USA

I wash mine in a bucket of warm water with a 1/4 cup of bleach. I swirl them around for a few minutes and then dump them out on an old window screen. Then they are dryed in my basement in a single layer. You know they are dry when the "skin" can be easily peeled off.

Be sure you put them in a place where mice cannot get them for drying.

12/12/2002 7:14:20 PM

Walton N.y.

don i like to rinse them off with water before drying 1 way to do this is put 1-2 inches of water in the bath tub and swish them around to get the heavier stuff off then scoop them out with the screen you put over a frying pan to reduce grease splatter place them single layer preferably not touching each other between 2 window screens they allow air to flow around them and keep mice from stealing the seeds place in a warm dry spot for 2-3 weeks a thin transparent skin will slip off the seeds when they are dry

12/12/2002 7:19:57 PM

Amherst, WI

This reminds me of a story. A few weeks ago, I was on a hunting trip. When I returned home, it didn't take long to realize that most of the seeds I had drying were gone. I tried to act calm and casual as I asked my lovely wife where my seeds were. She said she found some in a sleve of an old jacket hanging in the basement. Now I am not sure about the seeds identity, so they will just be put aside. I was lucky to have put away the seeds from my 673 pounder. Live and learn they say, live and learn.

12/12/2002 7:58:53 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Anyone sprinkle a little fungicide on their drying seeds?

I did not do this and ended up with some black spotted ones. (due to mold)
I'm afraid that these will be more suseptible to rot when they are planted.

Anyone have experience with this?

12/12/2002 7:59:35 PM

Deer Park WA

CEIS, yes I stayed with my folks for a few weeks while waiting for our house to close and during that time I was drying pumpkin seeds in the basement. I tried to dry them fast but 50% or so wound up with a little mold (black spots), I think they will be ok but I recommend a little fungicide dusting each seed prior to germinating to fight off the bacterial wilt that is so prevelant in our sport!

12/12/2002 10:21:12 PM

Walton N.y.

a few years back a friend of mine was drying his seeds as he has in the past in the basement on top of the freezer where there is a small vent in a heat duct that allows a small amount of warm air to gently blow over the seeds well anyway mice made off with all his seeds i put a post on the list and he recieved seeds from 20 growers a nice true story of how pumpkin growers help each other out

12/13/2002 8:30:26 AM