From

Location

Message

Date Posted

West [email protected]

I have a pumpkin that I want to save seeds from but I'm not sure when they become fully mature and if I have to remove the pumpkin from the plant early can the seeds still be used ?

Also what's a good way to dry out seeds after you harvest them from the pumpkin ?

8/23/2012 11:26:41 AM

The bottom of New Jersey

If the pumpkin is at least 40-45 days old, there will probably be at least some mature seeds inside. You never know for sure until you cut it open, some mature pumpkins have had little or no seeds in them at all.

I usually rinse them off with just water until they are completely clean, then spread them out in a single layer on paper plates or newspaper with a fan blowing on them. Turn them over every day for at least 4 days so each side begins to dry quickly (this discourages mold). At that point they can usually finish drying without the fan for two to three weeks before they go into storage for the winter.

8/23/2012 11:36:54 AM

Mass

U can put them on screens then the air gets to the underside also

8/23/2012 11:48:23 AM

Princeton Kentucky

Good post Bosco, PumpkinJesus is correct..I used to fight the mold but now I put the seeds after their rinsed on cookie cooling racks I pick up at yard sales and dollar stores and put a fan on them after drying them off with a towel. Air gets underneath so you don't have too like P J says turn them every day. Mature seeds are nice and solid if you just squeeze them a bit not soft and hollow. I've done this the past 25 or so years with field pumpkin seeds and AG's work the same.

8/23/2012 11:56:46 AM

Massachusetts

sweet1 is right, you will fight less mold if you use one of those sliding window screens , and keep it up .

8/23/2012 12:30:40 PM

Princeton Kentucky

This reminds me of Blazing Saddles, lol: Howard Johnson is right about dr. Samuel Johnsons being right about Olsen Johnsons being right about Gabby Johnsons being right about marley being right about sweet1 being right...lol

8/23/2012 7:53:17 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Sorry Brosco for the sad attempt at humor. I had two AG's last year go to 51 dap and split and the seeds were fully developed good enough for (at least) germination test. Hope they work out.

8/23/2012 7:57:43 PM

East Jordan, MI

I've only harvested one earlier than full term(because it busted around day 40). It had fuly mature seeds in it by then.

I use 10% bleach solution to wash the seeds in initially -- about 2 minutes or so, then rinse well in clean water. Dry on a window screen in a cool dry place where mice won't carry them off for at least 2 -- preferably 3 weeks. A fan on low and shifting them around on the screen every day helps too.

8/23/2012 8:29:53 PM

West [email protected]

Wow, great feed back thanks (I'm really liking this site so far, it's not dead like most others)

8/23/2012 8:56:34 PM

Muddy Waters

Cecils right!lol but easy on the bleach 5% would do the job on clean seeds.If there developing mold after a few days 10% would work better then.

8/24/2012 6:12:20 AM

morristown, Tn email [email protected]

a pumpkinn should be 50 days old but can have good seeds at 40 days somtimes but 60 or more and will have gopod seeds if it got good pollanated

8/25/2012 4:21:59 PM