There’s nothing more autumnal than growing your own pumpkins, whether you display them near your front door, carve them into lantern shapes, or process them into pies. From these fall traditions, you can also save your seeds For the next growing season.
There are several reasons why you might want to save your pumpkin seeds for next year, as tempting as it may be to roast and eat them.
maybe you grew up Pumpkin A+ In fact, you’ll want to grow it again next summer. You may want to start developing your own personal “variety” that you will share with friends and family. Potentially, you just want to save money.
Or possibly, you just want to know if you can. Luckily, the process is not too complicated, especially with the help of these tips. We’ve put together all the tricks you need, plus the main steps, so you can save pumpkin seeds for next year like a pro.
avoid cross pollination
Many gardeners who are new to growing pumpkins do not realize that the seeds they harvest fruits of your labor They may not germinate and eventually produce more fruit that looks the same next year. This happens due to cross pollination.
Pumpkin is one of many varieties. pumpkin pieWinter squash, summer squash and among other squashes. If you grow pumpkins and zucchini in the same garden, pollinators likely used pollen from one to pollinate the other.
The fruit produced from the pollinated flower will look like the fruit you want, but the seeds inside will look the same. produce hybrid fruits It is a combination of two mother plants. This is important information for gardeners hoping to grow the same plants again next year.
If you grow multiple cucumbers, there are a few ways to try to prevent cross-pollination:
- You can hand-pollinate the flowers early in the morning, choosing male and female flowers from the same plant or variety.
- You can secure bags over the flowers before they open to control what pollen is available to pollinators.
- If you have space, you can try growing different varieties about a half mile or more apart.
If saving pumpkin seeds for next year wasn’t initially in your plan, you may have planted all kinds of pumpkins And other cucumbers. In such a situation, it is probably too late to prevent cross-pollination. Keep this event in mind for next year.
However, if you only grow pumpkins, without any other pumpkins, you should be able to replant your plants the following year. They must be faithful to the seed.
collect many seeds
if you like The best possible seeds for germination.So you want the healthiest, strongest pumpkin you can find. Presumably your pumpkins are already in good shape, so you hope to replant them next growing season.
If possible, avoid dwarf, diseased, or abnormal-looking pumpkins. Wait until the pumpkin is fully ripe. You will know they are ripe when they stop growing in size, reach their final color, and when their stems begin to turn hard and brown.
If the vines themselves have begun to dry out, this is a good sign of ripe fruitImmature pumpkins will have underdeveloped seeds that won’t germinate, so don’t waste your time. If the pumpkin is still small and light green, go ahead and add it to your compost.
With a large, healthy, ripe pumpkin in hand, you’re ready. Gathering as many as possible will really make a difference as you save them for next year.
Some may not store well, some may break down, and some may never be viable to begin with. By start with a lot of moneyYou increase the chances of germination the following year. So while it may be tempting to give the pumpkin a few spoonfuls and then move on, go ahead and collect a ton in the process.
There are several tools you can use for carving, including the tools that come with standard pumpkin carving kits. However, if you don’t make an effort to maintain the aesthetic shape of your pumpkins for Halloween decorations, you can be quite aggressive when it comes to harvesting.
Don’t worry too much about the pulp, etc. at this point. just get it many seeds developed as you can.
remove the pulp
The next step is to remove all the pulp. Now cleaning will make it easier for you to decide which seeds are best to pick from the soft mess.
An easy way to do this is to pour the pulp into a strainer and rinse it under the sink. a sink with a spray accessory It can make the process faster. If you don’t have a spray attachment in the kitchen, you can also try this technique outside with a hose.
If you keep the process clean and tidy, you can save the pulp and use it to make your own pumpkin puree. Remove any fibrous bits and bake what’s left. Put it in a food processor and you will have homemade puree.
with a little Pumpkin and spice masalaYou’ll have plenty of ingredients to make pumpkin bread, pies, and other seasonal treats. Maybe these fall flavors aren’t your favorites. Put the pulp in your compost bin and nothing will go to waste.
choose the best seeds
Now that you’ve gathered a bunch of healthy seeds and scooped out the pulp, you can take a good look at your bounty and eliminate any that aren’t of adequate quality. That’s why it’s a good idea to start with as many people; Now you are going to narrow down the selection.
delete whatever a strange shape or bad colorThe smaller ones may not be viable or fully grown, so get rid of those as well. (Or fry them for a quick snack.) This can save you time. You don’t want to waste time or space trying to germinate something weak or sickly.
You want to save the larger, more uniform finds for next year’s growing season. These are the ones that have the best chance of germinating and giving you the best pumpkin next year.
disturbance
Next, taste the fermentation. he 100 percent not necessary But it can make a significant difference for several reasons.
One, although you’ve probably removed most of the pulp, the fermentation process removes the rest. This will reduce the chance of rot and mold growing during storage or winter. If you don’t dry now, you may notice mold in the spring.
Two, fermentation helps naturally Eliminates small amounts of bacteria and fungi. Which can cause illnesses later. It even helps eliminate seed-borne pathogensBacterial leaf spot is an example of a seed-borne disease that affects pumpkins and other squashes.
Finally, fermentation breaks down the gelatinous outer layer. This will speed up the germination process and also increase your success rate.
If you think about it, it is what happens in natureThe fruits fall to the ground and then ferment. That is why fermentation is a common way. Process fresh tomato seeds and other garden crops.
For fermentation, put the seeds in a jar with water and cover with a lid. Do not close the lid forcefully. It should be tightly closed, allowing the gases formed during fermentation to escape from the jar. Leave the jar at room temperature for three or four days.
Then stir the mixture and remove any seeds That has floated to the top. They are not viable, but the ones that have sunk are ready to go. Filter and wash the viable seeds.
dry and store properly
It is very important that you dry them well since you will be storing them for a long time. If they are not dry enough, they can rot.
The easiest way to do this is to spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, paper bag, or other clean surface. Make sure none of them are on top of each other. leave them sit in a cool, dry place Until it is completely dry. This may take a few days.
Another way is to put them in the oven. 150°F (66°C) for three to four hours. Make sure to stir them in the middle so none of the edges burn. You can also use a dehydrator. Set it to 115°F (46°C), leave the seeds in for about an hour, and check them. If they are not dry yet, leave them for another hour.
Once they are dry, store them properly. put them in one airtight container And store them in a cool, dark place. Avoid damp basements, hot garages and outdoor garden sheds that can get hot.
As long as they do not deteriorate, they can remain viable for years. This is one of the reasons why you should label them with the name of the plant and the date. This may seem obvious to you now, but you may forget it in the future.
take notes
Finally, keep taking notes along the way. What made you want to try this procedure? If you’ve grown particularly stellar pumpkins, write a little about them In a gardening magazine. Add details about their dimensions, the season of the year and what made them so special.
Do you have any problems with pests and diseases that you want to avoid? Since you’ve invested so much energy in harvesting, processing, and storing, you’ll want to prepare for your safety next year. Pay attention to any problems this year, research prevention techniques and arm yourself with knowledge.
Also, enter the data. seed saving processPerhaps you discovered that many of your seeds were not viable and you would like to review the steps and find out why. Perhaps they all germinated brilliantly and you will want to repeat exactly these steps next year.
It’s also fun to experiment. You may have fermented half the seeds, but left the other half unfermented. Which had the highest germination success rate? This is information that “the future you” will want to know.
This could be the beginning A hobby that lasts yearsAnd you’ll be glad to have last summer’s data. Taking notes while you garden can help you improve your techniques over time.
Next year, when you harvest pumpkins again, you’ll be glad to have notes for reference.
