Forget roasting. Why not grow your own pumpkin next year?
There’s something comforting about making a pie with the perfect pumpkin you picked out from your local market—slicing into the bright orange flesh, baking it on a chilly day, pulling it out of the oven to feel the extra warmth and smell those autumn spices.
Before you toss the seeds into the compost bin, why not save some to grow another round of pumpkins next year?
HOW TO SAVE PUMPKIN SEEDS
Cut off the top of your pumpkin.
Scoop the pumpkin seeds out with a spoon and separate them from pulp as best as possible.
Place them in a colander and rinse the seeds with water to remove remaining pulp.
Choose the largest, plumpest seeds to ensure germination next year. Discard any deformed or flat seeds.
Spread the seeds out in a single layer on a baking sheet or large screen.
Set them out to dry for about 4 weeks in a cool, dark location. Turn each seed over after the first day. You really want to make sure your seeds are truly, fully dry before storing them to prevent moisture (which attracts mold).
Once the seeds are completely dry, store them in jars or small coin envelopes for future growing seasons. Make sure to keep them in a cool, dark, dry location. Pumpkin seeds have a shelf life of at least five years if stored properly and can potentially be viable much longer.
It is worth noting that pumpkins are prone to cross-pollination. Essentially, that means that your lovely pumpkin could have received pollen from another type of cucurbit (pumpkins, squash, gourds, melons, cucumbers). And while that doesn’t have any effect on the pumpkin in front of you, it certainly can affect the seeds you save from that pumpkin. Next year you could get a regular pumpkin… or something totally different!
Another incredible thing about seeds is that they remember. They remember their growing conditions, their lineage, and what kinds of pests targeted them. The more you grow and save seeds from your specific area, the more adapted they will be in the future to your growing environment.
Note: When you go to plant your pumpkin seed next year, make sure it’s after your last frost date (Prescott: May 6; Flagstaff: June 10; Sedona: April 10; Verde Valley: early- to mid-April). Pumpkins are warm-season crops and will not survive a frost. They tend to like being planted in the ground in a sunny area. Make sure to keep the soil moist while your seed is germinating and water consistently after that. Give them plenty to eat throughout the growing season with compost, worm castings, or organic fertilizer.
