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Saving pumpkin seeds for a toasted snack is perfectly safe and a great way to reduce waste, though they also have many uses in the garden. No matter how many seeds you have to spare this Halloween, it is worth saving them ready to be planted outside in preparation for next autumn. While it can be tempting to start growing new pumpkins right away, gardening experts have warned against starting young seeds during the harvest season.
A handful of pumpkin seeds, a sunny position, and lots of water are all you need to grow pumpkins at home, but you will have to wait to start filling your patch.
An expert at Thompson and Morgan said: “Pumpkins require warm daytime temperatures of between 18-30C and prefer a minimum night temperature of 16C – at least until they’re planted out.
“In cooler areas, pumpkins can be sown indoors from April to mid-May for transplanting outside later, when temperatures have risen.”
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When to plant pumpkins: Easy seed-saving trick for ‘a better chance of germinating’ (Image: GETTY)
Pumpkin seeds are moisture rich and prone to spoiling (Image: GETTY)
You can wait until the soil has warmed up to plant them directly outside, though this doesn’t usually happen until late May or early June.
While there’s little you can do in terms of sowing your seeds right now, the Halloween period is a crucial time to begin preparing them for storage.
If you still have pumpkins to carve, save seeds by removing the fibrous pulp into a colander. Rinse under running water and pick out the seeds as you go.
According to an expert at GardeningKnowHow, you should avoid leaving the pulp to sit in non-running water to keep the seeds in optimum condition for planting.
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They said: “There will be more seeds inside the pumpkin than you will ever be able to plant, so once you have a good amount of seeds rinsed, look over them and choose the biggest seeds.
“Plan on saving three times more pumpkin seeds than the number of plants you’ll be growing next year. Larger seeds will have a better chance of germinating.”
Before storing the seeds away until the sowing season arrives, always ensure they are completely dry.
This is crucial as pumpkin seeds are high in moisture, making them especially prone to spoilage.
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Pumpkin seeds are very easy to grow when the time comes to plant them (Image: GETTY)
There are several ways to dry pumpkin seeds, the easiest of which is to leave the seeds on a dry towel.
A sheet of kitchen paper will work fine though wax-based materials or newspaper are ideal to prevent the seeds from sticking.
Simply space the clean seeds out on the surface and leave them to dry.
This may take a few days, or even weeks, though it is important not to rush the process.
Pumpkin seeds can’t be planted just yet though there are plenty of other things to get started (Image: THE EXPRESS)
According to Gardeners Path, seeds that are still moist can mildew easily, which ruins them for planting.
Check the seeds daily and remove them only when they are dry to the touch.
Before storing them away, sift through the seeds once more to separate any that are too light, discoloured or visibly broken.
Small paper envelopes, zip-lock bags and even old jars work well for storing pumpkin seeds, as long as they are completely dry and airtight. Store them in a cool, dark place until you are ready to sow.
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