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Hello,

As a new member of G.P.G.P.A. I received 4 seeds last year from various hybrids one of which produced a 200+ pounder in my garden. Not big by your standards but a whopper by mine. I harvested the seeds from the pumpkin late in the fall. Some of the seeds seemed more mature than others (fullness-color). My question to the board is there any way to test the seeds for fertility. I am told fertile seeds will sink in water.
Thanks,
Bob

2/9/2005 9:04:32 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Test Germinate a few in moist paper towel and a ziploc Baggie set on top of something warm. 80-85° That will give you the results or answer you are looking for.

2/9/2005 9:22:58 AM

Puyallup, WA

Most mature seeds will have a "thud" sound when you drop them on a table. The immature ones sound "tinny". BTW, just because they are mature does not necessarily mean that they will germinate. Only a germination test will do that.

2/9/2005 12:35:36 PM

I keep reading about poking a hole in the seed for a germination test but nothing on what to do with the seed after that. Any help?

2/9/2005 2:04:17 PM

[email protected]

Embyonic integrity can be accurately predicted by X-ray. But other than that your best bet is to germinate a few in an 85 degreeF mosit paper towel in a baggy.

2/9/2005 2:13:18 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

You should do the squeeze test first. They should be hard. If you can colapse them between you fingers, they are scrap!

2/9/2005 4:51:57 PM

I don't know about this seed floating or sinking thing. All my seeds out of my 137 lbs floated and they were all out of a fully mature pumpkin and seemed to be fully mature seeds. A few weeks ago I tried to germinate one. What I did is use the shell removal method on the (How to link on Bigpumpkins.com about an advanced seed starting method). I then soaked a folded piece of paper towel let any access water drip out placed it in a ziploc baggy. Leaving the baggy open I placed it under the Fridge. I check it once in a while to make sure it doesn't dry out and in 2 days the seed germinates.
And even with a floater seed it germinated and is now a very large and very strong seedling on its 2nd almost 3rd true leaf. I just recently revived the plant after it suffered a major weekness. I came home and saw my plant limp in the first true leaf, a bit in the cotelyns, and the stem or base was completely drooped over resting on the side of the pot. I ran an inch of water through the pot draining out any of the over abundant fertilizer in it, put it under a florescent light and it restrenthed within 2 hours and now is standing straight up and healthy.

2/9/2005 6:51:45 PM

Utah

I'm with Stan ... do the drop test.

2/10/2005 10:28:17 AM