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Wallingford,CT

Many people have ask, how old do the seeds need to be so they are viable? It gets ask every year and the responces are generally somewhere between 30 and as many as 50 days. I’m sure there isn’t ‘one magic number’ and the more days the better the yield.

So now for the twist. Does the fruit need to be attached to a growing plant for the duration of the maturation period? Is there a minimum number of days and then can the remainder of the time be spent in the fruit?

I think most growers would agree that for example 20 days is not long enough. How much longer could the seeds be left in the fruit before harvesting and have the majority of them to be viable?

I have a fruit that was culled at 20 days. It has been sitting right there in the patch and it is now 40 days. I will probably harvest the seeds in the next couple of days. Post your ideas and I will post my findings. Who knows, they could have all germinated by now or none of them ever will. What do you think?

Bart

8/7/2005 6:26:02 PM

Follansbee, Wv

This is just my personal opinion, but I believe that once you cut the fruit loose, the maturity clock starts winding down fast. Keep in mind that the seeds, like the pumpkin, are a living thing and need nourishment to develope. Once the vine is cut away, you might get another day or two of developement before the clock runs out. I think that culling a fruit at 20 days and expecting the seeds to mature well beyond that date is wishing for a little too much.

8/7/2005 7:33:48 PM

I agree with Monty.
I am trying out another twist. The fruit split on day 25 but is still on the vine and growing... perhaps the seeds will keep maturing until rot takes over? We will see.

8/7/2005 7:51:27 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I have one with a stem split that stopped growth completely. That was approx day 30 and two weeks have passed and fruit is still solid. I sealed up the splits but have no further growth. Will harvest and test seeds. Fruit to be picked in approx 1 week for church picnic. Peace Wayne

8/7/2005 8:04:14 PM

Wallingford,CT

there is no question about the seeds maturing if the fruit is attached AND growing. the splits will have no affect unless it causes the fruit to stop growing because of disease.

8/7/2005 8:42:53 PM

I think that any viable seeds would start to sprout inside the fruit if the fruit was left out in hot weather for 20 days. Maybe not all, but some.

8/7/2005 10:10:36 PM

[email protected]

I think if the fruit is kept moderatley cool, the seeds will continue to develope for a while on the energy stored in the pumpkin. Remeber that Mother genetically engineered this thing to succeed at perpetuating the species.

Let it get too warm & seedlings will germinate inside.

8/7/2005 11:32:18 PM

Indiana

well....the 341 est that grew Russ Pugh's 836? last year was a pumpkin that got bacterial wilt, and quit growing at day 28 I ripped the plant, and left the fruit sit there for over a month. Somehow them seeds germinate.......

Proof to me

Tom

8/8/2005 1:19:52 AM

[email protected]

Another point....At Stephen's school a few years ago we harvested a 28 day fruit for a painted pumpkin contest at Durham. They won. So the immature fruit went on display INDOORS for several weeks afterward. Once it started to rot in the heated foyer, I dragged it outside & exhumed 300 viable seeds & 400+ seedlings. Some of the seeds were undeveloped, so the fruit wasn't as finished as it could have been. But Mother finds a way. Many folks around town grew some of those 300 good seeds. I stared a few.

8/8/2005 5:42:50 AM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

My experience has been that the seeds that soak in fermented slop a while won't germinate,and seeds up above the slop usually do germinate, but some fruits start fermenting before others. . .even at similar conditions

8/8/2005 7:44:14 PM