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We got this pumpkin at a farmers market and it was a big hit, so I pulled the seeds out of it and am drying them now on a cookie sheet.

I thought I'd try to start as many of them as I can and hope to get something from them next year.

We have volunteer tomatoes all the time, but this is the first time I am actively trying to grow a new season using seeds I prepared myself. Does anybody have any advice or warnings on what to do?

Thanks,

Mark

YOu should read this article http://howtosaveseeds.com/seedsavingdetails.php#pumpkin

it is specific to pumpkin seeds

the main web page is here.http://howtosaveseeds.com/index.php

I have tried seed saving before but not had success but I plan on trying this again next season.

There are certain veggies which are very well adapted to seed saving. Beans, peas, lettuce, are the easiest because they do not out-cross so the seeds you get generally will breed true.

There are others that work well such as most of the crucifers (broccoli, kale, bok choi, etc) as long as you don't have other crucifers growing near by. These are insect pollinated and form hybrids very easily. But if you are just growing them for the leaves, you'll still get something good to eat even if they are hybrids.

Peppers also breed true if you are only growing one variety.

The group that is the most difficult to save good seed from are the cucurbits - the viners such as melons, cukes, squash, pumpkins. These hybridize like crazy, and since many of them are grown from hybrid seed, you are likely to get all sorts of off-spring. A real science experiment.

Back to the pumpkin. Your seed likely will grow something, but who knows what the off-spring will be. It depends what else in that family that the farmer was growing near-by. But if his pumpkin field was large, the odds are in your favor that your seed was the result of 'pumpkin to pumpkin' pollination. I've saved seed from grocery store squash that turned out just fine.

Good luck and tell us what happens.

I've saved seed from my butternut squash and replanted them with no problems.

Also when I dry my seed, I clean them up, and then let them air dry. I don't put them in an oven. I let them dry for about a month to be sure they are good and dry, then store in ziplock bag in freezer.