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Nashville, TN

Had to 'preharvest' my 625 Foss 'mother' - due to damage by a horse that had broke into the garden a few nights before...

625 had gone well over 60 days - but was still gaining steady... So we brought it in - 150lbs.. Not bad for a novice (have some bigger ones still growing....) I began to harvest seed - LOTS of good seeds!!

Noticed something rather odd - there were about a half-dozen seeds sprouting INSIDE the pumpkin!!! is this normal?????

8/26/2005 6:02:01 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

once the cavity is open .... the process will begin even if it starts to rot and no hole is visible the seed will germinate...very normal on a damaged or older pumpkin....I'm sure some of the more experienced guys will chime in

8/26/2005 6:48:15 PM

Rhode Island

science teacher

no disrespect intended but rather a piece of advise for your future years of growing atlantic giants

if you truly want to grow something big chances are it wont happen with seeds from a 150 lb pumpkin unless the genetics are super star quality

i would advise you to get a mailing list from some grower friends and this november send a letter to several growers that have good seed stocks and go from there

my son and i would be willing to send you seeds from this years crosses
which will all have excellent genetic background, etc

send a stamped self addressed bubble pack to the address i sent you via email and we will send seeds out during december or jan

dick w

8/26/2005 8:36:45 PM

Western NY

it's normal. i've had it in a few of mine before that weren't even damaged.

8/26/2005 9:13:15 PM

Nashville, TN

thankyou for the advice... I'm actually 'perfecting' my seed processing method with the seeds from the smaller ones...I also plan to have a seperate bed next year for those GPs that didn't grow GIANT - but would still be considered giant jack-o-lanterns... the school's would just love these 100-200lb ones in their lobbies...

I've been asking - and anything much bigger than that - the school's don't really want.. just too BIG!!!

But I could get a surprise in the '06 'giant jack-o-lantern bed'... all of these 'undersized GPs' came from 600+ parents... would be a pleasant surprise!! Maybe the '05 drought/heat conditions and 'first year' garden plot - didn't let them reach their full potential.....

I can send envelopes to anyone willing to send some... Need HEAT TOLERANT varieties please!!

8/27/2005 6:55:47 PM