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Starting Seeds

I have paid a lot of attention to what has been said about germinating
pumpkin seeds. After you go to a lot of trouble to get a particular seed
there is a lot of concern about whether or not it will sprout. In the past I
started my pumpkins just like I did my tomatoes, peppers etc. I used sterile
starter mixes, moistened the starter, put my seeds in, covered with saran
wrap to keep the mixture moist, put them in the sun for warmth inside my
house etc etc but my pumpkin seeds were not doing as well as my tomatoes and
peppers. The success rate was low but it didn't really matter when you had
twenty or thirty seeds. It does matter when you get a more valuable seed and
have only one!

Anyway, I am now trying what has been recommended here. I tried carefully
filing the point off my seeds, soaking them overnight in water with a little
captan and then wrapping them in a moist paper towel and then putting them in
a plastic zip-lock plastic bag and then putting the bag et al in a place
where it was 80 to 85 degrees. It is absolutely amazing what happens next.

In two to three days a tiny root pops out through the hole made by filing the
pointed end and it grows like crazy. In two or three days you know whether or
not your seed will sprout and it looks the the success rate is very high. A
tiny "happy to see you" root pops out. Then the seed with root is carefully
placed in the potting soil to hopefully live happily ever after.

After having seen this happen I will never start a pumpkin seed any other
way. The very first one to mention this was a little kid last year who put
his seeds by a hot water heater. Thank you whoever you were. I am loving it.

Marv Meisner in Central PA
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