Can You Plant the Seeds Out of Pumpkins?

Pumpkins for Seeds

• Harvest them from the fruit when the fruit is fully ripe. Judge ripeness by feeling the pumpkin's skin. It should be completely hard and dry. Push a fingernail or dull edge into the skin. There should be no dents. Store this ripe pumpkin at room temperature for 20 days before harvesting the seeds. This storage allows the skin to soften slightly, but the seeds are still viable for harvest.

Harvesting Seeds

• Harvesting pumpkin seeds is a messy job, as the pumpkin's interior is slimy and sticky. Spread some newspaper or paper towel to catch the mess. Sort through the interior and pull out the seeds. Space the seeds on a clean plate or paper towel and let them dry. When you've harvested all the seeds, washing them in cool water removes all the slime and pumpkin residue. Lay out the seeds to air dry before planting. If it's necessary to store seeds before planting, do so in an airtight container in cool temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees.

When to Plant

• Pumpkin seeds will not germinate if the soil or air temperature is too cold. Delay planting until all danger of frost has passed in the spring. This is usually in April or May. Planting as soon as possible gives an earlier harvest. However, if you intend to use your pumpkins to make jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, wait until May or early June to plant the seeds.

Planting Seeds

• Plant pumpkin seeds 1 inch deep in fertile, well-draining soil. Space the seeds so that each seed, which produces its own vining plant, has at least 50 to 100 square feet of space to spread. For rows of pumpkins, space the rows at least 10 feet apart for easier harvest. Most professional growers plant the pumpkins on hills for increased drainage and optimal space. Plant smaller pumpkin varieties with only 6 to 10 inches between the plants.