Emily Chan
As you carve up pumpkins for Halloween, don’t just throw away the seeds. Saving pumpkin seeds to grow next season is the ultimate fall project. It’s probably easier to do than you think.
Imagine growing your own pumpkins to use for jack-o’-lanterns or baking homemade pies next year! Here’s how to save pumpkin seeds to plant and grow pumpkins right in your backyard.
Choose a pumpkin
The ideal pumpkin for this task will be ripe and round. The pumpkin you pick should also be from a plant that is an heirloom or open-pollinated.
Do not choose a hybrid because seeds from hybrid plants will not produce genetically similar offspring, making the pumpkins harder to grow.
Scoop out the seeds
Cut the top of your pumpkin open with a sharp knife. Carve a circle around the stem. Next, use a large spoon to scoop out all the seeds. Place the seeds in a strainer. It’s okay if the pumpkin’s innards are mixed in with them.
Rinse the seeds
Rinse the seeds in the sink under a stream of cool water to clean the pulp off them. You may need to get your hands dirty to get rid of any pulp stuck to the seeds. When you’re done, the seeds should not have any orange residue.
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