A question about growing pumpkins

[heather+mike2005]

Ok, this may be a stupid question but if I bury the insides from a pumpkin in the ground this fall, will I have pumpkins next year? I have a white pumpkin and I would love to trying growing them myself.

Thank you!

[JamieCatheryn]

There's a chance the seeds will grow that way, but even if it does you aren't guaranteed the same kind of pumpkin as you had, it could be a hybrid and so have a weird next generation. No harm in trying, though. You'll have more luck if you buy seeds next year and plant in the spring. If you have a non hybrid pumpkin and want to be more deliberate about it you can clean the seeds, let them air dry, and store them til spring then plant after your local last frost date.

[alllyssa]

Pumpkins are actually a warm season crop in most places, so depending on where you are, you probably have to wait until next spring.

Also, melons and squash are notorious for cross pollinating. You could end up with something very cooky and interesting looking, but if you want to eat it, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise.

[reducereuserecycle]

it is worth a try. i threw out a rotted gord last year and got gord plants this year

[phoebemommy]

I've been growing pumpkins from starts in the spring, and I've just used seeds from pumpkins I bought. After a few experimental failures, I got three gorgeous baking pumpkins on one plant this year. The key things I've learned are -- they need good sun and pollination, they like compost, and you have to really watch the weather in the fall. It's okay for the plants to die before the pumpkins ripen, but if the pumpkins freeze, they'll probably rot.

But try saving the seeds and starting plants to transplant in the spring -- that way you can control it and try again if it doesn't work. And the plants kind of languish, you may have a variety that doesn't like your weather.