Saving Seeds

[Tirzah]

I was wondering if you could help me. I would like to save some seeds from my Cinderella Pumpkins but they were planted near another variety and someone told me that you cannot save those seeds. (this is the same person who told me it was okay to plant the varieties near each other)

Any thoughts on this?

Was I misinformed?

I would appreciate any help or advice and instructions on saving the seeds if it is possible. Thanks in advance

[wolfwalkerpa]

They may be crossed but crosses can be fun never know what you will get save a few seeds and see what you get.

[MaineFarmMom]

I'm saving some of my Cinderellas. They'll probably be crossed with Early Harvest (a 40-50 lb jack) but they'll be interesting. I've got a 36 lb Cinderella this year. It would be cool to have a 50 pounder next year.

[ai731]

My advice is to make sure the seeds are very, very dry before you put them away in a container. I find that the larger seeds of summer & winter squashes take a long time (a couple of weeks) to dry properly, and I've had some batches go mouldy on me after having put them away. I store my seeds in aluminum 'watchmaker' cases (like these).

[Tirzah]

Thanks everyone for your advice

[MELOC]

it depends on what advice you asked for. if you asked if they would produce fruit if planted next to others, sure go ahead. if you asked if saving seeds from the fruit would produce true fruit next year, then you got bad advice.

[Tirzah]

I guess I wasn't clear.

~Will the seeds (from the Cinderella pumpkins that were planted near Connecticut Fields Pumpkins) produce true Cinderella Pumpkins?

~How can I save pumpkin seeds?

[katydidagain]

Originally Posted by Tirzah

I guess I wasn't clear.

~Will the seeds (from the Cinderella pumpkins that were planted near Connecticut Fields Pumpkins) produce true Cinderella Pumpkins?

~How can I save pumpkin seeds?

They may or may not produce true. If the 1st fruit was pollinated before blossoms of the other variety opened and you saved those seeds, you have a good chance. Your odds decrease depending on how active your bees/flies/wasps were. If you have some space to experiment, I'd save and grow some out but I'm not much of a purist.

I'm a lazy seed saver. I rinse them off, put them on a paper plate (labeled), let them sit for a while until they're dry and pack them into envelopes (labeled). My crude method does work; I don't buy spaghetti squash seeds but grow what I've saved from grocery store purchases.

[Tirzah]

Thanks Katydid

[GR8PMKN]

Cinderella are C Maxima...Field Pumpkins are C Pepo the two do not cross...you are safe.

[Tirzah]

Oh Thank You! That is good to know