From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Pooler, GA

My instinct is to pick the seeds from the heaviest pumpkin to grow out that I have. For me that is a few 1700+ pounders. I see lots of talk on here about people being excited to grow from seeds that were from much lighter pumpkins though... 1250s? Whats the deal, and how do I make a real educated choice about what to grow, and what to use as the mother/father combo for my pumpkin? I only have room for one pumpkin, so I need to make it count.

As of now, I had just planned on taking my highest weight 5, growing them until I can see what 2 seem to take off, and culling the rest. Then once I use the 2 left to pollinate, and after the pumpkin looks healthy, culling the father... But what do I know! (absolutely nothing...) :)

4/3/2016 1:37:00 AM

Minnesota

Tools.pumpkinfanatic.com has a lot of seed info. 1250's? It's probably from a seed that continues to grow very heavy. If there is a grower around you, visit them and pick there brain!

4/3/2016 2:01:49 AM

Pooler, GA

That helped a lot. Thank you!

So I have it limited down to the following now:
1659 Miller
1657 Bryson
1872 Wallace
1817 McConkie
1670 Parks

All look like decent seeds?

4/3/2016 3:18:06 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Seed selection is difficult. There is no right answer. It all depends on the growers goals. Some growers just want the biggest fruit. Other growers just want the prettiest. If you plan to grow your own seed what characteristics of the various seeds could match well with each other. For your first year, I would suggest going with your instinct. Hopefully, of those seeds, one of them talks to you and says...plant me.

As it grows out you will be learning. By next winter, you maybe spending hours researching seeds looking for the best one for next year.

4/3/2016 6:35:29 AM

Central Illinois

You wouldn't cull the father in less you only want one plant,the first name in a cross is always the female. If you have plant A and plant B, you can take A x B the flower on A has a small pumpkin under it, you take a male flower from B and pollinate A , the resulting pumpkin will be from the genetics of plant A

You can also do B x A, this pumpkin will be from the B genetics, other combos BxB or AxA called selfing.

If seeds for 2 plants came from the same pumpkin, then plant A1 x A2 would be a cross called a sibling.Both plants could grow different looking pumpkins because each seed is slightly different.

To get seeds from a pumpkin that grow very similar pumpkins you need to cross several generations I think the seeds from each generation are called F1 then F2 then F3 and so on.That would be plant A selfed (F1) Then one seed from F1 is selfed again to make F2 and so on.

I know I dont explain things very well ,so someone else may correct me

4/3/2016 10:19:49 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

I am wondering if i could call my 356 an 1161 rodonis(F3). Would the 1610 lieber be the F1 generation?

4/3/2016 10:31:15 AM

aurora, IL

I agree with what was said above. It depends on what you what in your pumpkin.

4/3/2016 1:01:16 PM

Colorado

steve the truth is theres so many crosses with great potential that you almost cant pick wrong.I would suggest to start a few extras to ensure a strong plant.

4/3/2016 1:07:25 PM

NE Arkansas

I just germed a 1659 Miller and it seems to be an aggressive plant... but you can always self your plant...

4/3/2016 11:00:53 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Perhaps I can make your decision a bit simpler, if an important thing for you is the color of the pumpkin, grow the 1817. The female pumpkin and the pumpkin grown on the plant that pollinated it were 8% and 10% heavy and the 1817 was a Howard dill award winner meaning it had fairly good color and shape. Also the pollinating pumpkin has already produced 1 HDA winner already.

4/4/2016 8:12:50 AM

Western NY

Hey Steve, Make sure you practice germination with some of those other seeds before you start the ones you want to grow and like jlindley said you can self it if you only end up with 1 plant.

4/4/2016 8:36:19 PM

Colorado

I second that 1659 miller!!

4/4/2016 9:50:21 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

orange, orange, orange...oops, maybe there is another candidate in the mail.....

4/4/2016 10:41:44 PM

Pooler, GA

Thanks guys! I also must note, bnot is sending me a few very awesome seeds to add to my list. I can't wait!

4/5/2016 2:11:24 PM