So I opened up a pumpkin and found it had started sprouting. I’m wondering if there’s any way to keep these little guys going or if it’s a lost cause.
These plants get huge, and growing them indoors over winter can be a real challenge. They likely won’t fruit inside and might not even be edible if they do grow!
Marlow said:
These plants get huge, and growing them indoors over winter can be a real challenge. They likely won’t fruit inside and might not even be edible if they do grow!
Do you think this pumpkin is safe to eat? 
I roasted it thinking it was edible since I got it from the produce section at Walmart.
@Reilly
It should be fine! The seeds sprouting just means it’s been stored at different temperatures a few times. As long as it doesn’t smell funky, it should be good to go.
Storm said:
@Reilly
It should be fine! The seeds sprouting just means it’s been stored at different temperatures a few times. As long as it doesn’t smell funky, it should be good to go.
It tastes kinda bitter… is that normal?
@Reilly
Just checked—guess bitterness isn’t a good sign. 
Reilly said:
@Reilly
Just checked—guess bitterness isn’t a good sign.
A lot of pumpkins sold this time of year are just for decoration, not for eating.
Reilly said:
@Reilly
Just checked—guess bitterness isn’t a good sign.
A lot of pumpkins sold this time of year are just for decoration, not for eating.
Ugh, I thought produce meant edible! What a waste of time and money.
@Reilly
Was it labeled as a sugar pumpkin? Those are usually the edible ones. Regular pumpkins can be tasteless or bitter unless they’re a specific cooking variety.
Harlem said:
@Reilly
Was it labeled as a sugar pumpkin? Those are usually the edible ones. Regular pumpkins can be tasteless or bitter unless they’re a specific cooking variety.
It was just in a big bin marked ‘pumpkins’ with others nearby labeled ‘pie pumpkins.’ I picked up one of those too, so maybe I’ll try that one!
@Reilly
The pie or sugar pumpkins are the ones you want for cooking. They have a smaller, rounder stem compared to carving pumpkins.
You could try potting them in moist soil and putting them by a sunny window or under a light. They’ll probably get a bit leggy over winter, though. It might be easier just to save some seeds for planting in the spring.
Honestly, even with grow lights, these won’t thrive indoors. The vines get huge and will likely try to root into anything they touch. Plus, unless you have bees in your living room, they won’t get pollinated to fruit.
TL;DR: It’s a fun idea but probably not realistic indoors.
@Storm
Got it! Thanks for the info.
You don’t! Just save the seeds and start fresh in spring.
Emory said:
You don’t! Just save the seeds and start fresh in spring.
Why not just use the seeds you already have?
I’d just save the unsprouted seeds and plant them when the time is right.
Nice accidental pumpkin poetry you got there!
Best method: toss one seed somewhere random and forget about it. Come spring, you’ll have a wild pumpkin vine sprouting where you least expect it!
Water, soil, sunlight. Step 1: put it in soil. Step 2: water it. Step 3: give it sunlight.