Hi, I did reply on the other thread but I don't think I saw your question until some days after you posted, so I guess you didn't see my reply. Anyway, cut-and-pasted here from the other thread...

To reply to the question in the initial post in this thread... I start my pumpkins just before a stretch of forecast sunny warm weather in late May. I sprout the seeds indoors kind of like bean sprouts... put them in a plastic tub like an old sour cream container, cover with a j-cloth held on with a rubber band, then wet and drain the seeds several times per day. At a constant indoor temp of 20 or 22 degrees they usually start to sprout in 2-4 days (might take longer if your seeds are old and some varieties take longer than others). So I set up my jars about 3 days before a forecast stretch of warm weather, then the just-sprouted seeds are ready to plant when the warm weather hits. For the first month or so I grow them under mini-greenhouse tents (about 6' long by 3' wide, almost like rowcovers but different, they were sold by Vesey's some years ago). I keep them under the mini-greenhouses until they fill them up, usually by late June, then I remove the cover and let them grow in the open. When they start to bloom, I hand-pollinate until I'm good and sure the bees have found the flowers. Sounds like an effort I guess, but I quite enjoy fussing over them, so it's more fun than anything else.

Sorry DON. Not only can I not read but I can't type either! I appreciate you replying twice! :)In fact, I didn't see a few other posts! Too much time in the house I guess. I went outside today and moved a few things around so I got my share of sun and weather. Sounds like we might have a little winter tonight and tomorrow. :)

If we didn't like fussing, we wouldn't have great gardens now would we! I think Dad was just dropped off by aliens cause he was born green all over! I don't ever remember him hand pollinating anything but we probably had more bees back then. Lol!

I always plant flowers in the garden to attract bees but I can always do some hand pollinting as well. It's always fun. I'm like a big kid in the garden. :)

I guess I have been readying them the right way and I have started them in peat plugs in the house a couple of times. I really just need new soil and a new garden area. I can live with that. :)

Thanks again for your expertise. Always glad to share seeds too!

Ginny