How to Tell If a Pumpkin Has a Lot of Seeds

Some basic knowledge can help you gauge which pumpkins might have more seeds inside.

Every year just before Halloween families go searching for that perfect pumpkin. With enough ingenuity, a creative group can come up with endless uses for a pumpkin. Besides just making a jack-o-lantern or pumpkin pie, many people now also eat the seeds or use them to grow more pumpkins. According to All About Pumpkins.com, "The average pumpkin contains about a cup of seeds," so you shouldn't fret too much over finding a pumpkin with more than normal.

Instructions

1. Look for larger pumpkins, regardless of their variety. In general, bigger pumpkins will have more space inside which means the chance for more seeds. But smaller pumpkins are often more dense.

2. Pick up the pumpkin by its sides with both hands. Feel for extra heavy pumpkins with more guts and seeds inside. Continue testing out many pumpkins for weight.

3. Slice into a few to get a feel for how many seeds a variety has. Once you've identified a certain type of pumpkin by color or size you may be better at judging the potential amount of seeds.

4. Find pumpkins with more lines on the skin. In many cases this is closely tied to the number of seeds a pumpkin contains.

5. Locate varieties such as those labeled "Giants" because they often contain more innards and seeds . Also search for pumpkins specifically bred for their seeds. Some have been engineered by humans to be seedless, so ask around at the farm or garden and avoid these man made types without seeds.

Tips & Warnings

• There are no hard and fast rules for guessing at the number of seeds, most will contain a similar number.

References

• All About Pumpkins: FAQ