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A mainly sunny sky. High 67F. Winds light and variable..

A mostly clear sky. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.

Autumn’s cooler days and nights, and leaves beginning to reveal their true colors, announce it is the start of Pumpkin Season. Pumpkins are no longer pumpkin orange, but all colors of the rainbow, in sizes and shapes imaginable. Beyond their usual use as pies, decorations or carving uses, they are valuable for their seed. In addition to saving seed for planting an heirloom, hard-to-find, or family hand-me-down variety, pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack.

Toasted pumpkin and other squash family seeds are a great, crunchy, and healthy snack that is easy to make. Pumpkin seeds are high in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, fiber, protein all while being very tasty an easy to make.

How to save seed: Remove all the seed), pulp, and strings. An ice cream scoop is the best tool. Place in a colander and continually rinse while separating the seed using a fork. Dry on a paper towel, select the largest seed(more apt to germinate) for planting and the rest for toasted snack seeds. Let the planting seeds dry for a week and store in an envelope in a cold dry location. Options: refrigerator back shelf or container with hole perforated lid to reduce condensation.

Plant seed when the soil is 65-96 degrees, ideally 70 degrees, usually early June. Plant 3’ apart and depending on the variety seed will germinate in 5-10 days.

To toast pumpkin seeds: Boil seed 10 minutes(optional) in salt water to plump the seed, dry, spread out on parchment paper, toss with sea salt and olive oil, preheat the oven at 375 degrees, and bake until golden brown(15-30 min.). Let cool and season. The seeds are crisper if seasoned after toasting. Seasoning is your preference — Mrs. Dash without salt, curry and brown sugar, cayenne and lemon zest, herbs, garlic, etc. Baking pumpkins provide better tasting toasted seeds than carving types.

Deep soak plants 2-3 times a week until rain provide adequate moisture.

Garden — Extend tulip bloom period by planting varieties in their bloom-time sequence. For sequence go to: Longfield-gardens.com/article/tulips-by-bloom-time. Dig ornamental sweet potato vine tubers, store in cool, dry location overwinter to replant after winter’s last frost. Leave some bare spots in the flower bed to provide shelter for bees preparing for winter. Bulbs require moisture but do not like wet feet. Work compost into clay soil to improve drainage and retain moisture as needed.

Houseplants — As Christmas cactus buds appear, gradually move into bright light, in a 60-65 degree location. Keep damp but water only when the soil surface is dry. Place on a pebble tray to increase humidity.

Leaf raking — When raking, protect your back by holding the rake in front of you, standing erect, and pulling it with you as you walk backwards. Pick up leaves with a wide plastic hand-held gatherer (Big Hand, Releaf, or Scoop). Reverse the leaf blower bag to vacuum and shred the leaves. Dump into a large plastic bag or loosely spread under shrubs. Purchase a collapsible barrel to hold the bag for ease of filling it ($20+ depending on size).

Trees — Protect newly planted trees from deer by placing a cage round the entire tree. Tomato cages are ideal for dwarf trees. Mulch to within 3” of the trunk. Keep well-watered through the winter.

Vegetables and fruit — Rake and compost fruit tree leaves. Leave the ground bare to expose insects to birds and freezing temperatures. Get a jump on tomato and bell peppers next spring. Overwinter grow a plant each in a 5-gallon container of peat, sand, and composted manure. After the last winter frost, plant in the garden for May harvest.

Oct. 8, 15 and 22 —, Huyck Farms, 3004 Cairo Rd, Paducah, 270-816-2412, huyckfarms.business.site.

October weekends until the 30th, “A-Maize-ing”, A-Maiz-ing Farms, 715 E. Broadway, Mayfield, 270-870-9707, funcornmaze.com.

Contact Carolyn Roof, the Sun’s gardening columnist at, carolynroof02@gmail.com.

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