Failure To Thrive

Over the years I have blogged about the best roasted pumpkin seeds in the world - both here and at the former Wauwatosa Blog.  This is no small deal - these seeds are the pumpkin seed equivalent of crack cocaine.  Absolutely addicting.

The problem lately has been obtaining enough gourds to get larger quantities of seed into the kitchen supply chain.  The 2016 and 2017 growing seasons were marked by an insufficient inventory of Kakai pumpkins largely a consequence of failure top thrive.  Poor seed germination.  I thought initially it was due to wet conditions or some sort of blight.  Or the unlikely possibility that I was doing something wrong.  Yet my pal Six Deuce was experiencing the same issues - dismal survivability.

There is this notation of the packet of the 2018 seeds - 30% more seeds as germination is below Federal standard at 61%.  Heck, until now I had no clue there was a Federal germination standard.  Jung Seed clearly stands by their product.  Bravo for them.

Hmmm.  Maybe something else is afoot?  Not operator error on the part of the gardener?  Just plain-old failure to germinate.





I planted two hills of kakai seeds - likely sixteen in all.  As of yesterday I had one successful sprout.

I replanted and will keep my fingers crossed.  Probably should do what my pal Six Deuce has been doing - starting the seeds indoors for transplanting...