As the weather gets colder, winter squash and pumpkins take the spotlight in the garden and kitchen. If you’re serving up some pumpkin spice waffles, baking pies, or roasting butternuts this season, it’s a good time to think about what winter squash you want to grow next season. While we love the classics, there’s more out there than the butternuts and acorns you see on everyone’s Thanksgiving shopping list. Consider some of these unique winter squash and pumpkins as you plan for next year.

What’s the Difference?

Our winter squash, pumpkin, and summer squash varieties are all in the cucurbit family, but they fall into a few different species and even more varieties. Here’s the species you’ll find in the seed catalog.

Curcurbita pepo: Most zucchini and summer squash are of this species. Winter squash varieties do not store well and are best eaten within a few months of harvest, but also need less time curing to sweeten up. Best planted in monthly successions throughout the summer because of vine borer susceptibility. If you have trouble growing these squash, try luffa gourds or Tromboncino summer squash as a substitute for zucchini.

C. maxima: Often quite large-growing, this species generally keeps well in storage, from a few months to a year or more, depending on the variety. Fine-textured flesh and very good flavor. May be tender and sensitive to wilt, as well as vine borers and other insect pests. These are a good choice where nights are cool.

C. moschata: Excellent keepers, with flavorful, sweet flesh that is often fragrant. Well-suited for pies and cakes, though they are often just baked or boiled. Good resistance to vine borers and cucumber beetles once the plants are beyond the seedling stage. During the growing season, these plants need night temperatures above 60°F to grow well.

C. mixta: (Also know as C. argyrosperma) is a traditional Southern crop, though its popularity has diminished. The somewhat coarse flesh is typically not as sweet as maximas and moschatas, though it is well-suited to savory dishes or may be sweetened. Many are grown for the large, flavorful seeds, perfect for roasting. Like moschatas, they have good resistance to vine borers and cucumber beetles. Excellent drought tolerance.

A note on pumpkins: Pumpkin is the word used to describe a pumpkin-shaped squash, but there are many colors, sizes, and types of pumpkins in the different squash species. Generally, Halloween pumpkins for carving are pepo types. The best-flavored pumpkins are maxima and moschata types. The most bug-resistant pumpkins are moschata types.

Exceptional Varieties to Try Next Season

We currently offer 28 winter squash and pumpkin varieties at Southern Exposure. Here are a few of our favorites to try.

The Prize-Winner: Big Max Pumpkin

Big Max has earned its name! These girthy pumpkins often grow up to 100 pounds under the right conditions. They’re a classic favorite for competing at the county fair or creating magnificent jack-o’-lanterns for the front porch.

But Big Max isn’t just for looks! These pumpkins feature orange flesh that’s perfect for pies and other autumn favorites.

Big Max Pumpkin Seeds

 

The Long-Keeper: Seminole Pumpkin

Winter squash is known as a good storage crop, but not all of them are created equal! When it comes to storage, the Seminole pumpkin is basically unmatched. It keeps for up to 1 year at room temperature! The fruits are small, averaging just 6 inches in diameter, but have deep orange firm flesh that’s sweeter than butternut. It’s also tasty when picked young as a summer squash.

Seminole is also an excellent choice for growers in hot, humid, disease-prone areas. It has excellent downy mildew resistance and is resistant to vine borers. Just keep in mind, Seminole does best with ample water when young and plenty of room to roam.

Seminole Pumpkin Seeds

 

The Hardy One: Magic Cushaw Winter Squash

Seed keepers found this magical cucurbit growing in a Georgia swamp! Rag & Frass Farm and The Little Farm have been growing and stewarding this variety for over 10 years.

“We named it Magic Cushaw because it is so good and always pulls through, resistant to most everything, and now it is the only winter squash we grow,” writes grower Julia Asherman

Magic Cushaw features an amazing mix of shapes and sizes–round and oval and cheese-type pumpkins, plus long-necked ones. The fruits are 5 to 30 pounds, mostly tan, and some green. They have bright orange flesh with a sweet flavor and tender skin. Magic cushaw stores well.

Magic Cushaw Winter Squash Seeds

 

The Sweet Appalachian Heirloom: North Georgia Candy Roaster Winter Squash

If you visited a Thanksgiving feast in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1900s, you might not have found pumpkin pie on the table. “Candy roaster pie” was the classic favorite for much of the mountain south.

This North Georgia heirloom is a rare variety that produces banana-shaped fruits up to 18 inches long and 6 inches wide with pink with blue tips. The fruits have smooth, sweet orange flesh.

Oregon’s “Eat Winter Squash” project found the North Georgia Candy Roaster to be one of the tastiest, most productive, and best storing winter squashes–see this link!

North Georgia Candy Roaster Winter Squash Seeds

 

The Space Saver: Burpee’s Butterbush Winter Squash

Small garden? No problem. Burpee’s Butterbush offers sweet butternut flavor in a smaller package. Most plants are bush-like; some have short runners.

The fruits are easier and smaller than Waltham Butternut and may even be better tasting! The plants each produce about 3 to 6 1½ pound fruits with sweet orange flesh.

Burpee’s Butterbush Winter Squash Seeds

How to Avoid Common Winter Squash Problems

Winter squash and pumpkins are easy to grow, but aren’t immune to problems. Here are a few common issues we see in growing winter squash and how to correct them.

Downy Mildew

Downy mildew can be a huge issue for growers in the Southeast’s hot, humid summers. It’s a fungus-like organism that can reduce yields, cause misshapen fruit, and shorten the life of plants. Most fungicides are ineffective against downy mildew as it isn’t a true fungus.

Crop rotation can help reduce downy mildew pressure, but growers who struggle with it should also select disease-resistant cultivars. A few great options include Green-Striped Cushaw (Striped Crookneck) Winter Squash, Seminole Pumpkin, South Anna Butternut Winter Squash, and Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin.

Pest Issues

Unfortunately, there are several pests that enjoy feeding on winter squash and pumpkins, like squash bugs (Anasa tristis), striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum), spotted cucumber beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata), and squash vine borers (Melittia cucurbitae).

Proper crop rotation, cleaning up plant debris each fall, and encouraging beneficial insects can all help reduce pest pressure. In hard-hit areas, you can also use floating row cover to keep them away from your plants or select resistant cultivars. Waltham Butternut Winter Squash, Seminole Pumpkin, and Green-Striped Cushaw all have good vine borer resistance.

Poor Storage

If you want winter squash to last, you must harvest it when it’s fully ripe, allow it to cure for 7 to 10 days, and store it properly. For more information, visit our Guide to Harvesting and Curing Winter Squash and Pumpkins.

How long your squash will keep also depends on what variety you choose and can range from 2 to 12 months. If you’re looking for a cultivar that keeps well, consider Seminole Pumpkin (1 year), Tahitian Melon Winter Squash (9 months), Tan Cheese Pumpkin (1 year), or South Anna Butternut Winter Squash (6 months).

Shallots are the small, sweet cousins of bulb onions. They’re elongated in shape and feature a milder, sweeter, more refined flavor than many of our bulb onions. They’re a speciality in French cuisine and are delicious raw, roasted, sautéed, or pickled. Unlike bulb onions, shallots are perennial, and we start them in the fall from sets.

Soil Preparation

Shallots will grow in a range of soil types, but do best in loose, well-drained soil like sandy loam. Unfortunately, most gardeners aren’t blessed with this ideal soil, so the important thing is to focus on soil structure. Work to add organic matter to the soil by adding amendments like compost, aged manure, well-rotted sawdust, or peat moss. In areas with poor, soggy soil, raised beds are another excellent option.

If you have time, you can also add organic matter by growing cover crops like buckwheat during the summer.

When to Plant Shallots

You can plant shallot bulbs in the spring or fall, but you will have significantly reduced yields from spring planting. However, a harsh winter may kill fall-planted bulbs, especially if you plant them improperly or fail to protect them. We strongly recommend holding some bulbs for spring planting as insurance against losing your planting stock. If you plant in both spring and fall, plant the largest bulbs in the fall and save the smaller bulbs for spring.

Fall planting: In areas with mild-to-moderate winter weather such as Virginia, plant shallots from mid- October until about mid-December. Planting too early encourages disease and damage from rodents. Planting too late prevents the roots from becoming established before winter. 

We plant large bulbs earlier, and small bulbs later. Early to mid-November is usually the best planting time. Farther north or in mountainous areas, plant at least 2 to 3 weeks earlier. In warmer areas, plant 2 to 3 weeks later. Fall-planted onions will often grow enough to produce green onions for mid-December harvest. This top growth may be winter-killed, but growth will resume in the spring.

Spring planting: Plant as soon as the soil can be worked (often late winter). Spring-planted bulbs may mature 1 to 2 weeks later than fall-planted bulbs. Shallots are less likely to bolt if spring-planted, but yields will be smaller.

How to Plant Shallots

Fall Planting: In Virginia and further south, plant shallots with ½–1 inch of soil above the bulbs. Adding a 2-to 3-inch layer of mulch controls weeds and protects against temperature extremes.

We recommend deeper planting in mountainous areas and northern latitudes. Plant bulbs in rows with soil hilled 2 to 5 inches deep. In spring, scrape away some of the soil; otherwise the bulbs will elongate and may not store well. Scrape the soil carefully to avoid exposing the shallow roots. Use 4 to 8 inches of straw mulch in extreme northern areas, but remove it promptly with the arrival of the first spring thaws. 

Well-mulched plantings can be shallower than the recommended depths, provided that the mulch is deep and a snow cover develops.

Spring Planting: Plant shallots shallow with about 1/3 of the bulb above the soil. Plant small bulbs (less than 1 inch diameter) so that the soil barely covers the bulb.

Watering and Weeding

Maintenance is critical if you want a large harvest. Alliums, including shallots, don’t tolerate weed pressure well at all. Letting your garden get weedy can significantly reduce yields, so we recommend keeping them well-mulched during the growing season.

The same goes for watering. You need to keep the soil consistently moist for good production. If the soil dries out just once, growth will be arrested, resulting in smaller bulbs and reduced yields. Heavy mulch between rows and plants will conserve moisture and control weeds. Keep well weeded: alliums and weeds don’t mix!

In the last two weeks before harvest, discontinue watering and pull back the mulch to allow the bulbs to dry. This will prevent rotting and allow the skins to harden.

Pest and Disease Issues

Rotate your shallots to new beds when possible to reduce pest and disease problems. Like other alliums, shallots are susceptible to disease issues like Fusarium basal rot, white rot, and Botrytis neck rot and pests like onion thrips. Rotating your crops and planting in well-drained soil can help prevent these issues.

Harvest

Harvest dates vary. In Virginia, we harvest shallots from late May through June, but harvest dates vary from year to year according to the weather, and also depend on if you planted in the fall or spring.

The shallot leaves will wilt when they’re ready to harvest. Use a fork to gently lift the bulbs from the soil. If the soil is too hard and dry, lightly irrigate the night before harvesting. Handle the shallots gently at this stage. The bulbs have a high water content after harvest and are easy to bruise and susceptible to rot.

Curing

Spread them out in a single layer to cure somewhere warm and dry for 3 weeks to 2 months before storing. Curing allows the skins to dry and toughen and improves the shallot’s flavor. Especially in humid climates, using a fan to circulate the air is a good idea.

Once curing is complete and the skins feel dry and papery, gently brush off any dirt and trim the tops.

Storing Shallots

Shallots will keep for several months when stored properly. Ideal conditions are a temperature between either 32–40°F or 50–70°F with 60–70% humidity. They will sprout prematurely if kept between 40–50°F (the temperature of many refrigerators). 

You can use an unheated room in your house, a root cellar, your garage, etc. Maintain good air circulation. Most varieties store reasonably well in a cool room if hung from the ceiling in mesh bags, or spread on shelves in a layer less than 4 inches deep. Inspect shallots once a month or more often. Remove bulbs which have sprouted or spoiled, or else the whole batch may spoil.