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PUMPKINS 

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A pumpkin is, by definition, a round orange winter squash.

Pumpkins

We specialize in heirloom vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. Look here for vegetables bred in a day when taste was the primary selecting criteria. This is the place to go if you want to grow the best tomatoes you ever tasted!
[ Connecticut Field PUMPKIN  5g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Connecticut Field PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Connecticut Field PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. pepo): (Big Tom, Yankee Cow Pumpkin)110 days. [Pre-1700 cultivar of Native Americans origin.] 'Connecticut Field' is still the most popular variety of large Halloween pumpkins. Fruits range from 15 to 20 lbs., are bright orange, slightly ribbed, and non- uniform in shape and size. Good for c ...
 
[ Small Sugar PUMPKIN  5g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Small Sugar PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Small Sugar PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. pepo): 100 days [Pre- 1860] 'Small Sugar' is a traditional favorite of home gardeners. Its dry sweet flesh is high in solids and low in stringiness. Orange fruits are round and weigh 6 to 8 lbs. Pkt ...
 
Small Sugar PUMPKIN 28g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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Big Max PUMPKIN 6g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. maxima): 115 days. Extra large pumpkin often grown for county fairs and Halloween. Weighs up to 100 lbs. or more when well grown. Fruits are bright orange with orange flesh good for pies. Pkt. (6 g ...
 
[ Rouge Vif D'Étampes (Cinderella) PUMPKIN  4g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Rouge Vif D'Étampes (Cinderella) PUMPKIN 4g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Rouge Vif D'Étampes (Cinderella) PUMPKIN 4g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. maxima) 110 days [French heirloom, arrived in the US 1883.] Beautiful reddish-orange skin (Rouge Vif is French for "deep red"). Deeply ribbed, flattened pumpkin. 12-35 lb fruits grow 6" X 19." Good for pies, and a great ornamental. Pkt. (4 g ...
 
[ Old Fashioned Tennessee Vining Pumpkin PUMPKIN  4g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Old Fashioned Tennessee Vining Pumpkin PUMPKIN 4g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Old Fashioned Tennessee Vining Pumpkin PUMPKIN 4g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. moschata): [Introduced 1988 by SESE.] Oval-shaped pumpkin squash averaging 12 to 15 lbs, ripening to a tan color. Flesh is deep orange. Vines are resistant to squash vine borer. Pkt. (4 g ...
 
[ Seminole PUMPKIN  3g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Seminole PUMPKIN 3g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Seminole PUMPKIN 3g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. moschata): 95 days. [Cultivated in Florida by the Seminole Indians in the 1500s.] Keeps up to 1 year at room temperature! Fruits are sweeter than 'Butternut' and have a firm, deep-orange flesh. Large vines bear bell-shaped buff-colored fruits averaging 7" in diameter. Resistant to vine borers. ...
 
[ Tan Cheese PUMPKIN  5g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Tan Cheese PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Tan Cheese PUMPKIN 5g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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(C. moschata): 110 days. [Pre-1824 heirloom, one of the oldest varieties cultivated.] Cheese pumpkins are hardy, productive, and superior to most field pumpkins. They have a unique smooth tan skin, moderately deep ribs, a deep orange sweet flesh, and are good keepers. Fruits are medium-large, about ...
 
[ Tan Cheese PUMPKIN  28g seed, USDA Certified Organic ]
Tan Cheese PUMPKIN 28g seed, USDA Certified Organic
Tan Cheese PUMPKIN 28g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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Seminole PUMPKIN 28g seed, USDA Certified Organic
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CULTURE: Culture of squash and pumpkins is similar to that of cantaloupe and cucumber, also members of the squash family. Squash and pumpkins require warm days and warm nights to mature properly. Sow seeds 1/2 to 1” deep. Bush varieties should be spaced 18 to 30” apart in rows 4’ apart or 6 to 8 seeds per hill, in hills 4’ equidistant. Vining varieties are planted in rows or hills 6 to 8’ apart. Keep soil moisture high by mulching, but do not apply organic mulch until the days are warm. HARVESTING WINTER SQUASH (including Pumpkins): Winter squash is ready for harvest when the rind loses its shiny luster, becomes duller, and can no longer be dented by a fingernail. After fruits have matured 10 to 15 days past the ripe stage, harvest by cutting stems 1” above the fruit. Do not allow fruits to become frosted. Store at 45- 60oF (7-16oC) and maintain good air circulation. DISEASES: Squash is affected by downy and powdery mildew, and bacterial wilt. (See Cucumbers section.) To prevent blossom-end rot, maintain an even supply of moisture. INSECT PESTS: Use pyrethrum or sabadilla to control cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Destroy eggs of squash bug by hand, or deposit eggs in a jar of soapy water. To trap squash bugs, place boards around base of plants. Squash bugs will hide under the boards at night and can be collected in the morning. Vine borers can be cut out of stems by making a cut along the length of the stem and removing larvae of the borers. Some additional protection from borers may be obtained by applying rotenone around the base of the plant. For non-resistant varieties of squash a succession of plantings may be required. Use resistant varieties where possible. SEED SAVERS: There are four species of pumpkins and squash. The species name is usually indicated in parentheses beside the name of each variety. Crossing occurs easily within a species and rarely between species. Isolate varieties of the same species by a minimum of 1/8 mile if you save seed for home use. Pure seed requires hand pollination or a minimum isolation of 1/4 to 1 mile, depending on planting size. WINTER SQUASH PACKET: 3 to 5 g (about 22 to 47 seeds, average 31 seeds).

SESE’S GUIDE TO THE CULINARY AND CULTURAL QUALITIES OF SQUASH SPECIES

C. pepo: Pepo squash are usually eaten in the immature stage as summer squash because most varieties are not good keepers. Flesh is often mild flavored and usually prepared by boiling, baking, frying, or stir-frying. Quality of the flesh declines in storage and most varieties are best eaten within a month of harvest. Bush varieties of pepo are susceptible to vine borers and are best planted in succession.

C. maxima: Many members of this group grow quite large. They keep fairly well in storage, from a few months to a year or more, depending on the variety. The flesh has fine texture and very good flavor. Unfortunately, maxima plants are generally tender and sensitive to wilts, vine borers, and other insects.

C. moschata: Most moschatas are excellent keepers. Their flesh is usually orange in color, flavorful, sweet, and often fragrant. Moschatas are well-suited for pies and cakes, though they are often just baked or boiled. This group has good resistance to vine borers and cucumber beetles once the plants are beyond the seedling stage. During the growing season, moschatas need warm night temperatures above 60oF (16oC) to grow well.

C. mixta: Most mixtas have a long tradition of being grown in the south, though they are less popular than they were in former years. Flesh color is typically pale-yellow or cream-colored, somewhat coarse and they are not as sweet or flavorful as maximas and moschatas. They are often cooked with sweeteners such as brown sugar or baked with stuffing mixtures. South of the border, most mixtas are grown mainly for their flavorful large seeds that make great snacks. Like moschatas they have good resistance to vine borers and cucumber beetles. As a group they have the best drought tolerance.

 



This page was updated 03-01-2009.
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