Did you grow pumpkins this year?
One big success in the Foodscape this summer has been the Seminole Pumpkins! Thanks to the Florida Master Gardeners who told me about this awesome variety and shared this seed with me back in May!
Seminole pumpkins are a cultivated variety of Cucurbita moschata, a heat tolerant species which includes butternut squash. In contrast, the traditional jack-o-lantern pumpkin is Cucurbita pepo. As with all plants, the knowing the species makes a big difference!
They grow in a variety of different shapes and colors with mature fruits growing 6-12lbs! Yes, they are edible! There is nothing wrong with pumpkins for decoration, but if you are going through the “trouble” of growing them, why wouldn’t you at least try to eat one?! These have orange flesh and taste like an extra sweet butternut squash.
Young, green fruits can be harvested and eaten like a zucchini! I plan to harvest most of my immature fruit to make a delicious stir fry. The large yellow flowers are also edible, and can be eaten raw, stuffed, or fried.
The productive vines grow 25 + feet- I swear mine are close yo 50’. The Seminole people planted the vines below trees which served as natural trellises, which is exactly what has happened in my garden!
Disease and insect free, including root knot nematodes- words I never thought I’d utter regarding a curcubit. These plants require little maintenance and do not suffer from disease and pests the way other squashes and pumpkins do.
I direct seeded these late- like in July- and yet I’m still getting fruit. My recommendation is to plant them a bit earlier to maximize harvests, especially if you live north of zone 7.
