PUMPKIN BUTTERNUT

Botanical Name: Cucurbita moschata

Very versatile with a sweet nutty taste. The squat club-shaped fruits have bright orange flesh and few seeds so there is little waste. Semi-bush habit. Delicious as a roast or steamed vegetable or as an alternative to pumpkin in pies, roasts or soups.

How To Grow:
Sow seeds in clumps of 3-5 seeds, spacing each clump 60cm apart. Place the seeds on their edges to ensure they don’t rot and keep moist. Soil must be warmed. Thin to the strongest seedling in each group when they emerge. Provide liquid feeds and if needed, hand pollinate the female flowers. Harvest when the stalks become dry. For earlier crops, sow indoors in pots of compost. Keep moist. Harden the young plants off in October and plant out 60cm apart in December. Fruits store for 3-4 months if kept dry and uninjured.

When To Plant: Spring.
Harvest: Late Summer to Autumn.
Sow: Spring
Important Note: These seeds may be treated with a fungicide (Thiram or Apron XL), do not eat the seeds or feed them to animals. Fungicide treatment is an AQIS requirement for certain varieties of seeds. It does not affect your crops or harm insects such as bees. If your packet has been treated it will be well marked with a warning and the seeds will be dyed a distinct colour.