PUMPKIN WHANGAPAROA

Botanical Name: Cucurbita maxima

Great tasting and stores well, ideal for roasting. Hand pollinate female flowers for greater results. Harvest when vine begins to die and fruit stalks are dry and brittle.

A popular heirloom variety, thin grey skin and deep orange flesh. Excellent keeping qualities.

How To Grow:
Sow 12mm deep direct in final position when soil has warmed up. Sow 2 seeds in clumps, later thinning to the strongest seedlings. Allow 60cm between clumps. For early crops, sow in punnets or trays, planting out when strong enough. Soil should not be over fertilised to avoid excessive leaf growth. Keep well watered. When young plants have 5 or 6 leaves pinch out their growing tips to encourage side shoots. Seedlings emerge 6-10 days.

When To Plant:
South Island: Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
North Island: Jan, Feb, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Harvest: 16-18 weeks
Sow: Spring, Summer
Soil Type: well drained
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.