Cucurbita pepo var pepo

Pumpkin

Herbaceous tendril-bearing annual with prominently lobed, triangular to ovate triangular leaves. Stems and petioles are prickly. Large, yellow, flowers with erect corrolla lobes. Fruit is usually orange and occurs in a variety of shapes and sizes. There is considerable variation in growth habit, depending upon the variety.

Uses

Harvest when fruit stem begins to shrivel. Ensure the stem remains attached to the fruit as this will prolong storage life. Store between 0-13 degrees C. Can be boiled, baked or used in soups. Vegetable.

Culture

Requires a sunny, frost-free position. Grows best at temperatures above 25 degrees C. Requires large space for growth. Has high nutrient requirements. Apply animal manures and liquid fertiliser will encourage fruit development. Soil pH between 5.5-7.5 Plant seed after frosts have finished. Pest problems include mites, vine borer, aphis, bugs and nematodes. Disease problems include anthracnose, damping off, downy mildew, powdery mildew, blights, fruit rots, wilts and virus. Runners are pinched back to promote side shoots that are more likely to develop female flowers. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/sustainable/peet/profiles/c16squas.html

Propagation

No information available at this time...

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