Growing a square pumpkin is fun and a great way to get kids interested in gardening. (Note: The process is the same for growing watermelon and gourds into a cube or “square shape” as well.)
Can pumpkins be different shapes?
Welcome to Cucurbita, the genus of pumpkins, squashes, and some gourds, the edible and ornamental fruits of fall. Once you recognize the variety of shapes and sizes, all kinds of decorative possibilities open up.
Can you shape pumpkins as they grow?
Growing pumpkins in molds allows for virtually any shape you dream up, but a good starter shape is a simple cube. Good materials to use are wood, tempered glass, or sturdy plastic. You can make your own mold, buy a commercial one, or repurpose any hollow, sturdy containers you might have.
How many types of pumpkins are there?
By some counts, there are over 150 separate species of pumpkin plants and many hundreds of varieties of every shape, color, and size you can imagine.
What type of pumpkins are there?
Master List of Pumpkin Varieties for cooking, pies. carving and decoration
| Pumpkin Variety Name | Best uses | Seed Suppliers |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Hubbard | eating, Great for pumpkin pies | |
| Blue Jarrahdale | eating, decor | Burpee |
| Buckskin | Eating | Urban Farmer |
| Butternut Squash | eating – Makes excellent pumpkin pies |
What is a Cinderella pumpkin?
Cinderella pumpkins are a type of winter squash with a mild, sweet flavor and moist texture that makes them great for soups, sauces, purees, and curries. They can be roasted, baked and steamed, and used for ornamental purposes.
Are all pumpkins round?
Shape: Pumpkins aren’t just round. They can be squat, tall, long, uneven, etc. Texture: Glide your fingers across the pumpkin’s skin.
Can pumpkins be trellised?
Small pumpkin varieties, like Baby Boo or Hooligan, will do OK on any type of trellis. Larger pumpkins, however, may need a little more support. For medium or large pumpkins, pick an A-frame or similar style of trellis. If you plan on growing pumpkins that tend toward 5 pounds or more, they may need even more support.
Do pumpkins need support?
After planting, pumpkins and squash plants will rapidly put on growth. Depending on space, either let them trail over the ground or train them up a support. Stems touching the ground can be pegged down to encourage them to root down into the soil.
Can you train pumpkin vines?
Train pumpkin vines to grow straight out from the planting site. Avoid crossing the runners, as this creates overcrowding and allows for better access to the plant for maintenance. Tertiary vines grow off the secondary vines. We recommend pruning these, to promote growth to the fruit, versus plant growth.
What are the flat pumpkins called?
‘Flat White Boer Ford‘ appears exactly as its name indicates, featuring a flattened shape and white rind. These pumpkins grow wider than tall and are perfect for adding a diverse look to a porch when paired with other pumpkin varieties. ‘Flat White Boer Ford’ also keeps well so should last through the season.
What pumpkins are not edible?
Which part of the pumpkin can I eat? You can eat all of the pumpkin – except for its stalk. Whether you can eat the skin or not depends on the variety. Smaller varieties such as onion squash have deliciously edible skin, the skin of larger varieties may be too tough to eat or less than appealing.
What is a Casper pumpkin?
The Casper Pumpkin is a white skinned ornamental pumpkin with a thick orange flesh that is of excellent eating quality. This variety grows to be 9-12 inches in diameter and 10-16 pounds. Casper’s handle is tan with a corky texture and its skin has less bluing than many other white varieties.
Are there poisonous pumpkins?
Pumpkins, and other members of the squash family (marrows, courgettes, cucumbers, squashes etc.) can, if cross-fertilised with wild members of the family or with ornamental gourds, produce seeds which will grow into poisonous plants, giving rise to “toxic squash syndrome” if eaten.
Are ghost pumpkins edible?
The white rind adds a bit of ghostly Halloween mystique, especially when lit by candle-light from within. Even though these naturally white orbs may look different than the typical Jack-O-Lantern, they are quite similar. The inside or flesh is orange (and edible) just like an orange skinned pumpkin.
Are blue pumpkins real?
There are many different varieties of Blue pumpkins including Queensland Blue, Australian Blue, Jarrahdale, Blue Doll, Blue Moon, and Blue Lakota. Blue pumpkins are extremely popular in Australia and New Zealand where they are prized as a cooking pumpkin because of their thick flesh and superior flavor.
What is a French pumpkin?
These pumpkins are smaller than the giant Halloween pumpkins here in the States, but slightly larger than the petite pie pumpkins we usually buy. They are richly orange – much darker in color inside than the yellow pumpkins here. We loved the flavor of this pumpkin so much.
What are cheese pumpkins?
It’s a squatter squash, with a beige hue, called a cheese pumpkin. It can bake in the oven for a creamy side dish for your dinner table this fall. The following recipe calls for only a few ingredients to transform the cheese pumpkin into a decadent roasted side dish.
What do you turn into after midnight?
To have to return home or go to bed due to the late hour of the night. (Usually used as a present participle, the phrase is a reference to the story of Cinderella, whose magic carriage turned into a pumpkin at midnight.)
What is a Kent pumpkin?
Kent Pumpkin
Also known as Jap pumpkin, they have a smooth green skin with yellow and brown patches. They have a longer growing time compared to butternut pumpkins and often weigh around 4kg. They have a sweet flavour and are good in salads and quiches.
What is a fairytale pumpkin?
Fairytale is a traditional pumpkin variety from the south of France. This gorgeous, big flat fruit is heavily ribbed and looks similar to large wheels of cheese. This pumpkin averages 20 lbs. and ripens to a rich brown when fully ripe. The deep orange flesh is very fine grained, one of the best for baking!
Gerardo Gonzalez loves cooking. He became interested in it at a young age, and has been honing his skills ever since. He enjoys experimenting with new recipes, and is always looking for ways to improve his technique.
Gerardo’s friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of his delicious cooking. They always enjoy trying out his latest creations, and often give him feedback on how he can make them even better. Gerardo takes their input to heart, and uses it to continue refining his culinary skills.