Pumpkin

Pumpkin Overview

Pumpkins are produced from plants in the Cucurbita genus, specifically cultivars of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita argyrosperma, and Cucurbita moschata. These plants are all from the Cucurbitaceae family and they are all commonly known as Winter Squash. The genus Cucurbita contains some of the fastest-growing vegetable plants, which produce staple foods such as Pumpkin, Squash, Marrow and Courgette. They come in all shapes and sizes, from traditional Halloween Pumpkins and Butternut Squash to more unusual varieties such as ‘Turk’s Turban’ and ‘Crown Prince’. Fun to grow, these trailing vine species need full sun, plenty of water and rich soil. Seeds are planted in spring, male flowers will bloom first, followed by female flowers (farmers use bees to help pollinate, so they can harvest a good crop) and they are harvested from summer to autumn. Pumpkins and Squash in particular, can become very heavy, so they benefit from being grown up a sturdy support structure. As a food, they're very versatile and can be roasted, used in stews and curries or blended to make a delicious autumn soup.