ABOUT PUMPKINS
The benefits and joys of growing, preparing and cooking pumpkins, including what to grow, when and how to plant, what to watch for, how to harvest and store, how to grow giant pumpkins, recipes.
KITCHEN GARDEN
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By Sara Pacher
A vegetable of many virtues.
A pumpkin isn't always a pumpkin — sometimes it's a
squash. The huge Big Max, for example, is technically a
squash but is often a winner in pumpkin contests, while the
cushaw, resembling a crookneck, is actually a pumpkin. It's
no wonder it's hard to distinguish between pumpkins and
winter squash; varieties of both are found distributed
among four species of the Cucurbita genus: C
maxima , C. pepo , C. moshata and
C. mixta . Pumpkins are generally more sensitive
to frost than squash are and also to soaring summer
temperatures. Since they tolerate semi-shade, they're often
planted in the corn patch — a good way to conserve
premium garden space.
While lack of space may be the main reason gardeners bypass
the pumpkin, many growers also feel that a few
jack-o'-lanterns and pumpkin pies don't justify the effort
of raising this vegetable. What they haven't caught on to
is that the versatile pumpkin can be made into a generous
assortment of delicious soups, breads, cakes, puddings,
pickles, salads and main dishes. In addition, the
protein-rich seeds are a nutritious and tasty snack and can
be used as garnish for soups and salads. (In some parts of
the world, pumpkinseeds are considered beneficial to the
prostate and are eaten by men to increase sexual potency.)
Pumpkin flowers are also edible. They can add color to
salads or be dipped in batter and fried. (One of the
largest collections of fresh pumpkin recipes can be found
in Pumpkin Happy by Erik Knud-Hansen, a former
crew member of the Clearwater, the Hudson River
sloop dedicated to environmental causes. The booklet is
available from The Clearwater, 112 Market St.,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, for $3.50 postpaid, and proceeds go
to the Hudson River Sloop Restoration project.)
Like corn, tomatoes and potatoes, pumpkins are native to
America and are thought to have been cultivated in Mexico
and Central America as long as 5,000 years ago. They were a
staple of the Indians in this country for several centuries
before the Europeans arrived.
What to Grow
It's important to choose a pumpkin variety that will fit
the size of your garden and suit your purposes as well. If,
for example, space is limited, pick a compact bush variety,
such as Cinderella, which matures in 95 days, produces
10-inch fruits (not much bigger than summer squash) and
requires about three feet by three feet of space. Its only
drawback is that it doesn't seem to keep as well as vining
types. Spirit, a semibush type good for both cooking and
carving, requires a four- to five-foot growing circle and
yields smooth, 10- to 15-pound fruits in approximately 100
days.
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