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Post by richardw on Jul 11, 2013 0:37:40 GMT -5
What's the longest keeping varieties youve grown??.I'm looking at changing pumpkins for the coming spring so i want a good taster/long keeper
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Post by galina on Jul 11, 2013 6:06:50 GMT -5
The term 'pumpkin' suggests cucurbita pepo species to me. And none of the pepos keep that well. 3-5 months at most. For keepers I grow winter squash of the species cucurbita maxima. Buttercups or hubbards or the crown squashes, something like Crown Prince or Queensland Blue lasts easily for 5-9 months. Some will develop a blemish and need to be eaten before a soft spot becomes too large whatever the species. Cucurbita moschata species (butternuts and neck pumpkins) are also good keepers.
If you are after the longest keeping squashes go for cucurbita ficifolia - these last for 2 full years, but their white flesh and thready consistency is very different from traditional pumpkins or squashes.
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Post by raymondo on Jul 11, 2013 6:15:33 GMT -5
Perhaps NZ is like Australia. Here, pumpkin refers to any storage squash, whether Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata or C. pepo. Cucurbita mixta is virtually unknown here.
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Post by YoungAllotmenteer on Jul 11, 2013 13:33:23 GMT -5
I have a pumpkin (Green) I bought back from Kenya in November which has moved house with me once and still seems to be going strong, so thats 7 months coming up, I dont think it will keep too much longer than that but it has just lived on the counter top so maybe under more controlled conditions it would last longer.
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Post by richardw on Jul 11, 2013 15:43:38 GMT -5
The one that ive grown for so long is koanga.org.nz/shop/curcubitaceae/green-chestnut-pumpkin/ which is a maxima,Ray is right we down under tend to lump them all together as " pumpkins".Green Chestnut only lasts for about 4 months but its out standing tasting wise,because i'm not going to be the seed grower for Koanga any more i need to drop it and grow something else,The only other maxima ive ever grown was Queensland Blue but i didnt think the taste was as good as Green Chestnut. How do the cucurbita ficifolia and moschata compare to the maxima's for taste?
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Post by richardw on Jul 11, 2013 15:44:49 GMT -5
I have a pumpkin (Green) I bought back from Kenya in November which has moved house with me once and still seems to be going strong, so thats 7 months coming up, I dont think it will keep too much longer than that but it has just lived on the counter top so maybe under more controlled conditions it would last longer. Have you had a taste of that variety?
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Post by raymondo on Jul 11, 2013 16:56:12 GMT -5
Favourite maximas for flavour include Australian Butter (not a keeper for me though others claim it to be), Uncle David's Dakota Dessert (very small and so good they all get eaten quickly), Potimarron (would probably keep around four months) and Triamble (keeps well though I don't know how long). I agree with you Richard about Queensland Blue. It keeps exceptionally well (I have two that are now 18 months old and look good) but has only so so flavour. Not bad, just not as good as many others. In the moschatas, I've only ever grown butternut types which are okay to eat and keep pretty well though whether more than four months I couldn't say. The pepo pumpkins I've grown don't keep. Richard, are you not growing anything for Koanga now or just not that pumpkin?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jul 11, 2013 18:37:53 GMT -5
How do the cucurbita ficifolia and moschata compare to the maxima's for taste? To my taste buds, moschata squash are the most reliably tasty: Especially those with darker orange flesh. The Maximas seem more inconsistent, and can vary from very tasty to me to barely palatable. I consider pepo winter squash to be fit only for animal food. I have no personal experience with the taste of other species of squash.
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Post by steev on Jul 11, 2013 19:33:46 GMT -5
This year, those still keeping at 8 months are Jarradale, Minnie's Apache Hubbard, and Mayo Blusher; the Winter Pepos were still fine, but I was sick of looking at them, so I tossed them last week; none of them tasted good to me, anyway; pretty, but feh.
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Post by richardw on Jul 12, 2013 0:57:12 GMT -5
Favourite maximas for flavour include Australian Butter (not a keeper for me though others claim it to be), Uncle David's Dakota Dessert (very small and so good they all get eaten quickly), Potimarron (would probably keep around four months) and Triamble (keeps well though I don't know how long). I agree with you Richard about Queensland Blue. It keeps exceptionally well (I have two that are now 18 months old and look good) but has only so so flavour. Not bad, just not as good as many others. In the moschatas, I've only ever grown butternut types which are okay to eat and keep pretty well though whether more than four months I couldn't say. The pepo pumpkins I've grown don't keep. Ive been reading about Uncle David's Dakota Dessert,sounds a nice winter squash,the size of it is only a little smaller than the green chestnut which i like,would you have any seed of it Ray? Richard, are you not growing anything for Koanga now or just not that pumpkin? No not at all ,myself and 10 other growers have come together and formed 'Sentinels Group' which we will sell online,the website will be due to go public 1st Sep
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Post by YoungAllotmenteer on Jul 12, 2013 13:54:34 GMT -5
I have a pumpkin (Green) I bought back from Kenya in November which has moved house with me once and still seems to be going strong, so thats 7 months coming up, I dont think it will keep too much longer than that but it has just lived on the counter top so maybe under more controlled conditions it would last longer. Have you had a taste of that variety? I wouldn't know to be quite honest, they tend to grow generic green pumpkins in Kenya, could be any variety. They use them for stews and whatnot generally. Should have plenty of seed when I open it if anyone interested.
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Post by raymondo on Jul 12, 2013 16:19:00 GMT -5
Ive been reading about Uncle David's Dakota Dessert,sounds a nice winter squash,the size of it is only a little smaller than the green chestnut which i like,would you have any seed of it Ray? I'll check and let you know. Much of my seed is now crossed up because I want to see what will develop. No not at all ,myself and 10 other growers have come together and formed 'Sentinels Group' which we will sell online,the website will be due to go public 1st Sep Good on you Richard. Sounds like a worthy venture.
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Post by richardw on Jul 12, 2013 16:58:14 GMT -5
I'll check and let you know. Much of my seed is now crossed up because I want to see what will develop. From now on i'm not tied to having to grow heirlooms only any more,so i want to work with more landrace lines along with the ones i'm working with now,there for i'm open to the idea of growing something that may well have crossed and selecting for great taste and strong vigour.
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Post by steev on Jul 12, 2013 17:16:23 GMT -5
Glad to hear your venture,richardw. Power to the self-empowered!
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Post by richardw on Jul 12, 2013 20:08:42 GMT -5
Glad to hear your venture,richardw. Power to the self-empowered! Too right steev,how close a resemblance are you to ya new avatar
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