Queensland Blue Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a member of the cucurbitaceae family and is one of hundreds of species of plants more commonly called gourds. Typically used as a vegetable in cooking, pumpkin is technically a fruit berry. Queensland Blue pumpkins are a medium-sized Iron-bark pumpkin with firm orange-yellow coloured flesh and hard slate grey skin. Excellent for cooking and keeping for up to 6 months.

Difficulty: Easy

Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil

Sowing: Spring / Summer

Germination: 8 – 16 days

Days to Maturity: 115 – 125 days

Position: Full sun in Spring and Summer

Spacing: 50 x 200 cm

Sow Depth: 5 mm

Harvesting size: Medium to large 7 – 8 kg.

Growing notes:

Sow the pumpkin seeds  directly in well-prepared soil with plenty of compost, leaving plenty of room for the long vines to spread out. As well as mulching around the planting space to deter weeds and ensure moisture retention. Pumpkin germinates fairly easily and quickly in warm soil that is kept consistently moist so be sure to check the soils moisture daily and water as needed. Vines can be encouraged to climb up a support  or along the ground, if you have the space. Large pumpkins formed on vines growing on a trellis may need support such as a stocking sling. To promote lateral growth on which the female flowers of the pumpkin develops, you need to pinch off the growing tip of the runner after it reaches about five meters long.

Keep the pumpkin plants well-watered especially on hot or windy days as the large, leafy plants can wilt when moisture stressed. Remove any weeds as they appear while the pumpkin plant is growing so that they do not have to compete for space and nutrients. Expect flowering within six to nine weeks. Fruit forms soon after the first flowers appear. Harvest any excess male flower to not reduce the fruit harvest. The female flower has a small swollen base, which forms the fruit after it is fertilized by pollen from the male flower. The pumpkins are ready to harvest once the stalk attaching it to the vine turns woody and corky. Be sure to cut, and not tear, the stalk of the fruit from the wine, as to not damage the vine, while also leaving a length on the pumpkin fruit itself as this helps increase the pumpkins shelf-life. Test for ripeness by giving the fruit the knock test, a pumpkin that’s ready to harvest should sound hollow when tapped on.

Uses:

Pumpkin contain proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, carbohydrates, carotenoids, vitamins A, B1, B6, and C, and the minerals zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folate, manganese, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

The flesh, delicious seeds and even the squash flowers of the pumpkin can be eaten. Pumpkin is most often used as a winter veg in curries, soups and stews but is also used in sweet treats like pies, breads and the all famous Pumpkin spice.