| Botanical name | Cucurbita maxima |
|---|---|
| Plant Care |  Deciduous Deciduous – Sheds Its Leaves Annually  Full Sun Full Sun – Prefers 6 or more hours of sun per day.  Frost Hardy Frost Hardy – Can Handle frost without damage.  Moderate Watering Moderate Watering – Requires Regular Watering.  Pruning Required Pruning Required – Needs to be Pruned.  Non Indigenous Non Indigenous – Exotic to South Africa. |
| Categories | |
| Common name(s) | Pumpkins |
| Origin | |
| Planting instructions | For pumpkins, plant six to eight seeds 20mm deep in soil basins 300mm in diameter and 2m apart; well-enriched soil with good drainage is best. |
| Maintenance | Water well during dry weather and feed with liquid fertilizer every 10 days once the fruits start to swell. |
| Soil conditions | For pumpkins well-enriched soil with good drainage is best. |
| Uses | Dehusked seeds are a delicious snack and can be added to breads, biscuits, stuffings and stir-fries, and the pulp of the pumpkin, is a great ingredient in roasts, fritters and pies. The flowers are also edible and can be added to dishes as flavouring. |
| Interesting planting ideas | Plant near mealies, beans and radishes. also plant garlic and chives near them, this helps with mildew. |
| Interesting info | Pumpkins are rampant growers and not ideal for smaller gardens as they take up too much space. Recommended variety: Flat White Boer Ford is medium-sized, drought tolerant. |
| Common pests and diseases | Pumpkin fly, aphids. Mildew. |
| Yield | Five plants should yield enough pumpkins, for a family of five. |
Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkins)
- Botanical name: Cucurbita maxima
- Common name(s): Pumpkins
- Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Plant description:
Pumpkins, squash, marrows and courgettes (baby marrows) all fall into the same group of easy-to grow,warm-season crops.
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Botanical Pronunciation: kew-KUR-bit-uh MACKS-ih-muh
Cucurbita maxima requirements and features
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Moderate Maintenance
Requires moderate maintenance.
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