Pumpkins recommendations?

[spuddy]

My Wee Bee pumpkins grew really well this year. I got three per plant and they took up relatively little space. I also grew a pumpkin called BERRETTINA PIACENTINA (Franchi seeds) which tried to take over not just mine but also next door's allotment. I'd like to try something different next year and wondered if anyone could recommend a type that doesn't try to take over the world and then produce 1-2 fruits? Do any suppliers sell mixed seeds in a packet? I like a surprise!

[bluemoon]

I grew Potti Marron this year, largely because they're supposed to taste like chestnuts and, guess what? They really do. They produced 3-4 fruits per plant weighing between 3 and 5lbs. I love chestnuts with brussels sprouts, but they're a real pain to shell, now armed with nothing more than a pumpkin and a melon-ball-thingy I can make a similar dish without the hassle. They'll probably taste lovely in a rissotto with mushrooms too. I'm inspired now and I'm going to try a couple of different varieties next year, along with the potti marrons of course. In the past I've only grown the flavourless Hallowe'en type, but this year's are in a different league. They're not a great shape for carving though.

[scarey55]

I have been growing Urchi Kuri squash for a couple of years now and they seem to be like the Potimarron ones that Bluemoon is talking about.

They are very easy to grow and get to be the size of a child's football. They do tend to scramble among the ground but they don't need much "fussing". They taste very nutty with a dense flesh and I make a mean pumpkin and sweetcorn soup with them.

I can let you have some seeds if you want, just PM me - that goes for anyone who wants to give them a go.

For size reference, the picture below shows them on a dustbin lid.

[Lavenderblue]

I got given some Jack o lanteen this year. They did amazingly well - my house is filled with about 30 pumpkins of various sizes. They taste horrible though- really bland so if you want carving pumpkins these are the ones to go for.

[PAULW]

I grow BECKY a medium 1.5-2.5 kg sized pumpkin, just had a look around and loks like they have gone out of fashion good job I picked up a couple of packets of seed.

[Demeter]

We grew Aspen and they were huge plants that produced b-all. It was probably down to the weather and our amateurish care, but still... Going to try Atlantic Giant next year, as well as a variety of other squashes

Potti marron sounds worth a try, but maybe not for next year!

[Woofster]

I have grown Baby Bear pumpkins these last two years. They are small-about 1-2lbs, enough to feed two, and have a nice flavour and the seeds inside are very tasty roasted as well. I got 5 pumpkins from two plants this year.

[spuddy]

Pumpkin choices

Thanks for the responses. I think the Baby Bear are similar to the Wee Bee. They do taste good - like sweet potato and I'd recommend them, but the Berrettina Piacentina I tried last night tasted more of a mild potato mash so I won't be growing them again! We do like pumpkins/squash though so I'll just give more space over to them next year (less digging to do) and keep an eye out for unusual seeds. Happy carving folks.

[lynda66]

Going to try Atlantic Giant next year, as well as a variety of other squashes

i planted mine in may and transferred outside in june, cos thats what it said on the packet ..... they are anything but giant, but had huge plants, that grew very well up a tower thingy,(huge plants) still growing ..... and tons of fruits that i've cut off, cos i only want 2 .... so definitely plant them at least a month earlier

[Matt.]

I'm keen on growing several different types of squash and pumpkin next year. I've got a second plot purely for these plants so no worries about space requirements!

I'll be growing Atlantic Giant again so the rest are for eating. So far my list (mostly T&M) includes:

Potimarron
Turks turban
Hooligan F1
Crown Prince
Barbara butternut
Avalon butternut - Tried these this year and was ok but a bit bland.

Is there anything else I should consider?

[Demeter]

I'm also going to be growing loads of experimental squash next year.

This year (from the farm shop, not my garden!) my favourite has been Little Gem. Small, dark green squashes (about the size of a large apple / small grapefruit). Cut off the top, scoop out the seeds, bung in a little bit of olive oil and garlic, put the top back on, roast with your tatties. Mmmmmmm.

We also had Turk's Turban (again from farm shop) which I roasted. Not sure if it was me or the squash but the universal verdict in our house was "yucky". In fact it was so yucky we chucked it on the compost... Suffice to say, I did not keep any of the seeds! I googled it to see whether it was worth another shot, and indeed the verdict on taste varies from "turnippy" to "not really grown for its taste" to "superb ornamental value, shame about the taste". In short, you might want to reconsider that one

PS I've got a Crown Prince to try at the weekend. It's supposed to be a potato-substitute with a taste that is more like swede. Will let you know whether it's worth saving seed from

[Two_Sheds]

I'm pleased with my Golden Nuggets - grapefruit size, 3-4 fruits per bush plant. Nice and tidy, doesn't sprawl all over the place.

I also grow Mars - football size - a sprawler.

[T-lady]

They do taste good - like sweet potato and I'd recommend them, but the Berrettina Piacentina I tried last night tasted more of a mild potato mash so I won't be growing them again! .

Oops - careless reading moment there. I thought you'd found a pumpkin called Berrettina PLACENTA - thought it was a bit odd (and gross)

[T-lady]

Fallen in love with squashes this year and gone a bit 'long' on them. Desperately working on plans to find even more room for them next year.


Gourd - TEN COMMANDMENTS. Ornamental little spiky gourds that look a bit like sea urchins. Really cute, about 10 off one plant. They look great in a bowl on my table.
Gourd - TURKS TURBAN. Gutted to read that these aren’t going to be tasty but I’ll keep them as ornamental. Got 3 largish ones off one plant.
Pumpkin - HACK BE LITTLE. Fed up coz this wilted before I got it in the ground (RIP Jack)
Pumpkin – KAKAI. A really nice flavoured pumpkin, made good soup and roasted veggie. Two football sized pumpkins from one plant.
Pumpkin - VEGETABLE SPAGHETTI. One of my star finds. I got 7 good sized fruits off one plant and they’re lovely to eat.
Squash - BLUE BANANA. This was rubbish. I got one fruit off one plant and it went bad. I stuck a knife into it and it exploded across the kitchen – yuck!
Squash – BOSTON. This grew one, enormous big beautiful yellowy orange fruit. Too pretty to cut into but must soon, it stopped growing by midsummer so it must be ready to eat soon.
Squash - BUTTERNUT HUNTER. OK, 3 butternuts off the one plant. Excellent flavour. Slow to start though
Squash - CELEBRATION. Starr find #2. Little one-person size portions. Perfect for microwaving whole with a little butter and black pepper. About 10 off one plant.
Squash - GOLDEN NUGGET. Waste of space (although maybe it didn’t get as much ‘sunshine’ as the rest did. 3 tiny little fruits, not tasted them yet.
Squash - LUNGA GIGANTE DI NAPOLI. Gosh but this one was ENORMOUS! One fruit, 36lbs! Not eaten it yet, too proud of it to assassinate it!
Squash - THELMA SANDERS SWEET POTATO. This was seriously prolific with about a dozen fruits from just one plant (very sprawly though). Tastes good too.
Squash - UCKIKI KURI. Two fruits, one plant. Pretty squash, dense nutty flesh – love it but wouldn’t want to eat it too often.

[Gretagoose]

Has anyone any recommendations for Northern gardens? I live in North Yorkshire and for the last two wet summers have tried a number of different varieties with zilch success. The plants grow OK but no fruit. The only success I have had is little gem -tasty and prolific