Introduction
Pumpkins are a type of squash racquets that are link up to cucumbers , watermelons , and cantaloupes . They are a yield and not a vegetable . The word autumn pumpkin actually comes from the Grecian tidings “ pepon ” which mean “ heavy melon ” . Pumpkins are thought to have originate in Central America . The first Cucurbita pepo were grown in North America in the former 1600s . The orotund pumpkin ever grown weigh over 1,200 pounds . Pumpkins come in all physical body and sizes .
Cucurbita pepo are best suited for both sore and cooked applications such as sautéing , bake , stewing , and roasting . The pumpkin should be sliced from the centre , and raw piece can be used in salad , consumed as a snack similar to cantaloupe , or used as a garnish on top of primary dish aerial . When cooked , the pumpkin can be guy and blended into soups , stews , curry , casseroles , butter , emollient - found sauces , and pasta dish aerial .
pumpkin vine are also used in a variety of desserts and baked goods such as PIE , tartlets , muffins , cake , and biscuit . autumn pumpkin copulate well with pecan , rum , eggs , onions , garlic , meats such as solid ground beef , domestic fowl , and blimp , fennel seed , red bell peppers , zucchini , dark-brown rice , quinoa , or farro .
If you ’re planning on carving your Halloween pumpkin vine or planning a fall menu , you may be wondering what different types of pumpkins are out there . Did you know there are over 100 different types of pumpkin ? Check out this listing of the most mutual case of Cucurbita pepo along with their most notable characteristic and get quick to find your unexampled favorite pumpkin motley .
How to choose a pumpkin for your needs
pumpkin vine are a versatile fruit that can be used for a mixture of purposes . When it comes to plunk the perfect pumpkin vine , there are a few things to keep in thinker . The first is sizing . You want to pick out a pumpkin that is proportional to the outer space you will be display it in . Second is shape . There are many different embodiment of pumpkins , so discover one that will fit the radical of your interior decoration . Finally , there is color . pumpkin come in a variety of colours , so choose the one that will make the biggest impact .
Out of the many different eccentric of Pumpkin , the three most common are thesugar pumpkin , the carving pumpkin , and the Proto-Indo European pumpkin . The refined sugar autumn pumpkin is the little of the three and is the most commonly used for cookery . The cutting Cucurbita pepo is the one most often used for Halloween jack - o - lantern . The Proto-Indo European pumpkin is the gravid of the three and is used for making pies and other adust goods . When choosing a pumpkin , expect for one that is free of blemishes and has a firm stem .
Types of Pumpkin Varieties
Sugar Pie
Sugar Pie pumpkins are small to medium in size of it , averaging 15 - 20 centimeters in diam and weigh only 2 - 6 pounds , and are round , global , and undifferentiated in contour . The suave orange rind has shallow and light vertical ridging that connects into a thick , carinated , green - browned root word . The frame is moist , sick orange , fine - grain , and dense case a key cavity fill with pulp and flat , ointment - colored seeded player . When cooked , Sugar Pie autumn pumpkin are tender and larder with a sweet , earthy , and nutty flavor .
Connecticut Field Pumpkin
The Connecticut Field Pumpkin is a type of winter squash that is native to the northeastern United States . It is a dour - green , medium - sized pumpkin , growing to about 10 - 12 pounds . The Connecticut Field Pumpkin is a popular variety for send away and baking , as it has a smooth , all right - grained flesh that is not too stringy . The skin is also comparatively lean and easy to peel . The soma is orange , and the seeds are black . This pumpkin is often used to make pumpkin pies , but it can also be used to create other dishful or ribbon . It can be cook in a variety show of ways , including baking , steaming , or boiling .
This pumpkin is a great source of vulcanized fiber , potassium , vitamin A , and beta - carotene . The Connecticut Field Pumpkin has a sweet , vulgar feel that makes it perfect for PIE , moolah , soup , and other recipe .
White Cinderella
Cinderella pumpkins are medium to large in sizing , average 30 - 38 centimeters in diam and count 15 - 35 pounds , and are rotund in shape with a flattened flower and stem end . The profoundly - ribbed or lob rind matures from lily-livered to a bright red - orangish and is smooth with a rough , light brown stem . The peel is thick , dumb , and plenteous orange , encasing a central cavity with flesh and vapid , cream - colored seeds . When cooked , Cinderella pumpkin are creamy and moist with a meek and slightly sweet flavor .
Jarrahdale Pumpkin
The Jarrahdale pumpkin is an heirloom pumpkin potpourri that is pop in the Pacific Northwest of the United States . It is distinguished by its obscure unripe skin , thick flesh and ability to store for foresighted menstruum of clip . The pumpkin is named after the Jarrahdale River , which is located in the Perth Hills neighborhood . The Perth Hills are also the localisation of the only commercial orchard of Jarrahdale pumpkins in the world .
What makes the Jarrahdale pumpkin so special ? It is a specialty Cucurbita pepo that is known for its deep orange color and smooth , creamy texture . Unlike other types of autumn pumpkin , Jarrahdale Pumpkin does not have a lot of seeded player , shit it ideal for use in make it a perfect addition to soups , stews , curries , Italian rice , and even desserts . It is also a good prospect for canning and freezing . And because it is a hard Cucurbita pepo , it can be rib , pureed , or mashed just like butternut squash .
Tiger Stripe Pumpkins
Mini Tiger pumpkin vine are modest in sizing , averaging 7 - 12 centimeters in diam , and are circular , dumpy , and slightly flatten in shape . The smooth rind has pronounced ribbing and a shallow , jolty texture , and it can lay out in colour from mottled green , white , to orange with upright band . The pulp is deep , dense , and compact encasing a small central cavity with stringy pulp and many flat , cream - color seeds . When wangle , Mini Tiger pumpkin are cranky and smooth with a sweet and slightly loco taste .
Ghost Rider Pumpkin
The Ghost Rider pumpkin is a intercrossed autumn pumpkin that is a crisscross between two other popular pumpkin varieties : the Sugar Pie Cucurbita pepo and the Jack - O - Lantern pumpkin . It was make in the former 2000s by a Fannie Farmer in the United States . It can reach up to 100 pounds in weightiness and characterized by light - coloured skin , dark green stripe and elongated shape .
The Ghost Rider pumpkin vine is a unique miscellanea because it is very tumid and has a ghostly white or calorie-free one-sided pelt . If you are looking for a unique pumpkin to add to your collection , the Ghost Rider pumpkin is a good selection . you may rule them at pumpkin patches and husbandman grocery .
Ghost Rider pumpkin vine are a eccentric of Halloween pumpkin that is gaining in popularity . They get their name from the eerie resemblance they have to the reference Ghost Rider , from the Marvel comics and movies . Ghost Rider pumpkins are a character of Cucurbita maxima and can reach up to 100 pounds in weight . They are characterized by their low-cal - coloured skin , obscure unripened stripes and stretch soma .
Is the Ghost Rider Pumpkin secure to eat ? Yes , it is . However , it ’s important to observe that the skin is very thin and can be easy damaged . So , if you ’re going to apply this pumpkin for preparation , be sure to cut it very carefully .
Sytrian pumpkins
Styrian pumpkins are a metier to large varietal wine , averaging 25 to 30 centimeter in diam and weigh 6 to 10 pounds , and are rotund in form . The rind is passably fluent with shallow ribbing , cast in hues of wan xanthous to golden orange , and showcases distinct , mottled sorry unripened striping that expand the length of the pumpkin vine from stem to heyday end .
The pale - yellow frame incase a dental caries fill with dark green , hull - less teardrop - shaped seeds enmeshed by a thready orange pulp . Styrian pumpkins are appreciate for these seeds , which have an earthy and nutty flavor merge with bitter and smoky undertone . The flesh of the pumpkin is slightly sweet , earthy , and nutty .
Queensland Blue Pumpkin
Queensland down pumpkin is a type of Cucurbita pepo that is native to Queensland , Australia . Also have sex as Australian dingy pumpkin or blue hubbard mash . It is a deep dark color with a costate exterior . The build is orangish and is say to be sweeter and more flavorful than other types of pumpkin or winter squash .
What makes the Queensland blue pumpkin so particular is its eminent levels of genus Beta - carotene . Beta - carotin is a powerful antioxidant that is converted into vitamin A in the torso . Vitamin A is important for maintaining healthy skin , hair , nail and eyes . It is also essential for good vision , healthy growth and regulation of the immune system .
Snake gourds
Snake gourds are average to large in size , ranging from 60 to 90 centimeters in length , with some arrive at as long as 1.5 meters . The gourd are elongated and slender with an oblong shape , tapering at the fruit ’s stem close , and have a distorted and curl appearance . Each calabash will have a unique writhed soma , and the thick peel is dark immature , patterned with vary spots and streak speckling of white , beige , and wakeful green chromaticity .
As the gourd matures , the hide will thicken , harden , and transition into a dark-skinned orange colour . The flesh is whitened and spongy , with a primal cavity encasing small seed interlaced between stringy white membranes . It is significant to observe that the seeds are toxic and should be discarded before usance . When young , Snake River gourds have a mild , somewhat bland flavor and a light bitter that mellows when cooked .
Sparkler Pumpkins
Sparkler pumpkins are a variety of autumn pumpkin that is specifically chosen for its glowing properties . They are a new type of pumpkin that was created in 2016 . They are interchangeable to traditional pumpkin , but they have a special lineament : they shine in the dark .
Sparkler pumpkins are intermediate to large in size , averaging 30 - 45 centimeters in diameter and consider 15 - 20 British pound sterling , and is round with a diddly-squat , flatten shape and a inflexible , light light-green prow . The liquid rind is curved and transform from a promiscuous green to a productive green to golden white-livered when mature . The vivid orange anatomy is thickset , firm , and alright - textured encase a modest fundamental cavity that contains some flesh and flat , cream - colored seeds . When cooked , sparkler pumpkin are smooth , creamy , and tender with a spicy aroma and a balmy , sweet flavor .
Mellow Yellow
Mellow Yellow pumpkin vine are prominent , averaging 25 to 27 centimeters in diameter and 27 to 30 centimeters in length , and have a uniform , round form with large , vertical tantalization . The rind is smooth and bright yellow , link up to a straight , rough , and brownish - greenish stalk . Underneath the rind , the ivory flesh is dumb , unshakable , and crisp , encasing a central cavity filled with stringy pale - yellow roughage and oval , cream - colored germ . When cooked , Mellow Yellow pumpkins uprise a tender consistency and have a modest , down-to-earth , and more or less sweet relish .
Frog Princess
A salientian princess pumpkin is a assortment of Cucurbita pepo that is ribbed and has a gullible top . This pumpkin is also known as a Horn of Plenty , and it is a type of heirloom pumpkin . This pumpkin is make for its resemblance to a frog , with its longsighted , thin consistency and protruding foreleg . The pelt is a greenish - snowy , and the anatomy is a deep orange . The Frog Princess Pumpkin is a well choice for Proto-Indo European , as it is stringless and has a sweet , mild flavor .
Fairytale Pumpkins
fairy story pumpkins are medium to gravid in sizing , averaging 30 - 45 centimeters in diam and weigh 15 - 20 Ezra Pound , and is pear-shaped with a diddly , flatten form and a uncompromising , light brown stem . The bland rind is profoundly lobed with prominent ribbing and transforms from a non-white green to a rich abstemious - brown to tan when mature . The bright orangish flesh is thick , firm , and fine - textured encasing a small fundamental cavum that contains some pulp and flat , cream - colored seeds . When cooked , Fairytale pumpkins are politic , creamy , and tender with a naughty scent and a balmy , gratifying flavor .
Blue Pumpkins
Blue autumn pumpkin are average to tumid in size , averaging 15 - 25 centimeters in diameter and weighing 6 - 10 pounds , and are pear-shaped to oblate in shape with a flatten out prime and bow death . The smooth rind is firm , deeply - jest at and can run in color from glum green to a dusty blue - viridity with a light brown , rough stem . The flesh is compact , dense , deep orange , and case a central enclosed space filled with pulp and flat , pick - distort seeds . puritanical pumpkins are redolent and are know for their mildly fruity , honeyed physical body . When cooked , they have a tranquil , dry , and bowed stringed instrument - less texture .
Big Mac
Big Mac pumpkins are extremely large in size of it , averaging 45 - 50 centimeter in diameter and press 50 - 200 pound , and are round with a slightly flattened or slumped shape and a round stem . The red - orange to bright orange peel is approximative , deep ribbed , and can grow up to ten cm thick . The xanthous - orange pulp is dumb , fine - grain , and encases a magnanimous key cavum with ropey mush and many categoric , cream - colored come . When cook , Big Mac pumpkin vine are dry and fibrous with a balmy , semi - angelical flavor .
Japanese Pumpkin
Japanese pumpkin is a small to medium in size of it , averaging 1 - 8 pounds , and is round , squat , and flat at the top and bottom with a short , corky , light brown theme . The firm , rough-textured , harsh rind is a dull , deep green mottled with light green spots and pale , uneven stripes . The thick flesh is spongelike , impenetrable , and a deep sensationalistic - orange with a central cavity filled with stringy pulp and many flat , emollient - colored seed . When cooked , Japanese pumpkin has a finely granulate , dry , tippy texture with a larder , sweet , and rich , nutty flavor reminiscent of unfermented potato .
Crookneck Pumpkin
The crookneck autumn pumpkin is intermediate to big in sizing , average 10 - 20 pounds in weight , and is cylindrical with one bulbous goal and a retentive , curved neck opening . The tan pelt is relatively sparse , placid , and is connected to a rough , greenish shank . The flesh is deep orange to amber , moist , unfluctuating , fine - grained , and there is a modest source cavity in the bellying ending incase matted , emollient - colorise seeds . When cook , crookneck pumpkin is tender with a mild , sweet , and nutty smell .
Giant Pumpkin
A giant pumpkin vine is a autumn pumpkin that is larger than the mediocre Cucurbita pepo . These pumpkins can weigh anywhere from 50 to 200 pound and can be up to six pes in diameter . Contrary to what the name suggests , there is no actual remainder between a Giant Cucurbita pepo and any other Cucurbita pepo in term of taste or nutritional time value . However , Giant pumpkins do tend to have more flesh than smaller pumpkins , form them a safe pick for pumpkin pies , soups , and other dish . If you are look for a good pumpkin vine to prepare with , go for the Giant pumpkin vine !
jumbo pumpkin are typically grown from a seed and can take up to three calendar month to farm to their full size . so as to maturate a elephantine pumpkin , you will need a large , sunny space with rich , composted soil . You will also want to water and fertilize your pumpkin on a regular basis .
Preparing the soil for the seeds
Cucurbita pepo is a affectionate season crop that will do intimately in well - drained ground that is amend with compost prior to found . The grunge pH should be around 6.0 - 6.8 . Seeds can be direct sown into the ground or start indoors in pots a few workweek before the last frost . When planting out of doors , make certain to plant the seeds 1 - 2″ mystifying and space them 1 - 2′ apart . Thin the plants to the desired spatial arrangement when they are about 2″ tall .
When to harvest the pumpkin
Pumpkins take about 85 to 120 days to mature , so you ’ll want to keep an oculus on them as the days countdown . The just way to recite if they ’re quick for harvest is to look for the characteristic “ warted ” skin and strong , grim stems . If the stem are starting to deform promiscuous leafy vegetable , the pumpkins are overripe and wo n’t last long after harvest time . normally , pumpkins are ready to be pick between former September and early November . However , if you ’re in a cold-blooded climate , you may need to waitress until the first hoarfrost to harvest them .
When to plant pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin plant need a retentive grow time of year , so it ’s significant to plant the come at the right clock time . In most places , it ’s good to plant the seeds in late spring or former summertime . That manner , the plant will have enough time to mature and yield a harvest before the first frost . The good path to determine when to set in your area is to check the local frost schedule .
Proper care for the pumpkin plant
The pumpkin industrial plant will involve plenty of water , so ensure to keep the soil moist . Fertilize the plant with a urine - soluble fertilizer every two weeks . you could also tote up a compost tea every calendar month . If you go in a dusty clime , you will need to convey the pumpkin plant indoors before the first frost . Move it to a gay smear and water system it regularly . When the temperature starts to drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit , break watering .
Conclusion
There are many character of autumn pumpkin to opt from , and no two are the same . Keep in mind what you need to do with the pumpkin vine before choosing it ; perhaps select one for eating if you will be induce pumpkin soup , or go for a thinner - skinned variety if carving . Also keep in intellect your mood ; some pumpkins can digest up to cold weather while others droop speedily . Whatever type of pumpkin you opt , there ’s something special about this Halloween darling that never betray to delight !
