General Description/History

• Related to squash, melon and cucumber
• Grow on vines
• Large yellow flowers
• Prickly leaves

Choose firm, bright well coloured pumpkins. Avoid pumpkins which are broken, cracked, have soft spots or excessive scarring to the skin. STORAGE 15°C and 85 – 95% relative humidity. Consumer Storage: If pumpkin is whole, it will store well at room temperature. If pumpkin is cut, remove seeds, wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator crisper.

Pumpkin is a very versatile vegetable, being suitable for all types of cooking, both sweet and savoury. As a vegetable in its own right, the pumpkin may be baked, boiled, mashed and roasted. Traditional recipes include pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and pumpkin scones. Small pumpkins are ideal for stuffing with savoury mince or vegetable combinations, topped with cheese and baked. Incorporated into cakes, scones and puddings, pumpkin adds flavour, colour and goodness.

Pumpkins require well drained soil. They will not tolerate wet, poorly aerated soil, however, it is desirable that it be capable of retaining moisture. A soil of medium texture is best, but good yields can be produced on heavier and lighter soils if they are properly handled and well fertilised. Pumpkins have large but shallow root systems which grow rapidly and extensively in the upper 15-20 centimetres of soil. The upper layers of the soil should be thoroughly prepared and well fertilised for best results. In general, pumpkins flourish in warm, humid conditions, but they are highly susceptible to hot, dry winds.

The pumpkin belongs to the cucurbit family, Curcurbitaceae, together with the squash, cucumber and watermelon. The name appears to come from the Greek “pepon” or “large melon” by way of the French, which converts the word “pepon” to “popon”. This eventually became “Pumpioin” with the ending being converted to “kin” in the American colonies, becoming”pump-kin”. Cucurbita maxima apparently originated in Northern Argentina near the Andes. It was found growing at the time of the Spanish conquest and has only been found elsewhere following introduction by man. Both of the other long vining species, Cucurbita moschate and Cucurbita pepo apparently originated in Mexico and Central America, being carried throughout North America before the coming of white man. The earliest pumpkin material yet discovered came from the Ocampo Caves in Mexico where they are believed to have existed as long ago as 5500 – 7000 B.C.. From America, the pumpkin is believed to have been introduced to Asia and Europe by nomadic tribes.

Nutritional Value

An excellent source of vitamin A and C. A good source of dietary fibre and contains some potassium, vitamin B6 and iron. 185kJ/100g.

Storage/Handling

15°C and 85 – 95% relative humidity.

Consumer Storage: If pumpkin is whole, it will store well at room temperature. If pumpkin is cut, remove seeds, wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator crisper.

Interesting Facts and Myths?

Championship-size pumpkins today weigh in at 360 kilograms or so. These monsters grow by 5 to 8 kilograms per day!

Today’s gardeners are always trying to grow the biggest tomato, watermelon or pumpkin. Back in the 1800’s the prize of every gardener was a gigantic turnip. Fifteen-kilogram monsters were quite common and a grower in California was said to have grown a turnip of over 45 kilograms in 1850.

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Botanical Name: Cucurbita maxima (Cucurbitacea)

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Growing Areas: 

QLD – Atherton, Beaudesert, Bowen, Bundaberg, Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley
NSW – Bathurst, Cowra, Dareton, Finley, Forbes, Gosford, Griffth, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Naro, Windsor
VIC – Ballarat, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Sunraysia, Warrnambool
SA – Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA – Gin Gin, Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas, Waroona
NT – Darwin, Katherine