Seminole Pumpkin Squash

JCessna · May 9, 2021

Does anyone else grow Seminole Pumpkin? They taste like butternut, but are much more prolific. When picked completely ripe they can last a full year. They do take up a lot of space, but they climb well, so trellising isn't a problem. They are also very resistant to squash vine borers.

mike5953 · May 14, 2021

Hadn't heard of them. But if they're actually resistant to SVB's, then I'm very interested to hear more!

GoDawgs · May 14, 2021

I knew I had grown it one time before but wow, I had to go back into my records a bit to find out when. It was in 2015. I remember the vine borers did not attack but it only put out two small pumpkins and you're right about it being rampant. It merrily went scampering off to go play in the asparagus area but that was OK as they were just making ferns at the time.

I dropped it due to the space needed. That asparagus area no longer exists so maybe I could try it one more time.

mike5953 · May 15, 2021

My curiosity got the best of me... I ordered some seeds late yesterday from SESE.
I plan on a single plant in a 45 gal Kratky barrel as an experiment.
Got to keep it interesting!

JCessna · May 15, 2021

The seed is variable depending on who you buy it from. Baker Creek has been the best for me. I also recommend a trap crop of Maxima (Jarrahdale pumpkin and buttercup worked well) to pull the SVB away. In north Texas I put away over 40 squash at the end of the year with three hills planted. I expect to do better here in the Austin area.

mike5953 · November 14, 2021

Thought I would follow up on my experience growing this unusual squash...
I should point out that there are at least two varieties of Seminole Pumpkin being marketed. The variety that was said to be the more desirable of the two was not available at SESE at the time. The one I grew was said to be more sprawling and less prolific. Both of which turned out to be true.
One of the vines grew to almost 40 feet, and rooted itself in several places along the way. As big as it was, it only put out maybe a dozen pumpkins.
I tried grilling one while it was still green to see if it was summer squash-like. To my taste buds, it most definitely did not. It was too bland and starchy tasting.
But, when grown until it is fully ripe, it turns in to a nice winter squash that tastes excellent. I took a snapshot of one at last night's dinner.
Oh, and the plant did not succumb to SVB's or disease. It stayed healthy all summer.

NewWestGardener · November 15, 2021

A dozen of pumpkins is not bad.
So how do we know which one of the two to order?
I'm going to check out Rareseeds to see if they have a good one.
Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike5953

Thought I would follow up on my experience growing this unusual squash...
I should point out that there are at least two varieties of Seminole Pumpkin being marketed. The variety that was said to be the more desirable of the two was not available at SESE at the time. The one I grew was said to be more sprawling and less prolific. Both of which turned out to be true.
One of the vines grew to almost 40 feet, and rooted itself in several places along the way. As big as it was, it only put out maybe a dozen pumpkins.
I tried grilling one while it was still green to see if it was summer squash-like. To my taste buds, it most definitely did not. It was too bland and starchy tasting.
But, when grown until it is fully ripe, it turns in to a nice winter squash that tastes excellent. I took a snapshot of one at last night's dinner.
Oh, and the plant did not succumb to SVB's or disease. It stayed healthy all summer.

mike5953 · November 16, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

A dozen of pumpkins is not bad.
So how do we know which one of the two to order?
I'm going to check out Rareseeds to see if they have a good one.
Thanks for sharing.

I saw some at Rareseeds last year, so maybe they will have them.
At SESE, I believe that this is the better of the two (I'm trying it next year): https://www.southernexposure.com/pro...inole-pumpkin/

NewWestGardener · November 17, 2021

Thanks for the link, I’ll keep my eyes out for December when they’ll have seeds.
They mentioned that they are good as a summer squash as well. I love those dual purpose squash. I just found out this year that the spaghetti squash is really good as a summer squash, better than the ripe ones as winter squash, another dual purpose squash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike5953

I saw some at Rareseeds last year, so maybe they will have them.
At SESE, I believe that this is the better of the two (I'm trying it next year): https://www.southernexposure.com/pro...inole-pumpkin/

mike5953 · November 19, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

I just found out this year that the spaghetti squash is really good as a summer squash, better than the ripe ones as winter squash, another dual purpose squash.

Interesting!
I've never heard that about spaghetti squash, and honestly can't imagine how it might taste before it's fully ripe.

May 9, 2021	#1
JCessna Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin Area Posts: 17	Seminole Pumpkin Squash Does anyone else grow Seminole Pumpkin? They taste like butternut, but are much more prolific. When picked completely ripe they can last a full year. They do take up a lot of space, but they climb well, so trellising isn't a problem. They are also very resistant to squash vine borers. __________________ Joe Cessna "A few plants short of a flat"

May 15, 2021	#5
JCessna Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin Area Posts: 17	The seed is variable depending on who you buy it from. Baker Creek has been the best for me. I also recommend a trap crop of Maxima (Jarrahdale pumpkin and buttercup worked well) to pull the SVB away. In north Texas I put away over 40 squash at the end of the year with three hills planted. I expect to do better here in the Austin area. __________________ Joe Cessna "A few plants short of a flat"

May 14, 2021	#2
mike5953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 97	Hadn't heard of them. But if they're actually resistant to SVB's, then I'm very interested to hear more!

May 14, 2021	#3
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	I knew I had grown it one time before but wow, I had to go back into my records a bit to find out when. It was in 2015. I remember the vine borers did not attack but it only put out two small pumpkins and you're right about it being rampant. It merrily went scampering off to go play in the asparagus area but that was OK as they were just making ferns at the time. I dropped it due to the space needed. That asparagus area no longer exists so maybe I could try it one more time.

November 14, 2021	#6
mike5953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 97	Thought I would follow up on my experience growing this unusual squash... I should point out that there are at least two varieties of Seminole Pumpkin being marketed. The variety that was said to be the more desirable of the two was not available at SESE at the time. The one I grew was said to be more sprawling and less prolific. Both of which turned out to be true. One of the vines grew to almost 40 feet, and rooted itself in several places along the way. As big as it was, it only put out maybe a dozen pumpkins. I tried grilling one while it was still green to see if it was summer squash-like. To my taste buds, it most definitely did not. It was too bland and starchy tasting. But, when grown until it is fully ripe, it turns in to a nice winter squash that tastes excellent. I took a snapshot of one at last night's dinner. Oh, and the plant did not succumb to SVB's or disease. It stayed healthy all summer.