Naked Seeded Pumpkins

[gdaddybill]

Anyone else trying naked seeded pumpkins. I grew one last year and only harvested one intact. They seem to have a tendency to rot on the ground. This year I have Naked Bear and Beppo from Territorial Seed, Williams from Victory and one from Parks (the AAS selection, can't remember the name but I'll add it later_Pepitas Hybrid). So far they look really vigorous and some are opening female flowers for the first time today. Williams was just planted.

I've read it's very important to harvest them when they are just ripe and cut out/dry the seeds. We love them in a granola mix we buy.

[Nattybo!]

I will. I have some Godiva seeds that are a few years old and I hope are still viable. I never ate pumpkin seeds as a kid but a few years ago I roasted the seeds that came out of our jack-o-lantern pumpkin and they were really good. I was shocked that my parents never bothered to try it.

My boys love pumpkins. My youngest thinks "ugly" pumpkins are the funniest things ever so i/we will be trying some old marina di chioggia seeds and some peanut pumpkin seeds I got this year (ugly pumpkin insurance in case the others don't make it).

[PhilaGardener]

Originally Posted by gdaddybill

They seem to have a tendency to rot on the ground

Some growers have luck placing a block of wood under developing melons to elevate the fruit off the ground - that might be worth trying to reduce your losses. Let us know how they do.

[oakley]

I've been growing Kakai for a few years now. Seeds from Johnny's.
Some are not fond of the flesh expecting the orange pumpkin flavor yet i like to bake it
then puree and freeze for winter soups. It is a white/pale yellow flesh and mild. Much
like summer squash.

Of course the star is the seeds. Only a cup and maybe cup and a 1/2 per fruit so i upped
the seed sowing last year. Still not enough as they are so good right out of the oven i
can't seem to hide them from myself to store away for the winter.
I still need to purchase as i use them in so many things.

Reminds me i need to check my seed stock....

I've never cared for regular pumpkin seeds with the chewy hulls.

[Zeedman]

I love pumpkin seeds, and have tried several naked-seeded cultivars in the past, with mixed result.

4-5 of those were apparently variations of the Styrian naked-seeded pumpkin; medium large, oblong, ripening to orange & green striped. The seeds were dark green, large & delicious, but there were relatively few in the mostly open seed cavity. The amount of waste was high, there was a lot of poor-quality flesh to dispose of. Also, if the pumpkins were not opened promptly, much of the seed sprouted internally. Kakai was the best of the lot.

But the best one I tried was Little Greenseed, from the Long Island Seed Project. Small, round, orange pumpkins. The seeds were a little smaller than the Styrian types, but they were packed densely in the seed cavity, and did not have as much trouble with sprouting. There was very little wasted flesh. This is a newly bred variety, and there can be some off types... but IMO, it is well worth growing. It has been several years since I grew it, newer seed from LISP may be more stable.

[oakley]

Thanks for that, the Greenseed. I direct sow and have time to get some more seed.
Always looking for another variety to grow. Maybe start some a week or two indoors...

Embrace the flesh in these. Roasted on a sheet pan with a whole head of garlic, a big
onion slice, a few hot peppers, or any harvest at that time like tomatillos, cherry toms...
etc., lemon zest, cilantro stems, fresh corn off the cob...pureed. Great chowder base
in the winter months.