Ornamental pumpkin

Plant family

Curcurbits (Cucurbitaceae)

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Wet

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

High

Seeding distance

100 cm

Row spacing

100 cm

Seeding depth

2 cm

Instructions

Description

Ornamental pumpkins are used as durable, colorful decoration. They are usually rather small, multicolored, have a hard skin, little flesh and come in quite bizarre shapes. Do not grow them in the garden with zucchini or pumpkins, as cross-pollination may occur. Do not eat bitter tasting squash or zucchini. Try raw, as cooking can cause the bitterness to disappear. There is no clear distinction between pumpkins and ornamental pumpkins, as some pumpkins are also used for decoration. Well-known varieties are claw or crown pumpkins or green-yellow striped, often warty, pear-shaped decorative pumpkins.

Growing tips

Cultivation is the same as for other varieties of pumpkins. The harvest time depends on the variety. When the skin can no longer be scored with a fingernail and the stem is hard and dry, the ornamental pumpkin is ripe. Harvest before the first frost and preferably on dry days. The ornamental pumpkins can also be hung up for drying and preservation.