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Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
  • Cuban Calabaza
Cuban Calabaza

Cucurbita moschata
$4.50
Description

A wonderful variety similar to the Seminole Pumpkin for its hardiness and flavor. The long meaty neck that shows up in many of the squash is ideal for slicing rounds to bake, fry, grill, and slice into a fancy hasselback. This variety has been grown out by Joe and Trace at Possum Hollow Farm in Alachua for over 6 years, originally from Cuba and brought back from a birding excursion they went on. They have been selecting for long, meaty necks and shelf life, but a good deal of crossing occurs among other types, keeping the line diverse. Sow 1/2" deep, spaced 36" apart in rows a few feet apart, preferably up a sturdy trellis. Caution! They will climb anything and everything they contact, give them room. Pumpkins will grow vertically on a sturdy trellis like a chain link fence.
Product details
  • About 25 seeds
  • 100 days to harvest
  • Locally saved by Joe Durando and Trace Giornelli at Possum Hollow Farm in Alachua, Florida
How to grow

Winter squash need warm weather, plenty of space, and a long growing season. Sow seeds directly about 1 inch deep, planting 3–4 seeds together in a hill or planting area, with 5–6 feet between hills. Thin to the strongest plants once they are established.

These vines will spread far and wide, and happily climb—so give them plenty of room. Be prepared for a jungle of vines that will keep growing for much of the season!

Plant into fertile, compost-rich garden soil and feed regularly with a good-quality organic fertilizer. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can encourage lots of leaves and vines at the expense of fruit production.

Winter squash are very sensitive to cold and should not be planted outdoors until the danger of frost has passed. In North Florida, some growers plant as early as late February, but be prepared to protect young plants if cold weather returns. You can also plant winter squash as late as April.

Water at the base of the plants using hand watering or drip irrigation when possible. Keeping foliage dry helps reduce the conditions that encourage disease.
How to save seeds

Squash are easy to save seed from, but keeping a variety pure can be tricky! Squash have separate male and female flowers and rely on insects for pollination, so different varieties of the same species can readily cross. This only matters if you want your saved seed to grow true to the original variety. If you’re happy to experiment, crossing can be a fun way to create something new!

First, make sure you know the species of your squash. Varieties within the same species can cross. For example, butternut and Seminole pumpkin are both Cucurbita moschata, and therefore can cross if they are flowering at the same time and growing in proximity. Zucchini, acorn, and many summer squash are Cucurbita pepo, and so they all can cross with one another. Different species generally will not cross. 

If you want to keep a variety pure, grow only one variety of that species, provide plenty of isolation, or use hand-pollination to control which flowers cross. This is especially important for seed growers because pollinators can travel considerable distances between squash plants.

For seed saving, choose fruit from your favorite fruits with the qualities you like (shape, color, flavor etc.) and allow the squash to fully mature. Winter squash can be harvested for seed when the fruit is fully mature and ready to eat. Scoop the seeds from the mature squash and separate them from the surrounding flesh. Rinse them well, then spread them out in a single layer to dry completely. Once thoroughly dry, store them somewhere cool, dark, and dry.

Learn all you need to know about saving tomato seeds in our free guide: Saving Winter Squash Seed

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