Skip to product information
Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
Seminole Pumpkin

Cucurbita moschata
$4.50
Description

Hands-down, one of the best squash to grow in our climate! These vigorous plants stand up to our insects and diseases better than many other varieties. Their vining habit is one of the reasons they can be especially resilient to squash vine borers, a notorious pest that can quickly decimate vulnerable squash plants. Seminole Pumpkin vines creep across the ground and establish roots along the way, giving the plant multiple points of support and helping it weather damage from these pests. They aren’t completely immune to squash vine borers, but they are much more resilient than many other squash varieties.

The plants produce sweet, delicious pumpkins with an impressively long storage life. We’ve had some last for up to a year after harvest, though we recommend enjoying them within about 6 months for the best flavor and quality.

The flavor is incredible and can vary from fruit to fruit—that’s part of the fun! Seminole Pumpkin is a landrace variety, meaning it has developed over generations in a particular place and retains lots of natural variation. Fruits can differ widely in size, shape, color, and flavor, making every harvest a little bit of a surprise. The flesh is versatile and delicious in both sweet and savory dishes, from pies and other desserts to soups, stews, and roasted squash.

This true Florida heirloom has been grown by Native Americans for centuries, with evidence that this pumpkin pre-dates Spanish contact. The Miccosukee Tribe referred to it as Chassa howitska, meaning “hanging pumpkin,” describing the habit this plant has for climbing trees, fences or other plants, resulting in hanging pumpkins! Gardeners who have saved and shared these seeds over many years have helped preserve the many different forms of this remarkable squash.

Our “variety” is intentionally diverse, reflecting the local growing conditions and the many gardeners who have stewarded these seeds over generations. We typically grow out a blend of seeds from various growers to help keep the gene pool broad and resilient. From those plants, we taste the fruits and inspect their flesh color and quality, selecting and carrying forward the tastiest pumpkins with the deepest-colored flesh.
Product details
  • About 25 seeds
  • 120 days to harvest
  • Seeds grown by various gardeners and farmers in Gainesville, 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

You may also like