Organic Pimpkin Twonga - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Cucurbita cerifera

Cucurbita 'Twonga' is a rare variety that produces slightly elongated fruits with fuzzy skin. The fruits measure 20 to 50cm (8 to 20in) in length and 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) in diameter. Its flesh is white, sweet, and watery. It is mainly consumed in gratins. Sow the seeds from April to June for a harvest between September and October. 

The average yield is 2 to 4 fruits per plant. Each fruit weighs between 2 and 6 kg.

Pumpkins, squash, and giraumons belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. This annual herbaceous plant has long, vigorous, trailing, and even climbing stems with strong tendrils. Each plant has separate male and female flowers, making it monoecious: the female flowers will produce the fruits once they are pollinated by the pollen from the male flowers.

They come in many shapes and colours, from large ribbed fruits in orange or red with orange flesh, to oblong shapes, pear shapes, or "Turkish hat" shapes. Native to South America, this species was introduced to Europe around the 16th or 17th century, along with its cousins, other species of Cucurbita. They are often wrongly called "pumpkins" even though they belong to a different species, Cucurbita pepo, with fibrous and stringy flesh and a hard and fibrous stem. As for the pumpkin, it has sweet, flavourful, and less stringy flesh with a tender and spongy stem.

Pumpkins are low in calories but rich in vitamins, trace elements, and potassium. They are known for their antioxidant properties.

Harvest and storage

Harvest as late as possible, but before the first frost. Keep a large part of the stalk and store the fruit in a temperate room (10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F)). This way, you can store them for a few months to a year. Ensure they do not touch each other. 

The gardener's tip

To save space and protect your fruits from rot, pumpkins can be grown vertically on supports such as a wire mesh or sturdy stakes. If you let your pumpkins run, consider placing a tile, brick, or a thick layer of straw between the ground and the fruit to isolate it from moisture and prevent rotting.