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Organic Pumpkin Vert Olive - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Cucurbita maxima

Cucurbita maxima Vert Olive
Winter squash, pumpkin, hubbard squash, buttercup squash

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

This ancient variety produces spherical fruits weighing 3 to 6kg with smooth, olive-green skin. Its delicious yellow flesh is firm and of very good quality, making it ideal for preparing gratins, soufflés, and fritters. Sow the seeds from April to June and harvest from September-October. The fruits can be easily stored until January.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
30 cm
Spread at maturity
1.50 m
Soil moisture
Moist soil
Germination time (days)
5 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period April to June
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Flowering time June to September
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Harvest time September to October
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Description

Cucurbita maxima Olive Green is an ancient variety that produces spherical fruits weighing 3 to 6kg with smooth, olive-green skin. Its delicious yellow flesh is firm and of very good quality, making it ideal for preparing gratins, soufflés, and fritters. Sow the seeds from April to June and harvest from September-October. The fruits can be easily stored until January.

It produces 3 to 4 fruits per plant, each weighing 3 to 5kg.

 

Pumpkins and squash belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and the species Cucurbita maxima. This herbaceous annual plant has long, vigorous, trailing, or climbing stems with the help of strong tendrils. Each plant has separate male and female flowers, making it monoecious. The female flowers produce the fruits once fertilised by the pollen from the male flowers.

They come in many shapes and colours, from large ribbed fruits with orange or red skin and orange flesh, to oblong shapes, pear shapes, or "Turkish hat" shapes. Originally from South America, this species is said to have been 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 stringy flesh and a hard, fibrous stem. As for the pumpkin, it has sweet, tasty flesh that is less stringy, 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.

 

Harvesting and storage

Harvest the pumpkins as late as possible, but before the first frost arrives. Keep a piece of stem attached to the fruit. Store them in a temperate room (10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F)), ensuring they do not touch each other. They can be stored for a few months, and even up to a year.

The gardener's tip

To save space and protect your fruits from rot, pumpkins can be grown vertically on supports such as a fence 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 it from rotting.

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Pumpkin: planting, sowing, growing
Family sheet
by Virginie T. 11 min.
Pumpkin: planting, sowing, growing
Read article

Harvest

Harvest time September to October
Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable
Vegetable colour green
Size of vegetable Medium
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Colour
Flavour Sweet
Use Jam, Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Botanical data

Genus

Cucurbita

Species

maxima

Cultivar

Vert Olive

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Other common names

Winter squash, pumpkin, hubbard squash, buttercup squash

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference • 33341

Planting and care

Preparation

Like all plants from the Cucurbitaceae family, it is a very demanding vegetable that requires well-fertilised soil. It is wise to apply compost, preferably in autumn, even if it is not fully decomposed (more than 3kg per m2). Rake it to a depth of 5cm (2in), after having loosened the soil, as for any vegetable cultivation.

Sowing

Sow the seeds from April to June at a temperature ranging from 16 to 35°C (60.8 to 95°F). Germination generally takes between 9 and 10 days.

Before sowing, you can soak the seeds in a little water for 24 hours to stimulate germination.

There are two ways to sow your seeds:

Sow the seeds 3 weeks before transplanting, under a cloche or in a warm place. Sow 2 or 3 seeds per pot or container. Ensure the container is large enough for root development. After germination, keep only the most vigorous plant. Plant in open ground after mid-May, once all risk of frost has passed. It is important not to sow too early, as the plants could become weak. Additionally, they will have developed a root system that will not withstand transplantation.

Alternatively, plant your seeds directly in place. This can be done from mid-May. Ensure the soil is properly warmed and that all risk of frost has passed. Place 3 seeds in each hole. Cover the soil with organic matter (compost, clippings, leaves, etc.), which will help maintain soil moisture. Thin out after 2 to 3 weeks to keep only the most vigorous plant. 

 

Cultivation

From sowing or planting, water generously, taking care not to disturb the seeds. Water regularly during fruit formation. However, limit watering during the ripening period.

Seedlings

Sowing period April to June
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 5 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Good
Pruning instructions Prune varieties with large fruits to control growth and promote fruiting. Prune from June to September. On the main stem, after the formation of 4 to 5 true leaves, cut after the second one. Then, on the lateral branches that develop without fruits, prune after the fifth leaf as soon as they have 8. Then, cut 2 leaves after the formation of each fruit, without keeping all the fruits. Depending on the varieties and the desired fruit size, it is wise to keep 1 to 3 fruits for larger specimens, 5 to 6 for small pumpkins, squashes or butternuts, and 8 to 10 for mini squashes. Remove branches without fruits to limit vegetative growth.
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to +1.5°C (USDA zone 10b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Soil very rich
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), Moist soil

Planting & care advice

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