Squash Galeux d'Eysines organic seeds - Pumpkin

The Galeux d’Eysines pumpkin is an old variety originating from Eysines, a small town near Bordeaux, France. It is renowned for its uniqueness, especially its visually striking appearance. This pumpkin is named "galeuse" due to the corky growths covering its salmon-pink skin, giving it a rough and distinctive look. This variety has been found in French vegetable gardens for centuries, appreciated for its generous yield and good storage qualities.

The 'Galeux d'Eysines' Pumpkin has dense, firm, tender, and sweet orange-yellow flesh. The round, flattened fruit measures between 20 cm and 50 cm in diameter and weighs from 5 to 10 kg, sometimes more under favourable conditions. Each plant produces 2 to 4 fruits per season. It is a trailing variety, with vigorous plants that require space! Allow approximately 1.5 to 2 m between each plant. The fruit stores well after harvest, often for several months in a cool, dry place. The thick warts on the skin help protect the flesh from external damage.

In the kitchen, Galeux d’Eysines pumpkin adapts to a variety of recipes. It is perfect for making creamy soups and velvety purées to warm up winter evenings. Its texture also suits well for mashes and gratins, adding sweetness and consistency. For dessert lovers, it can be used in pies, cakes, or jams, enhancing dishes with its naturally sweet flavour. Lastly, it is delicious roasted in the oven, simply seasoned or stuffed in various ways. Versatile and delicious, it will delight all palates.

Pumpkins, red kuri squash, and buttercup squash belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and are part of the Cucurbita maxima species. This annual herbaceous plant is characterised by its long, vigorous, creeping, or climbing stems with strong tendrils. Each plant is monoecious, meaning it bears separate male and female flowers; only the latter will develop into fruits after being pollinated by the male flowers' pollen.

These fruits come in a wide variety of shapes and colours: from large ribbed orange or red fruits with orange flesh, to oblong, pear-shaped, or even "Turk's turban" forms. Originating from South America, this species is said to have been introduced to Europe between the 16th and 17th centuries, along with other Cucurbita species. The pumpkin is characterised by its sweet, flavourful, and non-stringy flesh, along with a tender, spongy stem.

Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and trace elements, low in calories, high in potassium, and have antioxidant properties.

Harvest and storage: harvest the squashes as late as possible, without risking early frosts. Keep the largest possible stem and store them in a temperate room (10 to 15°C). This way, you can store them for several months to a year, avoiding contact between them.

Gardening tips: you can bury the stems at the nodes to encourage rooting. To save space and protect your fruits from rot, you can grow pumpkins on supports such as a trellis or sturdy stakes.

During fruit ripening, you can place a tile, a brick, for example, between the ground and the fruit to isolate it and reduce premature rotting. A thick mulch will also do the trick.