Seminole Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) - Control and Harvesting

[agee]

I planted two Seminole Pumpkin seedlings in my home garden, and it took over, I expected it to vine significantly but still!

A couple questions:
I want to know when are they considered fully mature? A few of them have turned orange but the stem is still green, can those be harvested? I know technically they can be harvested at any time, but I want them to have the best flavor and I assume for that to happen I need to let them fully mature.

I am not quite there yet but if I want to stop the plants from producing new fruits in order for all the energy to go to the existing fruits how do I do that? I know I can just prune female flowers if I see them but are there other ways?

P.S.

I am pretty sure the seed source was MMMM.

[pepperhead212]

I grew them years ago, since all I can grow are the moschata varieties, due to SVBs. And they went rampant, as you described! But the best butternuts do this, too. I don't see where you are, but in my area I might go another week, before stopping any more fruits, as you noted. Remember, you can cut all the flowers, male and female, and eat them, too! I let mine turn brown, and when I harvest, and go to store in my basement, I brush the stem with a little shellac, which is actually a natural substance, and totally safe, to restrict moisture from seeping out through the stem. Even though shellac is not waterproof, of even water resistant, compared to the many different wood finishes, it is one of the best at helping to keep the moisture from passing through the surface. Works great with the squash stems, too.

I had Seminole pumpkin store for a year, with no problem, and one I kept 2 years, just to see, before a tiny spot formed, but the rest of the squash was fine! A huge number of seeds, if you use a lot of pepitas in things. I also saved some seeds, and after 6 years, I tested a good number of them, to see if they were viable, and only a couple didn't germinate! The only drawback was the thin amount of flesh, after the skin was trimmed, and the guts scraped out. Some say the skin can be cooked in things, but I never did that.

[Tormahto]

I grew them years ago, since all I can grow are the moschata varieties, due to SVBs. And they went rampant, as you described! But the best butternuts do this, too. I don't see where you are, but in my area I might go another week, before stopping any more fruits, as you noted. Remember, you can cut all the flowers, male and female, and eat them, too! I let mine turn brown, and when I harvest, and go to store in my basement, I brush the stem with a little shellac, which is actually a natural substance, and totally safe, to restrict moisture from seeping out through the stem. Even though shellac is not waterproof, of even water resistant, compared to the many different wood finishes, it is one of the best at helping to keep the moisture from passing through the surface. Works great with the squash stems, too.

I had Seminole pumpkin store for a year, with no problem, and one I kept 2 years, just to see, before a tiny spot formed, but the rest of the squash was fine! A huge number of seeds, if you use a lot of pepitas in things. I also saved some seeds, and after 6 years, I tested a good number of them, to see if they were viable, and only a couple didn't germinate! The only drawback was the thin amount of flesh, after the skin was trimmed, and the guts scraped out. Some say the skin can be cooked in things, but I never did that.

Would melting wax over the end of the stem work?

[pepperhead212]

The wax sounds good, too. Maybe easier, for some, but I always have some shellac flakes in my workshop, along with some alcohol.