Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha)

(9/10) I threw a few Pumpkin seeds in this container from a Pumpkin I ate a few days ago and they are starting to sprout. In fact, you can actually see some seeds just laying on the top of the soil. I wonder if these will produce fruit. Let's see. 

 

Orange Salad Pumpkin

Today (4/27) I planted Orange Salad Pumpkin seeds. This is a hybrid pumpkin that is harvested young and eaten raw. 

This Pumpkin is primarily eaten raw. We marinate thin slices in vinegar and honey and arrange on a plate to resemble a flower. The texture is firm and the taste is delicious, not to mention beautiful.

Orange Salad Pumpkin plants are fast growing and the fruit is harvested young making is a quick food source. I live in a sub-tropical region and seeds are planted between April and May and harvested between July and August. 

(5/2) Starting to sprout

(5/6)

(5/14)

(6/2)

(6/3)

(6/7) My Orange Salad Pumpkin is flowering, but I can only find male flowers.

Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)

I planted these Japanese Pumpkin seeds around 1 March.

Six weeks later, I see the first blossom

(4/12)

(4/14)

(4/17) There are tons of flowers, but they all seem to be male. I will start collecting pollen from these male flowers in hopes some female flowers start to bloom. Pollen can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, so it is best to collect a little each day and store in separate containers so the freshest pollen can be used when needed. 

(4/21) Still no female flowers, but the male flowers have successfully attracted one bee that's been pretty dedicated and visits the Nasturtium and Pumpkin flowers daily.

Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)

I planted these Kabocha Pumpkin seeds a few weeks ago and they are growing so fast. I had them on my second floor balcony, but needed to move them to a location that would allow the vines to grow, so moved them to the front of my house where there is plenty of space and sunlight. I did not want to put them directly on the concrete because it gets quite hot here, so put some black gardening fabric down to protect them. 

Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash)

The Kabocha plants are growing quickly and the Tomato plants are also keeping up.

Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash)

(3 March) After nearly three weeks, the Pumkin (Kabocha) plants started to sprout. When I was thinning the Tomato plants I stuck some of the larger plants in the dirt since the Kabocha had not yet sprouted, but surprisingly all the Tomato plants survived. Next I have to figure out how to route these vines. Kabocha are crawlers and they will not do well on the hot tile of my balcony, so I need to think of what to do. I may take them down stairs to grow in the yard. Stay tuned. 

(12 March) In just 9 days the Pumpkin plants have grown so much and amazingly the four Tomato plant suckers I planted seemed to have made it and growing as well.  

Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash)

Lots of male flowers, but not a single female.

Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash) Blossoms

Second floor Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha) started to blossom.