Red Kuri Squash - Vilmorin seeds - Cucurbita maxima

The Potimarron squash is a trailing, productive and early-ripening variety. It has about 5 medium-sized, red-orange fruits per plant (12 to 22 cm (5 to 9in), 1.2 to 1.5 kg), in the shape of a pear. Their skin is thin and tender and the flesh is thick, with a wonderful chestnut flavour. This Potimarron has excellent storage capabilities.

Pumpkins and Squashes belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and the species Cucurbita maxima. This annual herbaceous plant has long, vigorous, trailing or climbing stems with strong tendrils. Each plant has separate male and female flowers, making it monoecious; it is the female flowers that will produce the fruits once pollinated by the male flowers.

They come in many shapes and colours, from large ribbed orange or red fruits with orange flesh to oblong shapes, pear shapes or "turban" shapes. Originally from South America, this species is believed to have been introduced to Europe around the 16th or 17th century like the other species of Cucurbita. They are often wrongly called "gourds" which belong to a different species, Cucurbita pepo, with stringy flesh and a hard, fibrous stem. As for the squash, it has sweet, tasty and less stringy flesh with a tender and spongy stem.

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

Harvest and storage:

Harvest squash as late as possible, without risking the first frost. Keep the stem as long as possible and store them in a temperate room (10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F)) without letting them touch. This way, you can store them for a few months to a year.

The gardener's tip:

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 like a trellis or sturdy stakes.

During fruit ripening, place a tile or brick between the ground and the fruit to isolate it and limit potential rotting. A thick mulch will also work.