Basil and Tulsis
Pepo squash
Jack O'Lantern - Pepo squash
Ref : P2147
- Cucurbita pepo
Bag of 12 seeds
This variety produces large orange fruits, traditionally carved for Halloween, weighing 5 to 8 kg and slightly ribbed. The flesh is a softer, lighter orange with a sweet flavor.
What are the characteristics of Jack O'Lantern squash?
Jack O'Lantern squash, Cucurbita pepo, is a mid-season runner native to the United States. It is the famous carved pumpkin of Halloween. It bears up to 5 fruits per plant, each measuring up to 30 cm in diameter. Their ribbed skin encloses a thick, light-orange, slightly sweet flesh, ideal for soups or gratins.
A smaller version exists, with pumpkins 5 to 8 cm in diameter: Jack Be Little squash.
How do I grow Jack O'Lantern squash?
Squash seedlings are sown from February to May in pots of 2 to 3 seeds, under a light shelter, and from March to June in the open ground.
Sowing in pots should take place 2 to 3 weeks before transplanting. Be careful not to sow squash seeds too early in the season, in which case the roots will become fibrous, making growth difficult in the garden. The seeds should be kept moist and warm, at a temperature of between 18 and 20°C, until they emerge.
To sow directly in the ground, wait until the last frosts have passed and choose a sunny spot. Prepare 2 weeks in advance holes filled with compost or organic matter, spaced 2 m apart in all directions, to accommodate the squash plants or seeds. Mulch the soil to maintain sufficient humidity and limit water evaporation.
In the garden, squash enjoys the company of corn and beans, giving rise to the cultivation of the three sisters or milpa. Also plant basil to repel pests.
How to store Jack O'Lantern squash?
Jack O'Lantern squash is harvested between June and November, before the first frost. Drying out of the stalks indicates that the fruit is ready to detach from the plant. Be careful not to tear the squash, but cut as close as possible to the stem, 10 cm above the stalk.
This variety of squash keeps for 4 to 9 months in a ventilated, dry place, at a temperature of between 10 and 12°C. Place the fruit, spaced apart and tail up, in high crates. They can also be frozen for up to a year, after slicing and cooking.
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Sow in pots at 18-20°C, 2 to 3 weeks before planting. Transplant with the root ball into the ground, after the last frosts, at a minimum distance of 2 m in all directions. To sow directly in the ground, sow after the last frosts, once the soil has warmed up. In both cases, prepare holes filled with compost or organic matter two weeks in advance to accommodate your seedlings or seeds.
Cucurbita pepo
5 g
12 seeds
From 150 to 400 cm
From 20 to 30 cm
United States
