Pumpkins


Varieties listed here are strictly Orange skinned. For the most part these will have a thinner layer of flesh, compared to actual winter squash, whose flesh is much thicker, shorter grained and very rich in flavor.

From Giants to those that will fit in your hand. From those that ramble over your whole yard, to those “bushy” types needing just 3-4ft…this section offers something for everyone. You will always come away with just the right kind for your garden needs and winter storage.

Will remain online for educational purposes. Operating on a “Hobby” basis.

Occasionally, there is “extra” seed. Pkts. marked below. If no price marked…then it is “N/A”.

  1. Algonquin (c.pepo) – A very popular “Jack-O-Lantern type, perfect for craving.
  2. Amish Pie – A heirloom obtained from an Amish gardener James Robinson, in the Mountains of Maryland. Unusual shape with a pumpkin form on top and tapering to a slight point on the bottom…like a giant heart. Pale orange flesh…5” thick! The skin is outstanding…creamy, light tan/orange! Excellent for pies and freezing. One of the best processing types, SSE has ever grown. Could reach 60 -80 lbs.! 90-105 days    
  3. Appalachian – If you just happen to have a small garden BUT want to grow some bigger pumpkins, maybe this is the one for you! A large dark orange, solid Jack-O-Lantern type with smooth skin, thick flesh AND strong stems! Just a perfect size for carving at 9-11kg (20-25lb). All this, combined with outstanding production on semi-determinate vines! 110 days   
  4. Atlantic Giant – This variety was introduced by Howard Dill of Nova Scotia in 1978. Has since broken all of its own records! A lovely giant, pink/orange skinned pumpkin that can weigh over 800 lb. Records > 1500 lbs. on this exist! 110-125 days
  5. Baby Bear – Here is a perfect “little people’s” round pumpkin, fits just right in their hands and LOOKS like the big ones! 95 days
  6. Baby Boo – (aka Chinese White) O. P. Took me a while, but I finally found them! Miniature WHITE pumpkins that reach only 3-4″ in diameter. A perfect partner for “Jack-Be-Little“! They are slightly squat…and will fit perfectly in little hands. Not only are they cute, but quite edible too. 100 days  
  7. Cheyenne Bush – Dev. from a cross of “Cocozella” and “New England Pie” by the USDA field station in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1943. Extremely early and very useful in small gardens. Indeed mine was a “bush” form and produced several large fruits for such small plants. Pumpkins are heavy feeders, but this one is small enough to be grown in a large pot. Good yields of 5 to 8 lb. fruits, perfect for carving! 75-80 days     Pkt…$3.00.
  8. Connecticut Field – A variety of pumpkin, favorites for carving and especially Halloween, as they range perfectly from medium to large, say 10 to 20 lbs. Flesh is less rich and contains more moisture than many others. Vines maybe slightly consuming, so give it room. If you have a hobby farmer close by, do not forget to share the ejected contents with their chickens or pet pigs.
  9. Fairy Tale – A pumpkin loved by the French supermarkets and farmers’ garden markets. Fruits are 8-15 lb with thick deep orange flesh. Plants will yield 2 to 3 fruits per. In France, sold by the “wedge” @ supermarkets. Late maturing variety @ 110 days. Best for baking and long storage.
  10. Fortna White – A unique pear-shaped pumpkin with lovely white skin. Vines offer up good yields of 10 lb fruits. Flesh is creamy yellow…mild for pies. Here is a heirloom that has been grown by the Fortna family of Pennsylvania for more than 50 years. Rare and very unusual. 90 days
  11. Jack-Be-Little – The history on this one is ghostly to say the least. Some say it may have been developed in the Orient, as pumpkins of this type are offered to the “Spirits” by many in Thailand, where they come in 4 or 5 colors. A tiny, cute orange pumpkin that weights just 8 ounces, flattish and heavily ribbed. A top seller in most markets. By my experience if you give this one some good soil, it will blow your garden off! (There fore a lean/mean soil is recommended!) Heavy producer! Adorable table decorations and if properly taken care of will last up to 8 months. Each is a serving. Scoop out center, steam or bake, refill with butter and brown sugar. Flavor is moderate and very ornamental.
  12. Jack-O-Lantern – Another name I think fastened to the Connecticut Field, perfect for the “scary festival” and carving sprees. Fruits range from 10 to 20 lbs. If one takes too much care they can reach to 100 lbs! Don’t forget to place a larger piece of wood or ? underneath to prevent rotting or spoilage in case it becomes too wet.
  13. Kakai – A heirloom from Austria. Eye-catching, tan/orange and black striped fruits that average between 5 to 8 lbs. Dark green hulless (#1) seeds are very delicious roasted. This variety yields tons of these seeds, known for their valuable green pumpkin seed oil…said to promote prostrate health. Plants are semi-bush with short vines. 100 days      Pkt…$3.00
  14. Lady Godiva – Unknown history and there appears to be many names for this variety. Specially grown for its naked, hull-less (#2) greenish seeds. Very unique. Seeds are nutritious, rich in protein, great roasted or raw. Flesh of this one – bland for eating…but edible. Makes nice chubby Jack-O-Lanterns though. Will yield up to 4oz. of seed per fruit. Plants produce 12 -15 fruits each. 90-100 days    
  15. Lil’ Pump-Ke-Mon F1 – I could not resist this one! Another dwarf flattish variety, only this one is slightly larger… 5″wx3″h. Unusual is its vivid slim orange/gold stripes running down the sides of a pure white skinned pumpkin! Heavy yields can be expected, so try these for the “kid” in you OR the kids around you! Useful as an orn. or even better baked or steamed. Very pretty.
  16. Long Island Cheese – (aka Cheese Pumpkin) I cannot make up my mind whether to categorize this one under squash or pumpkin….so I decided to put it here…just for its looks! Once, very popular in the New York and New Jersey regions and a heirloom of 1807. At one time there were many different “cheese” pumpkins grown for their pie market. The name is derived from its shape which is like an old-fashioned wheel of cheese. Strains differ in height of lobes, size and color of its skin. This one is flattened, buff in color with deep orange, THICK, fine-grained rich flesh. Fruits average 5-8 lbs and being a winter “squash”…keeps very well. This variety ripens later than others at 110 days.
  17. Long Pie – (aka Long Island Pie, aka Nantucket Pie, aka St. George) Wow and what a history this one has… dating to pre-1832! Fruits are elongated with evenly rounded ends, maturing to no larger than 3 to 6 lbs. Should be harvested dark green when an orange patch starts to form on its underside. Old timers remember (because of its shape…)  hundreds of these stacked upon porches to cure like firewood! The fruits, after being picked, will continue to change to a bright orange from inside out. Store well at 50F in a cool room. Known as the “Yankee Pie “pumpkin for its endurance, vigorous production and flavor.  
  18. Lumina – Perfect globular shape for carving or painting on designs. Plants produce 5 to 7 kg (11-15lb) fruits that are 10-12” wide (…wider than tall) with pure white skin. Harvest in Sept. for their best white color as cold stress shows up blue! (I guess so!..) 95 days
  19. Musquee de Provence – Traditional “mainstay” variety from France’s southern regions. Intro. to N. American gardens by Vaughan’s Seed Store in Chicago in 1899. Its skin is very attractive…dusty tan/orange/greenish with smoky gray overtones. Its fruits are flattened and deeply convoluted. Needs room to grow, as some fruits are likely able to reach 20 lbs. Flesh is bland, looking something like stringy uncooked spaghetti! However will store well. Sooo! If you use it for eye-appeal and what lies under the meat sauce…can’t be all that bad!
  20. New England Pie – Said to have orig. in New England (America) Described by Fearing Burr in 1863. Here is a variety that combines the greatness of pumpkins AND squash! A “Sugar Pie” type offering thick, dry, string-less orange fleshed fruits that grow no larger than 6 lbs. They are perfectly roundish with slight ribbing and strong handles. Flavor is not too sweet. Most vines will offer from 3 to 4 fruits per. Will store longer than most other pumpkin varieties…about 4 months.
  21. Pomme D’ Or – This little French squash/pumpkin is sooo cute! Small fruits are perfectly round, orange and smooth of skin. These are perfect for single servings, being very tasty and are produced in abundance. Very attractive and will make great table decorations. Rare 80-90 days
  22. Rouge Vif D’ Etampes –  (aka Cinderella) Dates back to 1883. Bright red/orange French squash with a flat shape that looks like a cheese wheel. Beautiful for fall splendor, weighing only about 10-15 lb. Skin is mostly smooth, with some rough spots, cracking and netting. Flesh is sweetish and brilliant orange. Very popular in home gardens because its vines take up only about 6 feet in diameter. Another one that I cannot make up my mind where to put it! But pumpkins (in my mind) are mostly orange! 85-105 days  
  23. Spookie – The name could be a miss-representation, as it is more likely named for its shape rather than its skin color, which I understand is orange! So…another smaller variety for those “spookie” nights around Halloween. Appears also to grow slightly taller, yet wider than typical J-O-L’s. Fruits will reach 5-10 lb, perfect for little arms to hold and carry.
  24. Styrian – Sprawling plants produce fruits that range about 6-15 lbs. Light-colored flesh can be used in zucchini recipes, soups and stir-fries. In the dead of winter when few fresh local vegetables are available, the flesh can be grated directly into salads. This one ripens even in cool wet summers. The one great attribute is its hull-less (#3 ) seeds that are eaten raw or toasted. A few could also be tossed into the salads, too! 80-95 days
  25. Sugar or Pie – Always a demand for smaller pie pumpkins. A very sweet, finely grained, rich flesh of the deepest orange. Round fruits develop to a perfect 5” to 8” across, starting out a typical deep green and changing to a dark orange. Plant out only when the soil has warmed up to 65F/18C. If a cool period develops, better to keep small plants in a large pot till conditions stabilize. Then very gently transfer outside without disturbing the root system. 90 days     Pkt…$2.50
  26. Wee-Be-Little   A cute (and very beautiful) smooth-skinned, deep orange, perfectly round miniature of 8-10 oz.pumpkin! The size of a softball. Vines only reach 8-10ft. These are perfect for fall decorations and for the little ones to play with…a mini jack-o-lantern! An All American Selection winner. (And I agree…) 90 days  
  27. Winter Luxury Pie – In my trials, I found this var. to have shorter vines than most, great choice for smaller gardens. I also found it not to have smooth skin but rather a very fine cream-colored “mesh/netting” encases it all over. Intro. by Johnson & Stokes in 1893. Lovely 6 lb golden round orange fruits. The best Pie tasting pumpkin, gardeners will ever find! Flesh is sweet, smooth and rich. 85 days   
  28. Wolf – Nice breeding work went into this one…done by a Western New York farmer, Chris Awald. Distinctive round fruits are intense, deep orange with moderate ribbing. Very unusual thick long strong stems here! Thick flesh helps prevent “flat siding”. Late @ 100 days