Pumpkins: The Spooky Squash

Written by: Anna Pafenberg

Pumpkins are well known to be associated with fall and the joyful holiday of halloween. Despite this, not a lot is known about them. Did you know that pumpkins are a fruit? They are also a squash. Pumpkins have over 500 seeds and every part of them is edible. This spooky fruit is much more than meets the eye.

Where are pumpkins from?

Pumpkins are native to North America, and pumpkin pie recipes are from France and England. These recipes from Europe helped shape a recipe from the 16th century into an American staple. Pumpkins are bountiful fruits, this makes them perfect for new American colonists to harvest and use to their advantage. 

Jack-o-lanterns

Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland where turnips were carved into faces at a festival called Samhain. This slowly developed into our modern day halloween. The word for pumpkin comes from Greece, the original word being ‘pepon’ which meant large melon. Globally in 2017, the world produced 60 billion pounds of pumpkins. 1.5 billion of those were from the United States. The states with the largest pumpkin growth are Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California! The biggest pumpkin ever harvested was in Italy and it weighed 2,703 pounds. The largest pumpkin pie was over 20 feet long!

Can I eat pumpkins?

Pumpkins are very nutritious, containing protein, zinc, and a lot of vitamins! These vitamins like vitamin c and antioxidants make pumpkin a superfood! Pumpkin is enjoyed in pies, soups, or even roasted plain. The seeds when roasted are crunchy and yummy! They contain magnesium and potassium. The flowers are edible as well, similar to zucchini and other squashes.

Pumpkin Varieties

Like how pumpkins are a relative of squash, they are also relatives of watermelons and other fruits. After all, the pumpkin is a fruit! Pumpkins can be classic orange as well as white, gray, green, purple, and blue.

How can I plant pumpkins? 

You should plant your pumpkins in late May and allow them lots of space to grow. Autumn Gold, Merlin, and Magic lantern are great varieties for carving. They need 50-100 square feet of room. Plant your pumpkins around 8 feet apart, and make sure to plant when it is warm, the pumpkins dislike the cold. Bees to pollinate, fertilizer to feed, and water to keep moist are all necessary for a pumpkin to grow. Make sure you have enough time before Halloween and Thanksgiving!