The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

Never miss a recipe!

Enter your email address to subscribe to Harvest to Table free via email:

Topics Index

almanac apples artichoke arugula asparagus basil beans beets best bet varieties blueberries bok choy books broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower celery chard cherries chilies Chinese cabbage Chinese leaves compost cooking cool-season vegetables corn cucumbers dates delicious bite delicious bites dried beans eggplant farmers market fennel fresh this week garbanzo bean gardening tips garlic grapefruit grapes herbs horseradish hot peppers how to grow in the garden kale kitchen garden kitchen garden almanac kohlrabi leeks legumes lemon lettuce mandarin orange melons mint mushrooms mustard greens nectarines okra olives onions oranges parsnips peaches pears peas peppers pests and diseases pests diseases problems potatoes pumpkin radish recipes rutabaga salsify seed starting shallots soil Southern Hemisphere spinach spring onions squash strawberry summer squash sun-dried tomato sunchokes sweet corn sweet pepper sweet potato tangerine tomato turnip turnip greens vegetable garden watermelons winter squash zucchini

Tag Results

9 Tag Results from Harvest to Table

Pagination:

9 result(s) displayed (1 - 9):

Pumpkin Varieties: Best Bets and Easy-to-Grow

Pumpkins for pies. Pumpkins for Jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkins for the little ones. Pumpkins for the "Biggest Pumpkin Contest."

Pumpkins are not difficult to grow. Grow them just like any other winter squash. (Keep reading to the bottom of this post and I will give you my tips for sure-fired pumpkin growing success. Also see How To Grow Pumpkins.)

Here is a list of best bet, easy-to-grow pumpkins divided into size categories: (1) small pumpkins (2 to 5 pounds); (2) intermediate-size pumpkins (8 to 15 pounds); (3) large pumpkins (15 to 25 pounds); (4) jumbo pumpkins (50 to 100 pounds and larger).

Small pumpkins (2 to 5 pounds):

• Baby Bear. 105 days. AAS. Half the size of a normal pumpkin. Fine-grained flesh, excellent for pies. Deep orange fruit 5 to 6 inches wide and 3½ to 4 inches tall. Weighs 1½ to 2 pounds. Strong stem is easy to grip. Seeds are semi-hullless for seed toasting. Blight and frost tolerant. Cross between New England Pie and a small naked seed pumpkin. Great for home garden

• Baby Pam. 100 days. Deep orange flesh; good for pies. Uniform size: 5 inches tall by 5½ in diameter. Smooth skin; indistinct ribs. Tight, secure stem. Vigorous 10 to 12 foot vines. Heavy yield. Also called "Oz."

• Small Sugar (also called New England Pie). 100-105 days. Best tasting pie pumpkin; excellent flavor. Deep-orange flesh; 5 to 8 pounds. Convenient size for kitchen use. For baking and canning. Pre-Civil War heirloom. Open-pollinated.

Continue reading "Pumpkin Varieties: Best Bets and Easy-to-Grow" »

How to Grow Pumpkin

Pumpkins are a warm-season annual that require from 90 to 120 frost-free days to reach harvest. Sow pumpkins in the garden in spring when all danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached 65°F and night air temperatures are above 55°F. In cool-summer regions grow smaller varieties. Pumpkins can be started indoors 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date in spring; transplant them into the garden 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost.

Read all about winter squashes: click here.

Description. Pumpkins are tender squash-like annuals with smooth rinds scored with vertical grooves. Fruits can range in size from a few ounces to hundreds of pounds and in color from deep orange to white. Large, green leaves grow on branching vines that can reach 20 feet long. Large male and female flowers grow on the same vine. The name pumpkin is also given to other hard, orange squashes and gourds.

Prepare and serve pumpkin: click here.

Yield. Plant 1 to 2 pumpkin plants per household member.

Site. Plant pumpkins in full sun; pumpkins will tolerate partial shade. Pumpkins grow best in loose, well-worked, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Pumpkins prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Add aged compost to planting beds in advance of sowing. Pumpkins require ample room for growing or train them up a fence or trellis. Bush varieties require less space than vining varieties.

Continue reading "How to Grow Pumpkin" »

Piloncillo and Pumpkin

Calabaza en Jarabe is pumpkin in syrup. This is a tasty old-fashioned Mexican dessert that you can serve for Halloween.

Piloncillo is the traditional cone shape of unrefined sugar commonly used in Mexican cooking. Piloncillo (which means little pylon) is made when sugar cane is crushed, the juice is collected and boiled then poured into pylon-shaped molds.

Piloncillo is hard. It requires grating, chiseling or pounding, but the flavor is intense.

Try this calabaza en jarabe, pumpkin in piloncillo syrup, with cream.

Continue reading "Piloncillo and Pumpkin" »

Leek and Pumpkin Soup

Here is a first-course soup or a hearty lunch soup served with warm bread.

This is a perfect autumn soup; both leeks and pumpkins are readily available fresh and local in October.

Leeks--with long, thick, blanched necks and only a slight bulb formation at the base--are members of the onion family. But leeks do not taste like their cousins, shallots or green onions. They are delicate and sweet flavored, not pungent at all.

Select leeks with a white neck and fresh, dark green tops.

Leeks will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for several days. When ready to cook, cut off the green tops and roots, wash the white part, separate the layer and let water run between them to remove all traces of dirt.

Continue reading "Leek and Pumpkin Soup" »

Winter Squashes and Pumpkins

Winter squashes are best from early fall through winter.

Winter squashes are drier, more fibrous, and much sweeter than summer squashes. Their thick, hard shells can not be eaten—like summer squashes, but these squashes can be stored into the winter and almost into the early spring.

The sweet flesh of winter squash becomes creamy when cooked, and the seeds can be washed, dried, roasted and served either plain or salted.

Winter squashes belong to the Cucurbita family of squashes, marrows, and pumpkins.

Here are the leading winter squash varieties:

Continue reading "Winter Squashes and Pumpkins" »

Baked Pumpkin with Ginger

Presenting pumpkin the vegetable.

Here is a recipe for baked pumpkin shell which you can serve with pork or turkey.

Pumpkin is a winter squash just like Hubbard squash and banana squash. The winter squashes have hard rinds and are eaten when fully mature.

When selecting a winter squash, look for a hard, tough rind and a squash that feels heavy for its size. Heaviness means that the rind wall is thick and the flesh is edible.

This recipe calls for pumpkin but you can use either a Hubbard or banana squash instead.

Continue reading "Baked Pumpkin with Ginger" »

Jack-o’-Lantern

Cut off the top of your pumpkin, scoop out the seed, carve a face in the flesh, place a candle inside, and replace the top. That is the story of Jack-o’-Lantern.

Well, not quite.

Actually, Jack—so the legend goes—was a rather lazy though crafty farmer. He made his way through life less by farming than by cheating and stealing from his neighbors. When his neighbors weren’t after him, the Devil was.

One time, Jack tricked the Devil into climbing up a tree. Then Jack cleverly placed crosses around the tree trunk so that the Devil had not way to get down. Jack was amused but the Devil wasn’t.

The Devil bargained with Jack. “If you let me down, I promise I will never take your Soul,” the Devil told Jack. Jack agreed. He knew he had shrewdly found a way to never spend a day in Hell.

Continue reading "Jack-o’-Lantern" »

Cooking Pumpkin

October is fresh pumpkin month. You’ll find pumpkins in September and pumpkins in November, but October is when more than 80 percent of the pumpkins grown each year are harvested and come to market.

Select a pumpkin that is bright colored, firm, and unblemished.

How much pumpkin do you need? Remember that three pounds raw pumpkin will make 3 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin.

Once you get the pumpkin home, keep it in a cool, dry place away from frost danger until you are ready to use it. Pumpkins should be used within 1 month of harvest.

When you are ready to cook, use a large knife to halve or quarter the pumpkin then scoop out the seeds and stringy portion. Then cut the halves or quarters into smaller pieces.

Continue reading "Cooking Pumpkin" »

Pumpkins

Jack-o’-lantern or pie?

That could be the question you ask when faced with a pumpkin this time of year.

The answer is simple. It’s in the size of the pumpkin before you.

Small pumpkins are best for cooking. They will be sweet and delicious, perfect for pie fillings, breads, muffins and soups.

Intermediate and large pumpkins are usually not very tasty eating and are best suited for Jack-o’-lanterns. And those huge pumpkins you see at the county fair and pumpkin growing competitions, they are best for just that—fairs and competitions.

Continue reading "Pumpkins" »

Pagination:

Never Miss a Garden Tip!

Just enter your email address and you will subscribe to "Harvest To Table" Web site updates via email for free. Make sure you confirm your subscription from the confirmation message you'll receive in your mailbox right away.

Tag Results

Search this site:

9 Tag Results from Harvest to Table