penguin Posted October 3, 2006 (edited) hey everyone, just wondering if anyone had any seeds of the big orange pumpkins that people cut out faces with in halloween in america? Would they grow alright in se qld(brissi).willing to pay cash or maybe a swap or whatever comes up. pm me. thanks, penguin p.s reason is my mother wants to grow them to make pumpkin pie and she can't find the normal pumpkins here(she's from america). Edited October 3, 2006 by penguin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antecedent Posted October 3, 2006 I've never come across these, or even the pumpkins, but if you find them, my mother would also like some... Or maybe just the pie. She is also from america, and has gone all the way to Thailand to get tinned pumpkin and breakfast cereal and graham crackers. And to work there or something. Those smallish greenish Japanese type pumpkins work okay for making pie but not for making jack-o-lanterns, if one wanted to do such a thing for some reason. Any of the less stringy/grainy type ones but not butternut squash really. Also apparently they do make pumpkin pie somewhere in Australia but call it "grandma pie". Probably in the southern areas, I'm not sure how well they'd grow in SE QLD. But I'd like some too. I like pie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whit3rabbit Posted October 3, 2006 I think I may have some seeds around, I'll check in the morning and let you know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naja naja Posted October 3, 2006 (edited) Having never tasted the type of pumpkins u speak of, I can verify that the Tassy blues that they sell here in Oz are shite, pretty much allround. Whereas butternut pumpkins always make great pumpkin scones. They are much sweeter and I imagine they'd be perfect for the pie. I'm assuming a sweet pie, not savoury. But they certainly would not be suitable for jack-o-lantens. Edited October 3, 2006 by naja naja Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted October 3, 2006 They are much sweeter... (snip) I am like so, so over sweet pumpkins. Every pumpkin I've bought, traded for or been given from any source is way over sweet. Pumpkin soup made from those delicate, sweet, light pumpkins tastes like sugary shite, especially in winter when what you want is soup mate, a few spices, garnished with thick yoghurt and parsley and some chunky homemade bread. I dunno whether the availability of these mega sweet pumpkins from everyone with a garden means that the gene pool for proper butch pumpkins is fucked and I'll never get decent pumpkin soup again ( *sob* ) Gone are the days where people in our valley would have pumpkin soup bakeoffs, the only stuff you can do with these precious little squashes is scones and pie ( which is really much better made with kumera ) Is it QLD blue or Jap pumpkins which are traditionally meatier and not as sweet? I might have to get some thoroughbred seed from the Seed Saver's Network just to make sure I have a stash for next winter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted October 3, 2006 this is the large form Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuG Posted October 3, 2006 Darklight try using the japanese pumkin for soups. It is not as sweet and has a drier consistancy. my local friut market sometimes has the seconds for $1 each. and by seconds it means that the colour is not uniform all the way around and so can't be exported to japan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
penguin Posted October 4, 2006 yeah guys thanks for the replies... so does anyone have any seeds Yeah my mum has to get relatives to ship over tinned pumpkin and it costs a fortune and I dont want her payin that kind of money to make one of her fav pies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
noun Posted October 4, 2006 (edited) Eden seeds stock them. http://www.edenseeds.com.au Edited October 4, 2006 by noun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rev Posted October 5, 2006 (edited) just order them in pumpkin seed and most veggie seed you can order from US seed suppliers no problem at all I do for example i just bypassed aussie retailers to get my gourd seed from the US dippers, cannon balls, bottles, eggs spoons you name it better variety and 1/3 the price! so try a few veg laces great varieties all the new one eden and others have in now are the ones ive been getting in for a couple years now from the US- the same sources they get their from now! go to the source i think i went here one time http://www.felcopruners.net/ personally i havent found a o/s pumpkin that beats an aussie one to eat in the styles we do Jap (kent), qld/beaudesert blue, jarrahdale and ironbark are the best roasting and soup pumpkins but the yanks have the better (summer ) squash and carving pumpkins and the italians the best zuchinnis and the mexicans use the seeds more than the flesh i have seeds of a US white pumpkin called cotton candy interesting but not much chop to eat - but then i guess its not meant for that i recommend importing some new varieties so much has been lost in australia and whilst seed saver networks do a great job there is so much missing! the seedsaving heirloom biz is so much more advanced in the US check out the felcopruners winter squash (pumpkin) and tomato section and thats just 2 sections of 1 company! Edited October 5, 2006 by Rev Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rev Posted October 5, 2006 Darklight your pain is to do with the generic use of 'pumpkin' there are 3 major types in Australia C maxima - blues, pinks, ironbarks dry fleshed long keepers Round stems and petioles large fat seeds have a paper husk examples Qld or beausdesert blue, ironbark, jarrahdale these are the true pumpkins of Oz get seeds from inland SE qld ie beaudesert (darker with more ribs) or just from yates- they keep a good qld blue. Jarrahdale is a WA heritage variety maximas will not cross with the grammas! so if you desire you can grow both. if qld blue is too big for ya go to a rural store and get "baby blue' its a small version of qld blue - better for todays smaller households. C moschata - Grammas, Japs, butternuts sweeter thinner skinned 5 angled stems and petioles white blotches on leaves flat rough seed with rim Grammas are traditionally used for pie. only recently with the japs becoming popular have they shifted to the eat fresh section C pepo - summer squash, golden nugget, zuchetta, zuchinni, ornamnetal gourds similar to above. all but worthless as pumpkins so ill say no more Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
