Cinderella Pumpkin

Cinderella pumpkin is a great edible pumpkin variety that is well suited to a shorter season like mine. The name couldn't be better suited to its appearance, which is nothing short of storybook ready. The deep orange color, smooth skin, and modestly lobed shape give it an old fashioned pumpkin look. The flesh is bright orange and smoothly textured. The flesh is solidly three inches thick. This is a great pie or puree pumpkin as the orange color deepens with cooking. Don't overcook it though, it turns super soft quickly. So far, mine have kept 4 months and are going strong. Mature pumpkins are consistent in size, averaging 15-18 inches in diameter and about 15 lbs.

From 4, eighteen inch diameter mounds in my garden with a plant each I yielded about 15 full size and mature pumpkins. The vines are expansive, and I would ideally put these mounds on 10' centers. This year mine were on 6' centers so they would yield more than I am reporting given wider spacing. The vines are vigorous and great for smothering weeds and shading soil moisture once established. I fertigated my plants with fish emulsion every other week.

My plants were in the ground from May 21 to Oct. 15 so about 110 days. There were a few immature squash on some of the vines. Some selecting work and edible lobed pumpkin varietal comparison is planned for the coming year in order to discover or create an edible lobed pumpkin variety which truly shines in a relatively short season.