Quick Facts
- Cinderella's carriage
- Large, stores well
- Great flavor and highly nutritious
Cucurbita maxima
110 days. Your carriage awaits! We have it on good authority that this is the actual variety that Cinderella's fairy godmother turned into that live-saving carriage all those years ago... No really, this is the actual squash that inspired Cinderella author Charles Perrault!
Translated as "red of Etampes" the medieval town in France where it hails from, this pumpkin has been popular in French markets since the 1880s. Pumpkins range from 10-20lbs, are lobed, and shaped like a cheese wheel. They grow great for us, and they are so visually impressive that they are one of the harvests we are most proud of in the fall. Flavor is an earthy pumpkin, making great soups, pies, pumpkin breads, and we just made our first pumpkin ice cream with it! Deep orange flesh is highly nutritious.
How to grow it:
|
Germ Temp |
Indoor Start |
Germ Days |
Frost Tolerant |
Sun |
Seed Depth |
Plant/Row Spacing |
|
65-95 |
3 w. |
3-13 d. |
No |
Full |
1/2” |
24”/48” |
|
Plant 1-2" deep in small mounds 24" apart. Winter squash are heavy feeders so provide fertility initially, then every few weeks through the season. Harvest before the first frost, as even a light frost will damage the flesh and make the squash unstorable. Allow to cure in a sunny, frost free location for 2-3 weeks. This curing process seals the pores of the squash skin for storage and improves flavor. Learn more about growing, harvesting, and curing squash in our blog post about it! |
Seed specs: 20 seeds minimum