PUMPKIN-DELICATA (BOHEMIAN)
PUMPKIN-DELICATA (BOHEMIAN)
A$3.50
Availability: 43 in stock
Cucurbita pepo
PUMPKIN-DELICATA (BOHEMIAN) Not many gardeners realize that this is a heritage squash more than 100 years old as it was first introduced in 1894. It was also known as Bohemian OR Sweet Potato squash, but these names have now fallen out of use. It lives up to its present name because it is delicate in both shape & flavor. The fruit itself is small, usually 18-25cm long, thin-skinned & 10cm wide. The flesh is a deep orange-yellow, fine textured & sweet. Grows on 2 to 3mt trailing vines with small silvery green leaves. The vines are prolific producers of fruit, so this is ideal for small gardens. The vines can even be trained up trellises like cucumbers. When cooked, delicata has a texture similar to a sweet potato, creamy and soft.
Sow directly in desired growing position. Prefers good, well-drained soil. Keep moist & well watered once flowers appear and during the growing period.
| Germination Time (Days) | 8 – 16 |
| Harvest Time (Days) | 100 – 140 |
| Sowing Depth (mm) | 15 – 20 |
| Plant Spacing (cm) | 100 – 150 |
| Row Spacing (cm) | 100 – 200 |
| pH | 5 – 7.5 |
| Soil Temperature (°C) | – |
| Hardy / Frost Tender | Frost Tender |
| Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings | Sow Direct |
| Seed Preparation | – |
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
30 - 45 cm (1 - 1.5 feet)
Season of Interest
Summer to early Autumn
Temperature Range
18 - 30 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Annual
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Sow direct
Soil
Loamy, well-drained soil with compost
pH
6.0 - 7.0
Soil Temperature
18 - 24 °C (65 - 75 °F)
Seed Preparation
None required
Sowing Depth
2.5 cm (1 inch)
Plant Spacing
60 - 90 cm (24 - 36 inches)
Row spacing
90 - 120 cm (36 - 48 inches)
Watering
Moderate
Germination Time (Days)
7 - 10 days
Harvest Time (Days)
80 - 100 days
Good Companion Plants
Corn, Beans, Marigolds
Bad Companion Plants
Potatoes
Pests
Aphids, Cucumber Beetles, Squash Bugs
Diseases
Powdery mildew, Downy mildew
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
