Naked-seeded pumpkin project

[flowerbug]

wireworms are usually the dark black and somewhat larger click beetles - i'm not sure they do much of anything to squash plants.

 

[meadow]

wireworms are usually the dark black and somewhat larger click beetles - i'm not sure they do much of anything to squash plants.

hmmm. The Pacific Coast Wireworm looks like the one I've been squishing and is the same size. I don't know if we're allowed to link to pdf's, but Oregon State University has one with a photo (and the color is the same as mine, which is a deep golden brown). The description says they "are slender, tan or nearly black, and from 8 to 12 mm long." This beetle is always on the ground (never on plants), and in the same area(s) as the wireworms.

The beetle on the squash was a different shape and more colorful. Egads, I hope it isn't a Japanese beetle! I can't remember exactly what it looked like atm, but a quick search just now makes me think that Japanese beetle is a likely candidate.

 

[Zeedman]

What is SVB? Squash vine borer?

I saw a beetle on a winter squash yesterday and dropped it into a container of soapy water. I've gotten quite good at smashing them too (previously too squeamish, but I've declared war on wireworms and I think this one golden beetle is the adult form and they're so fast I've no other choice than to grab and squish ). It hadn't occurred to me to cover the squash with cloth though. hmmm. What kind are you using?

Yes, squash vine borer... I don't think you have them on the West side of the Rockies (yet). They are common in my area, and will destroy most C. maxima and C. pepo squashes unless preventive measures are taken. For me, that means planting later (using protected transplants) and covering the young plants with floating row cover.

There is an element of both timing & luck involved. Planted & covered too early, the vines will over-run the covers while the SVB are still active. Too late, and the squash will not reach maturity. There is a formula that can be used to estimate when the SVB will hatch, based upon a certain number of heat units; I've never used it, but will post the link here if I can find it.

The pumpkins in this project may be resistant to SVB. I saw the adults hovering over the plants last year, without apparent damage - but I'm not taking chances with anything this year. The cover is the lightest grade of Agribon, which I also use to cover peppers grown for seed, or any member of the cabbage family. It doesn't work well for beans or tomatoes though, since the restricted air flow tends to promote disease.

I'll be covering zucchini this year as well. Those plants were started even later, since they are not grown for seed. I will be growing luffa for the first time too, don't know if SVB & squash bugs will attack it.

 

[capsicumguy]

I've been away from this forum for a while, so I just wanted to post an update on how things are doing. After a very cool, wet start to the season, in which quite a few things did poorly (particularly cucrbits and beans, the two kinds of plant I decided to get involved in seed-saving for, sigh) the pumpkins are doing well. Each lot has one hill, and I've thinned each hill down to two plants (save lot 8, which only had one seed out of four germinate).

 

[secuono]

Store hull-less, pepitas, taste terrible vs the ones out of any home grown hulled variety. I wonder why. Made sure to buy the raw, unflavored kind, but no dice.

 

[flowerbug]

Store hull-less, pepitas, taste terrible vs the ones out of any home grown hulled variety. I wonder why. Made sure to buy the raw, unflavored kind, but no dice.

i've only had them from the store if someone else bought them and i don't recall them being particularly horrid. the ones i grew last year and roasted myself were great. i rubbed the pan with a very light layer of oil and then roasted them. one batch i soaked in salt water and then roasted them and decided that i didn't like those as much as the more plain version so i mixed all of them together to distribute the salt around. i had to ration them to keep some for a few months or i would have eaten them all (a few pints worth) in a rather short period of time. i like sunflower seeds or peanuts on salads or cole slaws of different kinds.

 

[meadow]

Yes, squash vine borer... I don't think you have them on the West side of the Rockies (yet). They are common in my area, and will destroy most C. maxima and C. pepo squashes unless preventive measures are taken. For me, that means planting later (using protected transplants) and covering the young plants with floating row cover.

There is an element of both timing & luck involved. Planted & covered too early, the vines will over-run the covers while the SVB are still active. Too late, and the squash will not reach maturity. There is a formula that can be used to estimate when the SVB will hatch, based upon a certain number of heat units; I've never used it, but will post the link here if I can find it.

The pumpkins in this project may be resistant to SVB. I saw the adults hovering over the plants last year, without apparent damage - but I'm not taking chances with anything this year. The cover is the lightest grade of Agribon, which I also use to cover peppers grown for seed, or any member of the cabbage family. It doesn't work well for beans or tomatoes though, since the restricted air flow tends to promote disease.

I'll be covering zucchini this year as well. Those plants were started even later, since they are not grown for seed. I will be growing luffa for the first time too, don't know if SVB & squash bugs will attack it.

Thank you for the info on squash vine borers and the fabric that you use. I'll keep my eye out for a sale.

 

[Zeedman]

Store hull-less, pepitas, taste terrible vs the ones out of any home grown hulled variety. I wonder why. Made sure to buy the raw, unflavored kind, but no dice.

Store bought hull-less pumpkin seeds (pepitas) may have been packaged too soon (with too high a moisture content), stored under less than ideal conditions, and spent too much time on the shelf. They could be rancid (there is a brand which I will no longer buy for that reason). Pumpkin seeds should be thoroughly dried, and stored under the same conditions used for seed storage. I've eaten naked-seeded pumpkin seeds from my original trial (over 10 years old) and they were still good.

 

[meadow]

Store hull-less, pepitas, taste terrible vs the ones out of any home grown hulled variety. I wonder why. Made sure to buy the raw, unflavored kind, but no dice.

Or could it be a matter of the variety? I like Carol Deppe's description of the Styrian pumpkin seed flavor (or lack of flavor! ):

"I prefer Kakai to other hulless pumpkins because the seeds actually are completely hulless, and because they have a rich delicious flavor raw as well as cooked, and I like pumpkin seeds raw. (Styrian, for comparison, also has completely hulless seeds, but raw, they taste just like little bland greasy wads of Crisco. (Which might be great for pressing into oil, but not so great for just eating the seeds.))"

I've only purchased pepitas up here that are some other squash and not pumpkins at all. I can't remember what kind of squash they are from though.

 

[flowerbug]

i barely use any oil at all when i roast them here. just enough to give the pan a very light coating so they won't stick. IMO if i can taste the oil i've used too much.