"Cucurbita pepo## HOW TO GROW WINTER SQUASH PEPO Start indoors 3–4 weeks before last frost, plant out 2 weeks after last frost. Start 3 seeds in flats or 4” pots, thin to 1-2 plants. Direct seed after last frost or soil 70˚F. Seeds will rot in cool wet soil. 5-6 seeds to a 12” diameter hill or disturbed area. Can transplant end of last frost with row cover. Cucurbita pepo require a relatively short span of time from planting to ripening fruit than other squash. Cure in warm dry place such as a garage for 1 week after harvest. Pinch new blossoms midsummer to encourage larger set fruit size. Winter squash of C. pepo do not store as well as those of C. maxima or C. moschata and are often known as autumn squash. Hard frost damaged fruit will not store well. Soil pH 5.8-7.0. Hardiness zones 4-11. Annual.Days from maturity calculated from the date of seeding. Average 176-300 seeds per ounce. Average 15M seeds per acre. Federal germination standard: 75%. Usual seed life: 6 years. Isolation distance for seed saving: 1/2 mile.Planting Depth 1/2-1”Soil Temp. Germ. 70-85˚FDays to Germ. 3-10Plant Spacing 18-24”Row Spacing 6’Days To Maturity 90Full Sun, Moist Well Drained ##Vigorous productive delicata with intensely sweet flesh and a rich complex flavor reminiscent of Medjool dates. Flesh as thick or thicker and fruits as big or bigger than all other delicata lines. Absolutely no bitter contamination as is a problem in many delicata lines. Fruits up to 3 lbs. Tan and green striped fruits range from loaf to longer shapes, often on the same plant. Bred by Carol Deppe of Corvallis Oregon who writes, “I think this is the most vigorous and most productive delicata in existence as well as having the best flavor. Allow 2-3 weeks after harvest for curing indoors before eating. Keeps indoors through December. (Note: This squash is so dry and has such a high sugar content that I recommend baking in a covered roasting pan to avoid its drying out or scorching. Put the cut de-seeded but not scraped or cleaned halves upside down on the roasting-pan rack and cover the pan with the lid with the vents open. With all squash, it's easiest to scrape away interior debris after the squash is cooked, and that debris helps keep the squash from drying out while cooking. Start oven at 400° F while the squash are coming up to temperature, then switch to 325° F to finish the squash without scorching.) I recommend eating Candystick without any additions at all, not even butter or salt. I eat them at the end of the meal, as the dessert.” This is Open Source Pledged Seed (OSSI). By purchasing this seed you are a part of the Free The Seed movement. This variety is registered as an OSSI-pledged variety and seed. “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.” To learn more, visit: www.osseeds.org/about/. Tags: Type: Pepo, Color: Bi-Colored, Heritage: New Variety, Season: Late Summer Fall, Certification: Organic.##Feral Farm##Certified Organic by CCOF##Seed grower since 2015##//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0129/8922/files/Feral-Farm-Photo-small.jpg?3##I started growing seed commercially as an apprentice at the Organic Farm School in the Puget Sound in Washington. I already loved growing vegetables, but taking a plant all the way through its life cycle felt like a special kind of honor, and I quickly saw the value in sustaining organic, important, and rare plant varieties and participating in sustainable food systems in this way. I moved to Oregon in 2015 and have been growing my organic seed farming business over the last four seasons by renting land from existing farms and slowly taking on higher volumes and more varieties. I’m currently growing 1.6 acres of certified organic seed crops and heirloom garlic."
