West Coast Seeds
West Coast Seeds (Sweet Mama Kabocha)
West Coast Seeds (Sweet Mama Kabocha)
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C. maxima. Sweet Mama Kabocha squash seeds form single long vines with almost no side shoots. Each plant produces 1.3kg (3 lb) fruits with dark green, hard skins over sweet, nutty, deep orange flesh. This AAS Winner has outstanding storage ability and flavour. Kabocha is sometimes called Japanese pumpkin. These are the squash most often used for tempura - thin slices are coated in batter and deep fried until just soft. It's a wonderful way to accentuate the natural sweetness of the fruits. Sweet Mama can be started indoors or direct sown. If direct sowing, be sure that the soil is nice and warm in late May or early June. Train the vine along a fence or up a trellis.
| Latin Name |
Summer & Winter Squash: Cucurbita maxima, C. pepo, & C. moschata. Specialty Squash: Momordica charantla, Luffa acutangula. |
| Difficulty |
Easy, but all squash plants take up space, and some can be huge. |
| Exposure | Full sun |
| Sprouting | 7-14 days |
| Matures | 85-95 days |
| Starting |
Sow seeds 2cm (1″) deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm (36-48″) apart in rows 120-180cm (48-72″) apart. |
| Growing |
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil beneath each plant. All squash grow male flowers first, at later female flowers. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of their petals and require pollination by bees mostly. Incomplete pollination often happens at the beginning of the season, and results in misshapen fruits that are withered at the blossom end. Just discard these damaged fruits before they begin to rot. Encourage bees to visit the garden by growing Phacelia, sunflowers, or buckwheat for improved pollination. |
| Germination Rate | 80% |
| Seed Life | 2 years |
Sweet, nutty, deep orange
Dark green, hard skins
1.3kg (3lb) fruit
Hybrid seeds
