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Heirloom Plants & Gardens

Naked seeded pumpkins

12 years ago

I am going to grow Gleisdorfer Naked Seeded Pumpkin this year. Most years when we do pumpkins for Halloween my daughters want me to save the seeds for eating. What a pain, with the shell and all. So I got lazy and decided to try these. Has anyone else tried a hulless pumpkin? I understand there are better tasting pumpkins out there for flesh but is it at least acceptable tasting? I am growing two other types for eating but I would hate to waste. (like trophy hunters who take the head and leave the rest of the animal).

I was going to try Lady Godiva but Baker Creek switched it out and brought in this instead.

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Comments (9)

zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
12 years ago
Of the 3 varieties I've tried ("Kakai", "Streaker Jack" and "Little Greenseed") none was good for eating baked. The shell of "Little Greenseed is too thin to be usable, and the other two were watery, stringy, and bland. I wish it were otherwise, I hate to waste things too.
Trishcuit
Original Author
12 years ago
I guess that is when it would be handy to have pigs or something like that.
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Snow, to presprout the seeds, I just rolled them up in damp paper towel and tucked it in a Ziploc sandwich baggie. Checked every day for little roots. As soon as they barely appeared (just a few days), I planted them in tall peat pots at the depth I would have planted a dry, unsprouted seed. I like to presprout some things because I hate waiting for seeds that will never come up, especially when I'm using peat pots because I don't reuse them so it saves $$. Lilacs, VERY short season here, too (see my zone). This is the very FIRST time I've ever had a pumpkin mature outside on the vine before frost even, never mind in August. That's why I was so impressed and had to post the pic. :) My previous standby has been Connecticut Field. It gives you lovely large pumpkins that are good for baking or carving and it's an heirloom to boot. We always had to take them off the vines before frost, though, and they had to ripen indoors. We'd lose some, but many would ripen by Halloween. James, I'll let you know about flavour when I cut into the Racers. Right now my hubby has this one at work on his filing cabinet (giving him garden bragging rights at the office, lol). There should be another 2 or 3 ripe this week. What I've really liked about the Racers so far has been the lovely contrast of the bright orange and deep, dark green vine.
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Hmm.... Thought I replied to your follow-up over a week ago, but I must not have hit the "post" button. Thanks for the info on the naked seed pumpkins. Do you know if the pumpkins themselves are also as good for eating as the the pie pumpkins? I'm thinking I'll have to give these a shot either next year or the year after. I actually eat the seeds shell-on and have never had them any other way. I also found buttercup squash at the store. It had good seeds although being fairly dry, they were harder to get out. I ordered most of my veggie seeds yesterday, including a buttercup and kabocha to try this year. Hopefully the kabocha will be smaller than the one I got at the store and have less fibrous shells on the seeds.
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zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
12 years ago
Who needs pigs when you've got deer. ;-) I just throw the shells in my back tree line, they go away within a few days. Too bad my property is suburban, though... I hate to fatten them up & get nothing in return.
Trishcuit
Original Author
12 years ago
HAHA!! Isn't that the truth! My dad, who used to go deer hunting on a regular basis now has to sit back and watch them decimate his urban yard. Karma I wonder?
He could keep everyone in venison for a long time otherwise. Deer makes excellent Mennonite Sausage too by the way.
t-bird
12 years ago
aside from the flesh - how were the seeds per variety? Were they plentiful and tasty?

When/how to harvest?

Also - nothing goes to waste in the compost pile!
Trishcuit
Original Author
12 years ago
I am wondering the same thing.

I second that with the compost, and it is especially good that there won't be seeds left to send up renegade pumpkins next year when you spread the compost because the seeds have all been harvested for eating.
Xtal in Central TX, zone 8b
9 years ago
So, what was the verdict? Was Kakai the best tasting seeds?
catherine_nm
9 years ago
Baby Bear from Johnny's isn't completely naked, but my kids and I just eat them whole. Our local Sprouts grocery store has Baby Bears for sale now (so you can buy and try to see if it is worth planting next spring). If you don't have a Sprouts in your area, try one of the big organic food stores, they may have them, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baby Bear
catherine_nm
9 years ago
Haven't planted this one, but it is on my list. The description claims the flesh is sweet enough for pie.

Here is a link that might be useful: Williams Naked Seed Pumpkin.

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