Halloween is officially over, but pumpkins remain a part of our autumn landscape and seasonal recipe favorites. Don’t be too eager to pull out the Christmas and Winter Holiday season decor…..there is still much to enjoy in our autumn season! Pumpkins fit perfectly in the changing color schemes of our landscapes and transition back indoors.
Growing up I recall selecting only 2 types of pumpkins: one for carving and one for mom’s pumpkin pie and bread recipes. But in today’s marketplace, there is an abundant selection of pumpkins for a variety of uses. Recently the National Garden Bureau offered up a “pumpkin tutorial” I found especially informative. I have selected portions from that article I wanted to share with garden lovers.
Decorating with pumpkins has gotten more interesting with sizes and colors that go beyond the traditional orange. The green and orange Pepitas pumpkin in the photo is just one new novelty pumpkin on the market. Although used as a decorative pumpkin, the Pepitas are known for their hulless seeds making them easy to eat after slow roasting. The Super Moon white pumpkins that are very popular this season, give a stark contrast when mixed with your basic autumn colors in a display. It is actually an heirloom pumpkin from New Zealand! One of my favorites for decorating inside and out is the Munchkin pumpkin (the first photo) It has that Cinderella carriage shape I always loved when selecting my carving pumpkins as a kid. Their size is great for tabletop displays and tucked between colorful autumn mums.
If you are looking for the perfect pie or bread making pumpkin, the Baby Bear is a great choice as it’s size and sweeter flesh make for a great baking recipe. Fun Fact: Did you know that pumpkins are technically a fruit…not a vegetable? Perhaps the confusion comes as we grow them in our veggie gardens!
So embrace the waning days of autumn with “sense-sa-tional” pumpkins! As always, “keeping common sense and sustainability in garden practices”.
