What vegetable shouldn't be planted next to pumpkins?

Don't plant the pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) close by:Other squashes, such as zucchinis, cucumbers or melons: they compete with each other and attract the same diseases;Potatoes and tomatoes, because of the risk of common diseases.On the other hand, you can combine pumpkins with radishes, onions, beans or corn.

When not to eat a pumpkin?

You shouldn't eat a pumpkin if it's bitter. This is due to the presence of toxic substances (cucurbitacins). Other signs, such as soft, stained or moldy skin and a bad odor, indicate that a squash is unfit for consumption.

What's the difference between pumpkin and pumpkin?

Pumpkins and potimarrons both belong to the Cucurbita maxima species, but there are several differences. The pumpkin is larger than the Cucurbita maxima. Shapes and colors are more varied than those of pumpkins, which are often pear-shaped or spinning tops. The flesh is firmer and sweeter, with a taste reminiscent of chestnuts. Finally, the skin is edible, unlike that of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin: cultivation, varieties and tips for success in the vegetable garden

What happens when a Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) leaves its native South America for Japan? It turns into a pumpkin! First bred in the Land of the Rising Sun, these cultivars are prized for their sweet, chestnut-like flesh. Another major advantage over their big brother: their thin skin means they can be eaten without peeling!

How to recognize the pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)?

The pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) is an annual plant with a creeping habit. Its cylindrical stems are covered with coarse, almost prickly hairs. They can grow up to three meters long and are fitted with tendrils.

The green leaves are whole and heart-shaped. Rough, they measure up to 40 centimetres long.

The yellow flowers are funnel- or calyx-shaped. The same Cucurbita maxima plant bears flowers of both sexes. Female flowers can be recognized by their ovary. This creates a bulge at the base of the flower, giving rise to the fruit.

Fruits are pear-shaped or spinning top-shaped. Smaller than the pumpkin, the pumpkin weighs up to three kilos. The rind can be red, orange or green. But the flesh is always orange. Its sweet flavor is reminiscent of hazelnuts.

Which varieties of pumpkin to choose for your vegetable garden?

There's not just one kind of pumpkin, but many. Depending on the space you have available, the climate and your preferences, opt for :

Red Kuri: a highly productive variety with brick-red spinning top-shaped fruit and chestnut-flavored flesh;
Uchiki Kuri: an early pumpkin that yields vegetables weighing around 1.5 kg;
Bleu de Solliès: a blue-gray squash weighing up to 3 kg, with thicker, less fibrous flesh than the red varieties;
green Hokkaido: dark green skin, orange flesh and a pronounced nutty taste;
Petit de Rennes: a hardy variety with very sweet flesh.

Is the pumpkin toxic?

The pumpkin is not a toxic plant. You can grow them without risk. What's more, the fruit, including the skin, is edible.

However, Cucurbita maxima can accidentally hybridize with other squash species. In this case, it contains cucurbitacins, a harmful substance, and should not be eaten.

To find out whether a pumpkin is edible or poisonous, simply taste a piece before preparing it. Vegetables that are unfit for consumption have a bitter taste.

Diseases / Threats