June 2021: Cinnamon Girl Pumpkin

Blog by the Garden Center Team

This month's seed kit features Cinnamon Girl Pumpkin. To support our environment, some seed kit materials are now available digitally.

Good for eating or ornamental use. Organic seeds. Matures in about 85 days. Pumpkins average 3 – 5 lbs.

Planting Instructions

• Culture: Ideal for a large container or garden. Prefers full sun. Spade or till soil before sowing. Sow late spring after danger of frost has past. Plant seeds ½-1" deep and thin to 1.5 – 2 ft. apart after 4 leaves appear. Recommended row spacing is 6 ft.
• Water: as needed to keep soil moist, but not saturated, until germination (7-14 days). Control weeds and avoid soil compaction near plants. Squash and pumpkins are susceptible to powdery mildew and insect pests. Water near base of plant and provide good air circulation.
• Harvest: Harvest pumpkins when color is fully developed. Clip vine leaving some stem.. Do not handle by stem as it may break off. Allow to cure in sun outside for 5-7 days or indoors in a warm (80-85 degrees) area.

Recipe: Kaddo Bowrani (roasted pumpkin with yogurt sauce)

• Serves: 4+
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 - 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Sugar pumpkin (2 lb.—2.5 lb. each)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 Ground cinnamon
• 1 cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Cut the pumpkin into quarters. Remove seeds and string. Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut into 2" pieces lengthwise.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Brown the pumpkin pieces on each side until golden brown (about 5 minutes each side)
3. Place pumpkin in a roasting pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over pumpkin. Cover with foil and bake for 30 - 45 minutes until tender.
4. Mix together yogurt, garlic, and salt.
5. Serve pumpkin with yogurt sauce on top.

Craft: Tissue Paper Pumpkin

You'll Need:

• Sheet of Yellow Craft Paper (or printer paper)
• Green Tissue Paper
• Orange Tissue Paper
• Glue
• Marker
• Imagination

Instructions:

1. Take the 1/2 sheet of yellow paper and draw a pumpkin with a stem.
2. Tear pieces of orange tissue paper and a bit of green paper. Glue pieces on to your pumpkin! Let dry.