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Itâs pumpkin season, but which are the best ones when it comes to taste and carving for Halloween? Find expert advice from RHS horticulturists on their tried and tested varieties
There is so much more to a pumpkin than becoming a creative feature for the traditional Celtic festival of Halloween. As with all festivities, it started with a story andmany surround All Hallowsâ Eve, as it was known, and how the pumpkin came to be part of it, but suffice to say pumpkins were found to be perfect for carving.
So, whether you carve it, eat it, fill it or roast it, there are cauldrons full of ideas for your pumpkins.
Pumpkins for eating
The edibles team at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey had a pumpkin tasting session, to see which were the best for flavour, and texture of the flesh. RHS Horticulturist Pavlina Kapsalis shares the results.
Queensland Blue is an Australian heritage
Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit.
with a medium-sized, muffin-top-shaped fruit. It has a dark green to grey ribbed rind, deep orange flesh and an excellent, sweet nutty flavour. It stores well and can be used for roasting, is great in pies,baked, or in soups. The trailing plant is vigorous, spreading up to 3m, but can be trained on supports.
Bon Bon has small dark green fruit with grey stripes, buttercup type of winter squash with excellent taste and bright orange flesh. The name Bon Bon comes from the honey-like sweetness of the flesh when baked. Multipurpose use â roasted, baked, or in pies â and stores well.
Crown Princeis one of the long-standing favourites, with blue, grey medium size fruit that can be stored for up to 6 months. It has tough skin, orange flesh and a great nutty flavour.
Uchiki Kuri alsohas a nutty flavour, with beautiful small orange fruit that looks like onions,and is very decorative. Perfect for a Sunday roast and will store for up to 5 months.
North Georgia candy roaster â an heirloom variety, banana-shaped with sweet, smooth flesh, which can be fried, pureed or roasted, andused in sweet pies. Originally cultivated by the Cherokee
A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
Lunga di Napoli â an Italian heirloom variety;large green, butternut-shaped winter squash with a deliciously sweet flavour
âBoston squash â large, orange, crooked onion shaped squash, a vigorous grower
Spaghetti squash â interesting to try, not much flavour but when baked the texture of this squash is stringy and resembles spaghetti
Mashed potato squashâ when baked and mashed it has texture of mashed potatoes, but with less calories, and a buttery sweet flavour
Pumpkins and squashes can be eaten with their skin, which adds extra nutrients and texture to your food. All parts of the fruit are edible â the rind (skin), the flesh and the seeds, although some of the pumpkins with tough skin might take too long to cook with skins left on.Top tips for cooking
Pumpkins for carving
© Martine ParnellGet creative with your carving this year
- Racer F1
- Jack Oâ Lantern
- Jack of All Trades
- Baby Bear (small fruit)
- Prizewinner (large fruit)
- Casper (white skinned)
- Polar Bear (white skinned)
There are so many fun varieties of different sizes, shapes and colours so I would recommend growing your tried and tested but also trying out new exciting cultivars.
There are so many fun varieties of different sizes, shapes and colours so I would recommend growing your tried and tested but also trying out new exciting cultivars.
Pumpkin âBig Maxâ has plenty of flesh and seeds to use as well as being perfect for carving
When carving yourpumpkin, donât wastethe flesh and seeds, they can be used to make soups and stews, or tryroasted pumpkin seeds as a snack. You could also try growing them on moist kitchen roll as tasty microgreens. Used pumpkins should be added to your food waste or compost, not left where wildlife (especially hedgehogs)can eat them. As well as seriously affecting their diet and spreading disease, they may eat candlewax or any decorations used on the pumpkin.
If you are planning to eat pumpkins bought from a shop or farm, check whether theyhavebeen grown using pesticides or fungicides. They should have a warning label if they are not suitable for eating. Paul Kettell, Edibles Team Leader at RHS Wisley added, âYou can buy or grow âornamentalâ gourds, which are not suitable for eating and will be labelled as such. They are usually small and very âwartyâ in appearance, and tend notto taste good.They are perhaps too small for successful carving but are often used for decoration through autumn and into Christmas.â
Be inspired by pumpkin displays at RHS Gardens
âThe Garden teams at the RHS Gardens, and at many RHS Partner Gardens, create fabulous displays of pumpkins. Visit a garden near you or plan a trip as part of your autumn half term holiday.
Find your nearest garden >
Be inspired by pumpkin displays at RHS Gardens
Spooktacular Halloween plants
Spooktacular Halloween plants
Pick your poison â the deadliest plants on the planet
Pick your poison â the deadliest plants on the planet
