Description

Kurinishiki Kabocha squash is a small yet reliable variety, producing 3–4-pound fruits that are perfect for a variety of dishes, from traditional soups to tempura. A favorite in many Asian countries, this dark greenish-gray squash with pale green striping offers sweet, yellow-orange flesh that is smooth when cooked. With vines ranging from 4' to 12' long, this squash thrives in larger spaces and offers the added benefit of long storage, keeping for up to five months. Harvest when the rind is firm and before the first frost for the best flavor and texture.

Botanical Name: Cucurbita maxima (hybrid)
Days to Maturity: 95 days
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Native: Argentina and Uruguay
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: 4'–12' vines
Variety Information: 3–4-pound, flattened globe-shape fruits are dark, greenish-gray with pale green striping. Flesh is yellow-orange, very sweet, and smooth when cooked.
Attributes: Long Storage

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–85°.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when soil temperature is at least 60°F.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ½–1″
Seed Spacing: 2–3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 4'–12' apart
Thinning: When 3″ leaves, thin to 1–2 per mound

Harvesting: Harvest when the squash's rind is hard enough that you can't dent it with your fingernail and before first frost. Cut stem, (don't break it off) leaving 2″ of stem attached, which keeps the squash whole, leaving no opening for infection. Though fruits are hard and may seem indestructible, treat them gently; bruising can spoil squash.

This packet sows up to 4 mounds. 10 seeds.