{"product_id":"pumpkin-casper","title":"Pumpkin Seeds - Casper","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"aonsk-product-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCasper pairs a smooth white rind with rich orange flesh, giving the autumn harvest a striking contrast inside and out. Fruits commonly weigh eight to fifteen pounds and serve both as seasonal decorations and kitchen pumpkins. The flesh is useful for baking, soups and sweet preparations, while the pale skin offers an unusual background for carving or painting. This vining variety needs a long, warm season and plenty of room to finish its crop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhite autumn pumpkins with orange flesh for the kitchen.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cucurbita pepo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaturity or display:\u003c\/strong\u003e About 115 days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vining plants; fruits typically 8-15 lb.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48 in between plants; rows 72 in\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the variety\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe North American cultivar record lists Casper in 1992, bred by J. Howell and offered by Shamrock. It describes smooth white skin, orange flesh and eight- to fifteen-pound fruits suitable for baking. The white rind does not imply white flesh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eStarting seed\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow 1 in. deep after frost when soil reaches 65 F. Keep moist; sprouts in 4-14 days. Thin to 48 in. apart, rows 72 in. apart. Use full sun and rich, drained soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCare through the season\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater deeply as needed and mulch after the soil warms. Keep the leaves and developing fruits off persistently wet soil. Remove insect covers at flowering so bees can pollinate female flowers. Avoid crowding even when a variety has a bush habit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHarvest and use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest in about 115 days when rinds harden, before frost. Cut with stems attached; store cool and dry. For seed, isolate other C. pepo and fully ripen fruits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaving seed\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSquash can cross with other varieties of the same species. For dependable seed purity, isolate flowering varieties or hand-pollinate and protect marked flowers. Let selected fruits ripen fully, then clean and thoroughly dry the mature seeds. Seed saved from tender zucchini is immature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon problems\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck for cucumber beetles, aphids and mildew. Good airflow, crop rotation and watering at the roots reduce some problems. Poor pollination and uneven moisture can distort fruit. Inspect squash plants for squash bugs and vine-borer injury.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen are the fruits ready?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest in about 115 days when rinds harden, before frost. Cut with stems attached; store cool and dry. For seed, isolate other C. pepo and fully ripen fruits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes this variety need support?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater deeply as needed and mulch after the soil warms. Keep the leaves and developing fruits off persistently wet soil. Remove insect covers at flowering so bees can pollinate female flowers. Avoid crowding even when a variety has a bush habit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I save seeds?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSquash can cross with other varieties of the same species. For dependable seed purity, isolate flowering varieties or hand-pollinate and protect marked flowers. Let selected fruits ripen fully, then clean and thoroughly dry the mature seeds. Seed saved from tender zucchini is immature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Alliance of Native Seedkeepers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52508652601646,"sku":"SQ34","price":2.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/www.allianceofnativeseedkeepers.com\/products\/pumpkin-casper","provider":"Alliance of Native Seedkeepers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}