Squash Marina di Chioggia is a warty, almost toad like green-grey skinned squash with beautiful flavourful yellow-orange flesh inside. It is a slightly flattened turban shaped, medium to large squash that can weigh up to 10kg. It stores particularly well and can keep for up to 6 months in cool, dry conditions.
Squash Marina di Chioggia is a really versatile variety as it can be roasted, baked, steamed and is perfect to add to curries, stews and soups. It makes a delicious ingredient for Pumpkin Pie and a tasty ravioli filling! The seeds are large and can be roasted for meaty tasty pumpkin seeds. What a versatile veg!
This Heritage variety originates from South America but was transported to the fishing port of Chioggia in Italy in the late 1600's and became synonymous with the region. Squash Marina di Chioggia is named locally as Sea Pumpkin and can be bought at many local markets throughout Italy.
Squash Marina di Chioggia is a heritage variety that has certainly stood the test of time (over 400 years) and is still really well rated!
Did you know...Squash Marina di Chioggia is Europes oldest squash...read about it
Pack Information
| Seed Quantity: | Approx 15 seeds per pack. |
When to Sow Squash Marina di Chioggia Seeds
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor Sowing | ||||||||||||
| Outdoor Sowing |
Indoor Sowing Information
| Site: |
Well drained, humus rich soil in a sheltered sunny spot out of way of strong winds that can cause damage to the large leaves.
|
| When to Sow: |
April to May.
|
| How to Sow: | Sow seeds vertically 1cm deep in a small pot. Place in propagator/cover with glass or polythene bag until the seedlings appear (usually 5-8 days). When the seedlings have 2/3 leaves transplant into 2L pots and grow on for a few more weeks. In mid-late May (a week before transplanting) dig a large hole 30cm square for each pumpkin plant (1m apart, in rows 1.2m apart) and fill with lots of well-rotted manure. Make a mound and cloche to warm soil up. Harden off the pumpkin plants for 3-4 days before transplanting out into centre of mound. Keep covered with cloche for a week or so and water well. Can also be grown in greenhouse soil provided it is very fertile and kept moist. |
| Care: |
As they are hungry feeders, feed them every 14 days with a potash rich fertiliser. Keep well watered but try not to wet the fruit. Once growing, lift the pumpkins off the soil onto a piece of wood or upturned terracotta pot to allow air to circulate and the pumpkin to ripen.
|
| Harvest: | September to October. Leave a stalk of 5cm when cutting fruit off vine. Pick any remaining fruits before the first frosts. These can be stored in frost free conditions and can last to Christmas and beyond. |
Outdoor Sowing Information
| Site: |
Well drained, humus rich soil in a sheltered sunny spot out of way of strong winds that can cause damage to the large leaves.
|
| When to Sow: |
Early June.
|
| How to Sow: |
Squashes are hungry feeders so to give them a good start outside, dig a hole 30cm square and fill with well rotted manure and mound the soil up and cloche the area a week before direct sowing. Plant 2 seeds into the centre of each mound (2.5cm deep, spacing 1m apart, in rows 1.2m apart) and cloche again until the seedlings grow. Remove the weaker seedling, and remove cloche a couple of weeks later. Seed will not germinate until the temperature is consistently above 13C. Keep well watered.
|
| Care: |
As they are hungry feeders, feed them every 14 days with a potash rich fertiliser. Keep well watered but try not to wet the fruit. Once growing, lift the fruit onto a piece of wood or upturned terracotta pot to ripen & allow circulate.
|
| Harvest: | September to October. Pick any remaining fruits before the first frosts. These can be stored in frost-free conditions and can last to Christmas and beyond. |
