Flat White Boer Pumpkins

Well, hello, I know this is a very specific topic today, but I have found myself fascinated with the one pumpkin plant that's actually doing or done something in my garden. That is, the flat white boer.

Originating from South Africa, this is a bit more of a 'rare' pumpkin, or so I've read. Either way, pumpkins are a touch backwards at my place this year, deciding to, only recently, start fruiting. This isn't ideal as they usually need about 4 warm or frost-free months to mature. Hopefully the area they're in will be warm enough until they're ready.

It wasn't a great year in general for pumpkins, with only one plant getting this far. Although some random pumpkins are only now popping up in peculiar areas of the garden. My sister, who lives only a few streets away, has had a very similar experience with her pumpkin patch, which, like mine, are only now developing fruits. But I digress.

The flat white boer isn't a pumpkin I've grown before, so it's been really quite interesting to watch. The plant itself gets reasonably large and sprawls, and although slow to begin with, once the fruit reaches the size of a tennis ball it takes off in leaps and bounds.

I chose the flat white for two reasons. Firstly, for it's storing capabilities, and secondly for the  fruit itself. Averaging between 4.5 and 9kg each , these would keep us going for a while, and it's said to have a nice firm, sweet flesh that's great for baking and roasting, which is what we do most with them.

It's also a nice ornamental variety, with the big green leaves and white skinned, flat fruits, it's something a touch different for the veggie patch.

In our temperate climate, a good time to sow seeds is generally October through to December, you can sow slightly earlier, just keep them well watered and well fed!

*Hint: Plant about 1m apart as they tend to ramble and spread a lot!

I have yet to find seedlings for this variety, but there's plenty of places to buy seeds from online:
. The Seed Collection - Ships to WA
. Seeds of Plenty (not personally tried)
. Boondie Seeds (not personally tried)
I purchased mine through the Seed Collection, I planted 3 seeds, 2 germinated, and only 1 has set fruit. I'll try again next season too. I'm unsure if the other companies ship to WA due to quarantine, or what their costs are, but you can always double check their FAQ's first. 

Last tip, to prevent fruit rotting fruit rotting or bugs getting into them so easily, you can pop something under the fruits as they develop, or suspend them, this will help minimise losses. At the moment I am using a piece of timber, but I've ordered some little stands I'm going to try out and have made some fruit suspension nets.

Hopefully the fruits will continue to grow happily and maybe even have seeds for next year.

Happy gardening everyone!