The Edible Garden: Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruits & Herbs No Matter Where You Live - Softcover

 156 Pumpkins: PLANT, GROW & HARVEST
 
SITE Choose a large sunny spot so pumpkin plants can spread. Pumpkins do best in slightly acidic
soil that drains easily.
 
BEDMATES Pumpkins can share space with corn, melons, and other squash. However, pumpkins are
space hogs and need a lot of room on their own.
 
CARE Keep pumpkin vines free of weeds by shallow hoeing around plants.
 
HOW TO START Sow seeds directly in the ground when the soil/air temperatures reach at least
70°F (21°C) Start seeds ahead of the season and plant seedlings too.

HARVEST Begin harvest in late September or early October—before a hard frost. Pick pumpkins
when they are a deep, solid color (depending on variety, this may be orange, white, or cream). Wear gloves (vines have prickles on the stems) and use pruning shears to cut each pumpkin from its vine. Leave 3 to 4 inches (8–10 cm) of stem attached and they will keep longer.
 
PESTS AND DISEASES Pumpkins are susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Treat
with a fungicide. Insects attracted to pumpkins include cucumber beetles and squash bugs. If you use insecticides, apply in late afternoon or early evening after pumpkin blossoms have closed so bees are not adversely affected.
 
STIR UP SOME PUMPKIN RISOTTO
 
2 cups (475 mL) water
1¾ cups (425 mL) chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup (150 g) finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups (394 g) arborio rice
1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
1½ tablespoons snipped fresh sage
1 cup (227 g) Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup (50 g) finely shredded
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Sage leaves (optional)
 
STEP 1 In a large saucepan bring water and broth to boiling; reduce heat to maintain simmer.
 
STEP 2 In a heavy 4-quart (4-L) pot melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add wine; cook and stir until liquid is absorbed. Stir in snipped sage and 1 cup (250 mL) of broth mixture; stir until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, until rice is tender but still firm to the bite and risotto is creamy.
 
STEP 3 Stir pumpkin puree and the ½ cup (50 g) cheese into risotto. Heat through, about 1 minute. Top with shaved cheese and, if desired, sage leaves.
 
STEP 4 Pumpkin Puree: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut 2½ pounds (1 kg) pie pumpkins
into 5x5-inch (13x13-cm) pieces. Remove and discard seeds and strings. Arrange pieces, skin sides up, in a foil-lined baking pan. Cover with foil. Bake 1 hour or until tender. Scoop pulp from rind. Place pulp in a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until smooth.
 
Makes 1¾ cups (397 g).
EACH SERVING 385 cal, 11 g fat,
26 mg chol, 547 mg sodium, 61 g carb,
6 g fiber, 10 g pro