Family Owned Since 1979
Cultivating Gardeners

SWEET MEAT

SWEET MEAT

Product Description:

Cucurbita maxima 115 days. One of the heirloom treasures of the Northwest. This 10–15 pound slate-gray round squash is renowned for its superb keeping quality and unsurpassed rich, sweet flavor. It makes the best pumpkin pie on Earth! Vigorous vines grow to 10 feet. We sell the original uniform, high-yielding Gill Brothers strain.
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SEED

ORGANIC SEED

$4.95

$4.95

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Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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s
stewart w.
only one squash per vine

I have grown sweet meat Hubbard for several years. I get only one squash per vine. The size varies and I have not figured out what is causing the difference. this year I had many squash start and grow then turn yellow and die. However, the squash produced taste great and it is worth the effort

B
Beck
10 stars

What can I say. It makes the best pie I've ever had.
4 plants = 4 big wheelbarrow loads of Hubbard. I have never grown a better squash. My pantry is full of them. I decided that they were too tasty to give away as decorations to rot. My dogs and chickens have been getting steamed Hubbard to supplement their diets. They love it, and their coats/feathers have never been healthier. Will grow again next year.

Soil Temp for Germ 65–85°F
Seed Depth 1–1 ½"
Seed Spacing 3–4/hill
Days to Emergence 5–10
Thin Plants to 1–2/hill
Row Spacing 3–6'
Fertilizer Needs Medium
Minimum Germination 75%
Seeds per Gram See below
Seed Life 3–4 years

Cucurbita spp. In the diverse family of squash are true nutritional powerhouses, encompassing a wide array of forms, flavors, colorations, and culinary applications. Squash are rich in the carotenoids necessary for vitamin A production and boast a wide complement of amino acids. While starchy, most of the carbohydrates in the fruit come from special polysaccharides, pectins, which have exhibited strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic, insulin-regulating properties.

Days to maturity are from date of direct seeding.

Culture
• Fertile, well-drained soil gives best results
• Squash is a warm season crop, so avoid planting too early; raised beds and plastic mulch help keep roots warm
• Squash are monoecious (bearing separate male and female flowers on the same plant) and require insect pollination
• Poor fruit set is often the result of inadequate pollination; plant bee attractant flowers

Direct Sowing
• Plant after frost danger when soil warms to 65°F
• Work in shovelful of compost and 1/2 cup TSC's Complete fertilizer into hill
• Keep soil evenly moist but not wet as too much moisture causes seed to rot
• Bush varieties: sow 3-4 feet apart
• Vining varieties: sow 4-6 feet apart

Transplanting
• Start indoors 3-4 weeks prior to anticipated transplant date in 4 inch pots
• Work in shovelful of compost and 1/2 cup TSC's Complete fertilizer into hill
• Transplant carefully as to not disturb roots

Insects & Diseases
• Common insects: Spotted and striped cucumber beetles, vine borers and squash bugs
• Insect control: Row covers and/or apply Pyrethrin
• Moschata species are resistant to vine borer
• Common diseases: See chart below; diseases vary by region
• Disease prevention: 3-4 year crop rotation, and fungicide applications

Harvest & Storage
• Summer squash: Harvest regularly when fruits are young to keep plants productive
• Winter squash: Leave on vine until fully mature, rinds should be firm
• When winter squash is mature cut stem leaving 2-4 inches remaining, gently wash in sanitizing solution; 10 parts water to 1 part bleach
• For best results move winter squash to a warm dry area 80-90°F to cure; see each type (below) for curing requirements
• Store winter squash at 50-60°F with 50-75% relative humidity and good air circulation

Curing Requirements
• Acorn: Curing not required; Stores 2-3 months
• Buttercup: Cure 10-14 days; Store 1-2 months for best flavor; Will keep 4-6 months
• Butternut: Cure 10-14 days; Store 1-2 months for best flavor; Will keep 4-6 months
• Delicata: Curing not required; Stores 2-3 months
• Hubbard: Cure 10-14 days; Store 1-2 months for best flavor; Will keep 4-6 months
• Kabocha: Cure 10–14 days; Store 1–2 months for best flavor; Will keep 4–6 months
• Mini-Hubbard: Curing not required; Stores 2-3 months
• Spaghetti: Curing not required; Stores 2-3 months

Approximate seeds per gram
• Acorn, Butternut, & Delicata: 9-16
• Buttercup & Hubbard: 3-7
• Green, Gray Summer: 7–9
• Kabocha: 5–7
• Patty Pan: 7-10
• Romanesco: 4–5
• Spaghetti: 4-7
• Yellow Summer: 7-15
• Zucchini: 5-8

KEY TO SQUASH DISEASE RESISTANCE AND TOLERANCE
HR indicates high resistance.
IR indicates intermediate resistance.
CMV | Cucumber Mosaic Virus
PM | Powdery Mildew
PRV | Papaya Ringspot Virus
SLCV | Squash Leaf Curl Virus
WMV* | Watermelon Mosaic Virus
ZYMV | Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus
* Numbers indicate specific disease race.

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