Bred for the British weather here is Wicked F1, a superb quality larger pumpkin that will grow considerably bigger than a football whilst remaining in tip top shape for eating and carving. Perfect for cooler summers with a smooth flamboyant orange skin, strong handles and the tolerance to soft rots mean that these are great for medium to long storage. Look forward to pumpkins around 6-8kg.
SOW: in individual pots inside during April or May. You can keep them on a windowsill until sprouted then pop into a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Keep moist and warm, ready to plant out when at 2/3 leaf stage. Harden off before planting out.
GROW: your Wicked plants will need 1-1.5m of space between them! You can train the vines in a circle and remove flowers after 2/3 pumpkins have set to concentrate growth into fewer, larger fruits. Set a 15cm pot into the soil beside each plant and water into that – it will help you control the amount of water you use and direct that water to the roots of your pumpkins.
EAT & ENJOY: these like 12-15 weeks of growing time then cut the stalk leaving plenty of handle on each pumpkin. If not carving, these are good medium to long storage (take you through into the new year) with resistance to soft rot. They are tasty with developing sweetness during storage.
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