What are heirloom pumpkin seeds?

Heirloom pumpkin seeds are open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down through generations. Unlike hybrids, you can save seeds from heirloom pumpkins and grow the same variety year after year. All our seeds are non-GMO and open-pollinated.

What growing zone are your seeds tested in?

All our seeds are grown and tested on our Zone 6b homestead in Newton, Kansas. Most of our varieties also perform well in Zones 5-9. Each product listing includes specific growing zone recommendations.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes! We offer free shipping on orders of $25 or more. Orders under $25 pay USPS calculated shipping. Seeds ship via USPS First Class, and coffee ships fresh within 48 hours of roasting.

What makes your coffee different?

Our Prairie coffee is small-batch roasted right here on the Kansas prairie. We roast weekly to ensure freshness. Available in Prairie Sunrise (light roast) and Prairie Blaze (medium roast), both in ground or whole bean.

Are your pumpkin seeds vine borer resistant?

Many of our Cucurbita moschata varieties are naturally resistant to squash vine borers, including Seminole Pumpkin, Long Island Cheese, Tromboncino, and Mrs. Amersons. We highlight vine borer resistance on each product page.

March 05, 2026

Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin: Growing the Disease Resistant Asian Heirloom in Kansas

By Autumn Prairie Pumpkins

Thai Kang Kob is the variety that Southeast Asian cooks reach for when they need a squash with real backbone, dense flesh that holds its shape in curries, soups, and stir-fries without turning to mush. It's a Thai heirloom Cucurbita moschata that's been selected over generations for disease resistance, heat tolerance, and that characteristically firm, sweet-savory flesh that defines Thai pumpkin dishes.

For Kansas gardeners, Thai Kang Kob brings an unusual combination: outstanding vine borer resistance (standard for moschata), plus notably strong resistance to powdery mildew and downy mildew. Most winter squash varieties succumb to at least one of these diseases by late summer in Kansas. Thai Kang Kob shrugs them off. If you've ever lost squash plants to mildew in August, this variety is worth trying on that merit alone.

Why Thai Kang Kob Excels in Kansas

Thailand's climate is tropical, hot, humid, and relentless. The squash varieties that have survived centuries of selection there are extraordinarily adapted to heat and moisture. Central Kansas doesn't quite match Thailand's humidity, but our summer heat is comparable, and the disease pressure from powdery mildew is very real.

Thai Kang Kob's double resistance, vine borers from its moschata genetics and mildew from its tropical heritage, makes it one of the most trouble-free varieties we carry. Days to maturity run 90–100 days. Fruits are medium-sized (4–8 lbs), flattened, and ribbed, with mottled green skin that transitions to tan at maturity.

K-State's squash vine borer guide (MF3309) provides practical Kansas-specific growing advice that applies to Thai Kang Kob.

How to Grow Thai Kang Kob in Kansas (Zone 6b)

Starting Seeds

Direct sow mid-May after soil reaches 65°F. Plant 1 inch deep, 2–3 per hill, thin to best. Thai Kang Kob germinates well in warm soil. Starting indoors 3 weeks ahead is fine but not necessary given the relatively short maturity.

Spacing

5–6 feet between plants in rows 6–8 feet apart. Vines are moderately vigorous. Good spacing is especially important here, even with mildew resistance, airflow helps the plants stay clean through the season.

Soil and Fertility

Well-drained, compost-amended soil. pH 6.0–6.8. Moderate feeder. Balanced fertilizer at planting, side-dress once when vines run. Thai Kang Kob doesn't need heavy feeding, in fact, excess nitrogen can reduce the fruit density that makes this variety special.

Watering

1–1.5 inches per week. Drip irrigation is ideal. The mildew resistance means overhead watering is less risky than with other varieties, but drip is still the better practice.

Harvest and Storage

Harvest when the skin hardens and the stem is corky. The mottled green exterior may transition to more tan at maturity. Cut with 3 inches of stem. Cure 2 weeks in a warm, dry spot. Thai Kang Kob stores 4–6 months with good curing. The flesh firms up further during curing, it's best after at least 3 weeks of post-harvest storage.

Thai Kang Kob in the Kitchen

This is a cooking squash built for Asian cuisine. The flesh is deep orange, extremely dense, and drier than butternut, it holds its shape when cubed and simmered in coconut curry, which is exactly how it's used in Thailand. Classic Thai pumpkin curry (kaeng liang or gaeng som) starts with chunks of this squash.

Beyond Thai cuisine, Thai Kang Kob roasts beautifully, makes a rich soup, and works well anywhere you want squash that doesn't dissolve into mush during cooking. It's also excellent in Japanese nimono style preparations, simmered gently in sweetened dashi broth.

Saving Seeds

Thai Kang Kob is open-pollinated. Save seeds from fully mature, well-cured fruits. Scoop, rinse, dry 2–3 weeks. Will cross with other Cucurbita moschata, isolate for purity. Given the exceptional disease resistance, this is a variety worth maintaining.

Grow the Disease-Fighter

Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin Seeds ship from Newton, Kansas. See our full heirloom seed collection, every variety vine borer resistant.

More growing guides: Black Futsu Squash Growing Guide · Shishigatani Squash Growing Guide · Chinese Tropical Pumpkin Growing Guide

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