Long Island Cheese Pumpkin Seeds

Plant after frost danger has passed and the soil is consistently warm, ideally around 70°F or warmer. Sow about 1 inch deep in well-drained soil with full sun. Keep the seed zone evenly moist, not waterlogged. If starting indoors, sow 2 to 3 weeks before transplanting, harden off seedlings and avoid disturbing the roots. In Kansas, plan these pumpkins for spring planting and a fall harvest. Count backward from your local first-frost date using the longer maturity estimate, then allow extra time for weather delays. An autumn or winter order is generally for planning the next Kansas growing season. Wait until frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed before planting outdoors.

Moschata pumpkins are useful choices where squash vine borers are a problem, but resistance varies and does not mean immunity. Check vines regularly for eggs, entry holes, sawdust-like frass and wilting. Keep watching for squash bugs and other pests too.

Roast until the flesh is tender, then puree for pie, pumpkin bread or soup. Drain watery puree if your recipe needs a thicker texture. Harvest mature fruit before a hard freeze and keep sound fruit in a dry, ventilated storage space.

Long Island Cheese is a traditional American heirloom with a long association with pie making. Its familiar name comes from its broad, flattened shape.

Choose 10 seeds for a smaller planting or 20 seeds for a larger plan and backup sowing. Packet count is the number of seeds, not a promise of plants or fruit.

This heirloom is open-pollinated. For seed that stays true to the variety, prevent crossing with other Cucurbita moschata plants. Bag unopened male and female blossoms, hand-pollinate using the same variety, rebag the female flower and label the pollination. Store fully dried saved seed in a cool, dry place.

In Kansas, plan these pumpkins for spring planting and a fall harvest. Count backward from your local first-frost date using the longer maturity estimate, then allow extra time for weather delays. An autumn or winter order is generally for planning the next Kansas growing season. Wait until frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed before planting outdoors.

Look for the mature buff-colored rind, a hard skin and a stem that is drying and becoming woody. Allow about 100 to 110 days, adjusting for growing conditions. Cut the fruit from the vine with the stem attached before frost, and handle it gently to avoid storage damage.