{"product_id":"seed-pumpkin-whangaparoa-crown","title":"Seed  - Pumpkin - Whangaparoa Crown","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eOrganic Pumpkin Whangaparoa Crown is a beloved New Zealand heritage pumpkin, grown for its distinctive crown-shaped fruit, grey-blue skin, and exceptionally dense, sweet orange flesh. It has graced Kiwi vegetable gardens for generations, and it remains one of the finest eating pumpkins you can grow at home, valued as much for its flavour as for how well it keeps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThere's something so satisfying about growing a variety with this much history behind it. Whangaparoa Crown is open-pollinated and certified organic, which makes it a good fit for gardeners who want their pumpkin patch grown without synthetic inputs from the very start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAs a tender annual, Whangaparoa Crown needs warmth to get going and plenty of room to sprawl once it's underway. Give it a warm spot, hold off transplanting until the weather has settled, and space plants generously, 100cm within the row and 200cm between rows, so the vines have room to ramble and the developing fruit gets good airflow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhere Whangaparoa Crown really earns its reputation, though, is in the shed. Cured properly after harvest, it will keep for 3 to 6 months in storage, so a good crop can see you through winter with homegrown pumpkin on hand long after the vines have finished for the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eSowing Organic Pumpkin Whangaparoa Crown\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eSow from September through to November. Being a tender variety, it's best started in trays or pots rather than direct in the garden, and warmth is essential for good germination: aim for a soil temperature of 20–30°C, and use bottom heat if your germination area runs cool. Sow seed at 20mm depth, and expect germination in 5–10 days. Transplant seedlings out once the weather has warmed and all risk of frost has passed, spacing plants 100cm apart within the row and 200cm between rows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eCaring for Organic Pumpkin Whangaparoa Crown\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe base of a developing pumpkin can be prone to rot where it sits directly on damp soil, so many gardeners find it helpful to slip a board, a piece of cardboard, or a layer of straw underneath each fruit to keep it dry while it matures. Beyond that, Whangaparoa Crown is fairly easy going: keep the vines watered while fruit is developing, and give them the space they need to spread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHarvesting and Storing Organic Pumpkin Whangaparoa Crown\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHarvest around 120 days from transplant, once the skin has hardened and the stem has started to dry off. Cut fruit from the vine with a sharp knife or secateurs, leaving a good length of stem attached, as this helps the pumpkin store well. Handle harvested fruit carefully: bruising or cutting the skin, tight packing, or piling fruit too high can all shorten storage life. Wiping the skin with a cloth soaked in diluted apple cider vinegar (or diluted bleach) after harvest helps disinfect the surface and supports better storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eBefore storing, cure your pumpkin for around two weeks in a warm, dry spot with good air circulation. This step makes a real difference, improving both the flavour and sweetness of the flesh. Once cured, store at 13–16°C with 50–70% relative humidity, and a well cured Whangaparoa Crown should keep for 3 to 6 months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e10 Seeds\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kings Seeds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49699499606171,"sku":"seed----pumpkin---whangaparoa-crown","price":6.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0422\/6573\/9419\/files\/Whangaparoa-Crown.jpg?v=1790886594","url":"https:\/\/www.thegoodnessgrocer.co.nz\/products\/seed-pumpkin-whangaparoa-crown","provider":"The Goodness Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}