Pumpkin Austrian Hulless | Members Only Preservation Packet

Description: These seeds came to New Zealand with our dear friend Joe, from his Austrian village where they traditionally were pressed to make oil. They are larger and better tasting than all other varieties we have tried, mature in short growing season areas, and if you have a longer season they just keep on producing. They must be picked when the pumpkins get yellow stripes, and left for a few weeks before removing seed. If you leave ripe fruit on the vine and it rains, the seeds often sprout inside and become useless, and when you pick and store before harvesting seed, the seed will be far better quality. When you remove seeds from the pumpkin, place in a bucket of water for 24hrs before cleaning and drying. This activates the seed and makes them easier to use later. The longer you soak them the ‘cheesier’ it taste when dried. These seeds, once dried, pop and expand beautifully when toasted in a dry pan.

Planting Instructions: Sow seed into tray after danger of frost. Prick out at 6cm diagonal spacings when first leaves appear. Transplant into garden at 1m diagonal spacings once leaves touch in the tray and soil temp reaches 15-16 degrees C.