Squash - Red Uckiki Kuri

Cucurbita maxima - approximately 12 seeds.

Deep orange coloured skin with, creamy orange flesh that has a lovely nutty flavour.  Plants produce several squash weighing between 1 and 1.5 kg each.  Early to mature with superb storage characteristics. Known to do well even in less favourable areas.

 Photo credit: Jossie Ellis, Lauriston Farm.

Growing Tips

Best sown into pots in a heated propagator or sunny windowsill in April/May.  Plants grow quickly so don't be tempted to sow too early as you want to plant them out after the last frost.  Be prepared to pot on if you cannot get them planted out when they are ready.  Towards the end of May you could try sowing directly into the soil.  Add some well rotted manure or garden compost to the soil before sowing or planting.  Squash will thrive undercover but will take up a lot of space, consider training them upwards.  Plants will also do well outside in a sunny spot, we grow our squash outside.

Tip: The weather can be quite blustery in June if growing your squash plants outside, be sure to give the new transplants plants protection from the wind. Try placing an old tyre around the plants for protection whilst they are establishing.  You can also try pegging down the stems to prevent wind damage.