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Munchkin pumpkins

Hayley460Hayley460 Posts: 5
in Fruit & veg
sadly my little pumpkins developed what I believe is powderey mildrew during August. The pumpkins are not far off ready so I just picked a few . Can anyone tell me if they are ok and safe to cook and eat still ? 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,740
    The leaves on pumpkin and squash plants are often covered by powdery mildew towards the end of the season.
    It is not a problem and does not affect the fruit quality. 
    A few weeks ago I drove past acres of mildewed pumpkin plants in the Fens ... last weekend I drove past them again ... the leaves were all dead and decayed and the fields glowed golden with acres of big orange pumpkins ripening  :)
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Hampshire_HogHampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089
    As Dove says perfectly safe to eat.
    I've had two lots of mildew this year if you keep the plants well fed and watered generally your get new fresh growth and more fruit.

    "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
  • Hayley460Hayley460 Posts: 5
    Thankyou both for replying so quickly.
     I read it was a fungal disease so assumed they wouldn’t be edible and was concerned more about feeding them to my baby. This is out first year growing so still learning a lot too.
     Thankyou for your advice , I’m glad they are still edible, we’ve been looking forward to these all year. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,740
    Enjoy ... lovely stuff to purée for little ones  :)
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Hampshire_HogHampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089
    Makes great soup to  :p

    Pumpkin Soup.

    A 1.5kg pumpkin

    750g of potatoes

    2 leeks trimmed and sliced

    1lt chicken or vegetable stock

    ¼ tsp of grated nutmeg if you like

    Salt and black pepper

    300ml single cream

    100g butter

     

    Cut flesh off and de seed the pumpkin cut roughly into 2cm chunks

     

    Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 2cm chunks

     

    Melt 100g of butter in a large pan sauté the leeks gently with the lid on until soft

     

    Add stock Pumpkin, potatoes, nutmeg and season bring to boil then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft.

     

    Puree the soup in a blender or food processer until smooth.

     

     Return to pan warm and stir in the cream.

     

    Then enjoy with warm chunks of crusty bread and butter!

     

    Once cool if you have any left! You can keep it in the fridge for about three or four days or freeze it in batches. (Allow to defrost before re heating)



    "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
  • Hayley460Hayley460 Posts: 5
    Thankyou very much for the soup recipe. I’m starting to make more soups now so I will give it a go.
    We’ve made three batches of tomato soup from our tomato plants this year. I tried a marrow and potato soup using half a marrow after making marrow curry with the other half and it was all very delicious. Homemade food is definitely worth making and even more worth it when you’ve grown it yourself too! 
  • Hayley460Hayley460 Posts: 5
    Baby loved the pumpkin with some butter.
    When I’ve bought the munchkin pumpkins previously I've cooked them whole with some butter inside then near the end of cooking I added cooked greens mixed with grated cheese and stuffed it inside , cooked long enough to melt the cheese. 
  • UpNorthUpNorth Posts: 376
    just on 'munchkin' i was trying four varieties this year, having just done a standard Jack 'o'lantern last year.  From Jack'o'lantern, a white variety, turks turban and munchkin, the little cutie was by far and away the most successful plant this year.   still none quite coloured up enough yet.   I do blame in part my soil/preparation in combination with heat/dryness and difficulty keeping them moist.
  • Hayley460Hayley460 Posts: 5
    I’ve never hear of Turks turban but just looked it up and it does look a strange shape and colour . How do they taste? I’ve never tried any others , this is my first attempt at growing. I loved the munchkins so much I had to have a go at growing . They didn’t climb like I’d hoped but I need to put a stronger support up next time. They grew bigger than the supermarket ones though. 
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