Kumi Kumi
Cucurbita pepoA Maori heirloom, this versatile squash can be cooked whole for hangi, grated for fritters or used any way you may use squash. Young fruit can be sauteed, mashed, grated or pickled. Mature fruit is better for storing and using boiled or roasted. Flowers can be eaten as you would zucchini flowers. First introduced to the land of the long white cloud by European settlers, this vegie has now become a staple crop in Maori culture with seed passed down through generations, and we have been fortunate to have received a seed donation from Mihipeka to share with our Diggers family.
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Kumi Kumi
Easy to grow and incredibly productive, plant as you would pumpkins, in a soil enriched with compost and decomposed manure. If training to a trellis, allow vines to grow 1m before training upward. This helps to maximise space and allow for easy harvest. Insect pollinated, plants produce both male and female flowers, with bees the major pollinators in Australia. Avoid placing under insect netting which may cause reduced pollination. Seed germinates readily from 18°C–35°C in as little as 7-10 days. Sow in punnets and transplant after all likelihood of frost has passed. Water regularly, but avoid overhead watering which can encourage mould and mildew.