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Calabaza Caribbean Pumpkin Seeds

$4.25 USD
$4.25 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Calabaza Caribbean Pumpkin Seeds

$4.25 USD
$4.25 USD
Sale Sold out

Calabaza Squash Seeds | Caribbean Pumpkin | Heirloom Winter Squash | Tropical Garden Seeds
Cucurbita Moschata
Listing is for 1 packet of minimum 10 seeds

I grew up eating a lot of calabaza squash since my family is from the Dominican Republic and it is native to the Caribbean. It is similar to butternut squash, although technically a pumpkin or winter storage squash. It is a pretty tough cultivar as it handles a decent amount of heat and pest pressure. It is native to South America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines. It can be dark green or beige in color (lots of varience in final color), when ready to harvest. You know they are ready to harvest when the stem that connects the pumpkin to the vine is dried out. In Florida, I am able to grow it twice a year. I direct sow seeds mid February as soon as my last average spring frost date has passed. Then I direct sow more in August. It is a tropical plant and does not like cold weather. It will attract squash bugs and worms so be prepared to spray with BT or preferably, spinosad. It can take a lot of pest damage before actually being affected and grows great in poor soils like Florida native sandy soil. Vines get huge, easily sprawling over 20 feet long, and produce several nice size pumpkins. 

HOW TO GROW FROM SEED

Sun: Full sun

Water: Let the soil dry out a little bit in-between watering

Fertilizer: Consistent applications of fertilizer is important to promote lots of new, healthy, green growth to outpace the diseases and pests. Amend the soil with some organic granular fertilizer like Espoma Garden-Tone before direct sowing the seeds. Or sprinkle some into the planting hole if using transplants. Apply 1/4 cup of this fertilizer every 10-14 days to keep the nutrient supply consistent. I don't recommend using a synthetic fertilizer when fertilizing this frequently. 

When & How To Sow Seeds: For a spring crop, direct sow the seeds after your last spring frost date. If you are a hot climate gardener (areas with no snow - its better to direct sow the seeds 2 weeks BEFORE your last spring frost date to get an early start on the season. Just protect seedlings from the last few cold fronts that might move into your area. For a fall crop, direct sow seeds at minimum, 4 months before your first winter frost date. Sow 2-3 seeds in a mound, 1/2 inch deep, spaced 2FT apart, in rows spaced 3FT apart. Can also sow seeds indoors in 4 inch pots, 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date to get an early start. 

Germination: 5-10 days

Days To Maturity: 90-120 days after direct sowing the seed 

How & When To Harvest: Calabaza squash is ready for harvest when the woody stem piece that attaches it to the vine is dried out and turned brown. Do not depend on color cues because the rind color at maturity can range from dark green to tan.

Watch this video clip to learn how to hand pollinate squash flowers: https://youtube.com/shorts/3z7WTkeUCYc

Common Diseases: Squash get a lot of leaf diseases caused by pathogens like molds, fungus spores, bacteria etc.... It is very common, so dont worry. Spray with 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water to clean and disinfect. Repeat every 5 days or so as a preventative, or until you notice the spread of the disease has stopped. 

Common Pests: Critters like rabbits love to munch on newly germinated seedlings, so protection from small animals might be required. If you notice the leaves are chewed up and there are small black, green, or orange balls, worms/caterpillars are chewing up the plants. Spray with BT or spinosad to treat for the worms.    

My Recipes That Use Calabaza or Pumpkin

Beans With Calabaza Squash (can use any type of butternut squash, calabaza, or Seminole pumpkin for this recipe)

Creamy Bacon Pasta (can use any type of butternut squash, calabaza, or Seminole pumpkin for this recipe)

Roasted Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup 

Hearty Squash, Sausage, Kale, and Lentil Soup

Guandules Guisados con Calabaza // Pigeon Peas Stewed With Seminole Pumpkin

Shipping Information

SEEDS

  • Seeds can be shipped to states within the USA. No shipping to outside of the USA is available.
  • Orders ship within 1-3 business days, not including weekends, holidays, or delays caused by natural disasters.
  • If my local USPS/UPS office is closed, for example due to inclement weather like a hurricane or snow storm, then I resume shipping the very first day they re-open.
  • I am not open to the public so shipping is the only option.
  • Seeds are shipped in bubble mailers to ensure that they are not pushed through roller machines which can crush the seeds. For this reason, I do not ship in a plain envelope.
  • Seeds will be shipped with no planting instructions to keep seed costs low to the buyer. Germination and plant care information is included in the description. I encourage each gardener to research specifics on how to be successful growing them. I also have lots of information on my TikTok, Instagram and YouTube channel all under the account name jerrasgarden. I started this shop to share my love of certain seed varieties and spread the knowledge of gardening. Please contact me if you can't find information or have additional questions.

PLANTS & RHIZOMES

  • I can only ship live plant products within the USA.
  • I only use USPS Priority or UPS shipping if an order contains live plant products. This is to ensure they are not in transit for a long period of time.
  • Orders with plants will ship the following Monday after the order was placed.  This is to ensure live plant products have the longest stretch of week days while in transit, and don't get stuck in the post office over a weekend or holiday. If Monday is a holiday, then we cannot ship, and orders are held to ship the next Monday.
  • If there is inclement weather, such as snow storms or hurricanes impacting shipping routes, I will hold from shipping orders until routes have cleared. I am located in Florida and frequently get impacted by hurricanes during hurricane season. I resume shipping as soon as my local post office opens back up or the inclement weather has passed. 

DELIVERED BUT NOT FOUND

  • If there is an issue with your delivery, like tracking says "delivered" but you cannot find your package, contact your local USPS office immediately as they should be able to help you locate the package. Or wait a few days, as customers have reported back to me that the package shows up a few days later even though it says "delivered". I am not responsible for packages that are lost or stolen.
  • If it has been a full 7 days after tracking says delivered, and the pakage still has not shown up or arrived, please email me at info@jerrasgarden.com so I can engage the help of USPS/UPS with locating the package. Do not wait more than 14 days after delivery to let me know because then USPS/UPS cannot really help. If the lost package is reported to me beyond 14 days after delivery - I cannot help and I will not ship a replacement. 

Refunds & Exchanges

Refund & Return Policy
All sales are final once an order has shipped. Due to the nature of live plants and seeds, we do not accept returns or offer refunds once items have shipped, except in the limited circumstances outlined below.
Seeds: Since there are many factors beyond our control that affect germination and growing success—including climate, soil conditions, watering, and care—no refunds or exchanges are offered on seeds once they have shipped. All seeds sold are fresh, viable, and the same seeds we use in our own personal garden.
Live Plants: Live plants are non-refundable and non-replaceable. Orders containing live plants are typically shipped the following Monday or Tuesday after the order is placed, and we are unable to hold plant orders for shipment at a later date.
Cold Temperatures: If you are located in a cold climate, please be aware that during the winter months we are not responsible for cold damage during transit or delays caused by winter storms or severe weather. To help reduce the risk of cold damage, we recommend placing plant orders during times of the year when temperatures in your area are warm enough for safe shipping.
Many of our customers are located in warm or tropical climates, where we are able to ship plants year-round. Because we ship a high volume of orders, we do not have the ability to filter or hold orders based on the destination’s weather conditions or climate. For this reason, it is the customer’s responsibility to consider their local weather and growing conditions before placing an order for live plants.
USDA Garden Zones: Customers are responsible for selecting plants that are suitable for their growing conditions. Each plant listing includes information about the recommended growing conditions and USDA garden zones, and we cannot guarantee success if plants are purchased for areas outside of their recommended zones.
We gladly offer a replacement if a plant arrives dead upon delivery.

To be eligible for a replacement:

  • You must contact us within 24 hours of delivery
  • Email info@jerrasgarden.com
  • Include clear photos of all plants in the order, including packaging if possible

Reports made after 24 hours of delivery will not be eligible for a refund or replacement. We are unable to replace or refund plants reported outside of this timeframe, as plant health after delivery is influenced by factors out of our control such as handling, environmental conditions, and care once received.

Shipping Issues

We are not responsible for lost, delayed, or damaged packages caused by USPS or UPS once the package is in the carrier’s possession. Shipping carriers are responsible for transit-related issues.

DELIVERED BUT NOT FOUND

  • If there is an issue with your delivery, like tracking says "delivered" but you cannot find your package, contact your local USPS office immediately as they should be able to help you locate the package. Or wait a few days, as customers have reported back to me that the package shows up a few days later even though it says "delivered". I am not responsible for packages that are lost or stolen.
  • If it has been a full 7 days after tracking says delivered, and the pakage still has not shown up or arrived, please email me at info@jerrasgarden.com so I can engage the help of USPS/UPS with locating the package. Do not wait more than 14 days after delivery to let me know because then USPS/UPS cannot really help. If the lost package is reported to me beyond 14 days after delivery - I cannot help and I will not ship a replacement. 

By placing an order, you agree to this refund and replacement policy.

PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ISSUES VIA EMAIL: INFO@JERRASGARDEN.COM

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