Crown Prince F1 is generally thought to be one of the best all-round squashes with the sweetest tasting flesh. It is very reliable & productive and has excellent storage qualities & can last for up to a year if stored in a cool, dry place.
Crown Prince F1 squash has metallic grey blue skin with contrasting rich deep orange flesh inside. The waxy, dense flesh is great for all culinary purposes but makes especially good 'squash wedges' as it holds it's shape when roasted with a little drizzle of oil & a sprinkle of sea salt.
Crown Prince grows on a vine if you want to grow fewer squashes but larger ones then pinch out vine when 1 or 2 squashes have formed.
They do need lots of organic matter & water to get the best performance. To get the best results and larger squash grow indoors in April-May and then transplant outside when the risk of frost has passed. The south of UK have the only a realistic chance of obtaining good-sized squash from direct sowing in June.
An unusual vegetable that is very difficult to buy in supermarkets.
Pack Information
| Seed Quantity: | Approx 5 seeds per pack. |
When to Sow Squash Crown Prince F1 Vegetable Seeds
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor Sowing | ||||||||||||
| Outdoor Sowing |
Indoor Sowing Information
| Site: |
Well drained, humus rich soil in a sheltered sunny spot out of way of strong winds that can cause damage to the large leaves.
|
| When to Sow: |
April to May.
|
| How to Sow: | Sow seeds vertically 1cm deep in a small pot. Place in propagator/cover with glass or polythene bag until the seedlings appear (usually 5-8 days). When the seedlings have 2/3 leaves transplant into 2L pots and grow on for a few more weeks. In mid-late May (a week before transplanting) dig a large hole 30cm square for each pumpkin plant (1m apart, in rows 1.2m apart) and fill with lots of well-rotted manure. Make a mound and cloche to warm soil up. Harden off the pumpkin plants for 3-4 days before transplanting out into centre of mound. Keep covered with cloche for a week or so and water well. Can also be grown in greenhouse soil provided it is very fertile and kept moist. |
| Care: |
As they are hungry feeders, feed them every 14 days with a potash rich fertiliser. Keep well watered but try not to wet the fruit. Once growing, lift the pumpkins off the soil onto a piece of wood or upturned terracotta pot to allow air to circulate and the pumpkin to ripen.
|
| Harvest: | September to October. Leave a stalk of 5cm when cutting fruit off vine. Pick any remaining fruits before the first frosts. These can be stored in frost free conditions and can last to Christmas and beyond. |
Outdoor Sowing Information
| Site: |
Well drained, humus rich soil in a sheltered sunny spot out of way of strong winds that can cause damage to the large leaves.
|
| When to Sow: |
Early June.
|
| How to Sow: |
Squashes are hungry feeders so to give them a good start outside, dig a hole 30cm square and fill with well rotted manure and mound the soil up and cloche the area a week before direct sowing. Plant 2 seeds into the centre of each mound (2.5cm deep, spacing 1m apart, in rows 1.2m apart) and cloche again until the seedlings grow. Remove the weaker seedling, and remove cloche a couple of weeks later. Seed will not germinate until the temperature is consistently above 13C. Keep well watered.
|
| Care: |
As they are hungry feeders, feed them every 14 days with a potash rich fertiliser. Keep well watered but try not to wet the fruit. Once growing, lift the fruit onto a piece of wood or upturned terracotta pot to ripen & allow circulate.
|
| Harvest: | September to October. Pick any remaining fruits before the first frosts. These can be stored in frost-free conditions and can last to Christmas and beyond. |
