A Japanese Pumpkin self-seeded in the patch (from compost and a commercial pumpkin we must have bought). They weren't the typical shaped Jap. pumpkin, but I heard from a veggie-wise friend that they can grow in all kinds of shapes. It is true you can easily grow them up fences, along wires and even up a garden stake! They just grow a nice thick stalk for support. I ensured that the vine could get some roots in the ground along the way to feed different clusters of pumpkins.
I got about 13 all up (I thinned out almost that many again) and they are delicious. I still have several on top of the kitchen cupboards, having given some to friends and eaten some roasted or as soup.
My beau made a pumpkin soup for my birthday and I had carved out the pumpkin for the bowl (I'd always wanted to do that!). It went down well at the party and tasted divine!
(there are cape gooseberries on the table in the background - we had a great crop off just one plant for months and months as we had a long summer this year).
