Winter squash 'Shishigatani'

Try to plant in a location that enjoys partial sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Shishigatani is thought of as half hardy, so protect with a row cover whenever the temperatures drop. Ensure your soil has a ph of between 6.1 and 7.5 as Shishigatani is a weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil loving plant.

Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 2.28 feet (70.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 1.17 inches (3.0 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 15°C / 59°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Shishigatani about 10 days before your last frost date.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Shishigatani is a half hardy plant.

Traditional “Kyo-yasai” plant of Kyoto, named after the Shishi Valley (Shishigatani, 鹿ケ谷) in the Higashiyama ward of Kyoto.

This plant became famous during the Edo period when it was traditionally eaten during the mid-summer to treat polio.

鹿ケ谷南瓜