Forget The Paint Minnesota, You Can Now Grow Blue Pumpkins

IS THAT A BLUE PUMPKIN? FOR REAL?

I've seen lots of painted blue and teal pumpkins each year around October; mostly because if you place a blue/teal pumpkin on your porch in October, it means that YOUR house is a safe stop for children with allergies.

FOOD ALLERGIES

Many children have food allergies, and a teal/blue pumpkin on your porch means that you have treats other than food, to hand out to kids. This could be stickers, fun erasers, bracelets, and a slew of other fun things that children can take part in, and not worry about having a severe allergy. It allows them to trick-or-treat like everyone else.

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AUTISM AWARENESS

Blue pumpkins are also sometimes used to indicate that your home recognizes and embraces those with autism, meaning that you won't have crazy blinking lights in your yard or scary music; it's a sensory safe welcoming environment for everyone.

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GROWING BLUE PUMPKINS

You might be wondering WHY I would be talking about pumpkins in winter, but there's a reason. Instead of buying orange pumpkins and painting them, you can grow them! Yes! Blue pumpkins are a real thing, and if you want to have them this coming fall, now is the time to think about getting some seeds and making planting preparations for this spring.

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THE JARRAHDALE PUMPKIN

The Jarrahdale pumpkin is a blue flat pumpkin that is very productive, and according to an article from the Minnesota Extension office, it's very easy to grow. Other blue pumpkins include the Queensland Blue, and one called Blue Doll.

According to SpecialtyProduce.com, Blue pumpkins vary in size, shape, flavor, and texture, and their color can be in shades of blue, green, and grey.

CAN YOU EAT BLUE PUMPKINS?

One of the biggest questions about Blue pumpkins is; can they be eaten? The answer is yes. They are used in all kinds of ways. Blue pumpkins have an orange flesh like orange pumpkins, but the flavor is described as 'sweet and vegetal,' and are typically used in lots of sweet and savory dishes. So if you decide you want to grow your own blue pumpkins, you can set some out for decoration, but also keep some and turn them into delicious pumpkin pie!

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PLANTING BLUE PUMPKINS

If you're now excited about growing your Blue pumpkins, you may want to make sure you have lots of room for them to grow, and order your seeds now, as you'll want to plant them when the ground warms up enough, which is usually in May or June here in Minnesota. You can expect to have your Blue Pumpkins in the fall, just in time for Halloween.