Cucurbita pepo 'Sugar Pie'
vegetableSugar Pie is a small pie pumpkin, a sweet, fine-grained, dry-fleshed variety bred for baking rather than carving, weighing just a few pounds each. The vines bear several deep-orange fruit that mature in about 100 to 110 days, with flesh far less stringy and watery than a carving pumpkin, making it the choice for homemade pie and puree.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 3 days
Harvest
~100 days
Difficulty
medium
Lifecycle
annual
One season, then done
Spacing
36-48 in. apart
Planting Depth
1 in.
Soil pH
6.0-6.8
Soil Type
Rich, well-drained
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4 – 11
Grown as an annual. This range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
At planting, at vining, and at bloom
Fertilizer
Balanced early, higher potassium at fruiting
Direct sow after the last frost once the soil is above 60F, in full sun and rich, well-drained soil, giving the long vines plenty of space. Water deeply and evenly, mulch, and feed with compost; like all winter squash, pie pumpkins need a long, warm season to ripen fully.
Start seeds indoors
Mar 25
Transplant outdoors
Apr 29
Projected first harvest
Aug 7
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Wrap stem bases or row cover early, removing covers at flowering for pollination; mound soil over vines to root at the nodes; destroy infested stems
Remove debris, hand-pick adults, and crush bronze egg clusters
Space widely and water at the base
Harvest when the pumpkin has turned deep, uniform orange and the rind is hard enough to resist a fingernail, with a dry, corky stem, cutting the fruit with a few inches of stem attached. Pie pumpkins can be eaten at harvest; a short cure hardens the skin, then store cool and dry, where they keep two to three months.
Pumpkin is low in calories and very high in vitamin A from beta-carotene, with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, and the seeds are a nutritious bonus rich in protein, healthy fats, and minerals.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.