Heirloom Winter Squash
The North Georgia Candy Roaster Squash lives up to its sweet name with the highest sugar content of any winter squash, producing massive 10-15 pound fruits on sprawling 8-10 foot vines. This distinctive pink, banana-shaped heirloom develops from greenish-blue to a beautiful pink hue over its 90-100 day growing season, though some sources report harvest times extending to 120 days. Each vine typically yields these impressive specimens spaced 4 feet apart, creating a dramatic display in the autumn garden. Protected by Slow Food's Ark of Taste, this Southeast treasure combines stunning appearance with exceptional culinary performance.
36-48 inches apart
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
18in H x 72in W
Annual
High
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What sets this variety apart is its unmatched sweetness and the remarkable transformation from greenish-blue to pink as it ripens. The stringless, creamy flesh delivers a caramel-like flavor that elevates pies and baked goods beyond what other squash varieties can achieve. Its impressive size and unique banana shape make it as much a conversation piece as a culinary ingredient, while its five-month storage capacity ensures this candy-sweet harvest lasts well into winter.
This versatile winter squash excels in sweet applications where its record-breaking sugar content and caramel notes truly shine. The dense, creamy flesh transforms into exceptional pie fillings, adds sweetness to baked goods, and creates rich, satisfying dishes when roasted or fried. Its stringless texture makes preparation effortless, while the substantial size of each fruit provides enough flesh for multiple meals or preservation projects.
Start seeds indoors 2-3 weeks before the last frost date, providing warm soil temperatures for optimal germination.
Transplant seedlings after all danger of frost has passed, setting them in hills 6 feet apart with three plants per hill, or spacing them 36 inches apart in rows.
Direct sow seeds after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed thoroughly, ensuring adequate spacing for the vigorous vines.
Harvest when the squash have fully ripened from their initial greenish-blue color to a beautiful pink hue, typically occurring 90-100 days after planting though some sources indicate harvest may extend to 120 days. The color transformation from blue-green to pink serves as the primary visual indicator of ripeness, signaling that the flesh has developed its characteristic sweetness.
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“This Southeast heirloom has earned its place in Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, a prestigious catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. The variety represents the agricultural heritage of North Georgia, where generations of gardeners have preserved this exceptional winter squash through careful seed saving and cultivation.”