{"product_id":"squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster","title":"Squash North Georgia Candy Roaster","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy I chose it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI'll admit the extraordinary shape and history got my attention, but there's a practical experiment happening here too.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI'm always interested in plants that can extend the garden harvest beyond the season they're grown in, so I'm trying North Georgia Candy Roaster to see \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehow well it stores for me\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. A squash that's delicious when harvested is useful; one that's still sitting happily in the pantry months later is considerably more useful.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is my first season growing it, so we're finding out together whether it earns a permanent place at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Garden Between\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eType:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Winter squash\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Yes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCucurbita maxima\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFruit:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Very long, pinkish-orange with green\/blue tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFlesh:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Smooth and sweet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVery vigorous sprawling vine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePosition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Full sun\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaturity:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Around 90–120 days from transplant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBest for:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Roasting, baking, pies and storing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe clue is rather wonderfully in the name: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCandy Roaster\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts sweet, smooth flesh is particularly suited to roasting and baking. Use it anywhere you'd use a good pumpkin or winter squash — roasted in great chunks, blended into soups, mashed, baked into pies or turned into whatever autumnal squash recipe takes your fancy. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNo recipe yet. This is my first season growing it, so it can bloody well prove itself before it earns one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the garden\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGive this one room. Seriously.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorth Georgia Candy Roaster is a vigorous trailing squash rather than a polite little bush. Kings recommends approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1 metre between plants and 2 metres between rows\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, which gives some indication of its intentions. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLet it ramble somewhere it won't engulf something precious. As the squash develops, put a piece of cardboard, a lid, wool mulch or something similarly dry beneath the fruit to keep it away from damp ground and reduce the risk of rot. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvest \u0026amp; storage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis one deserves its own little section because it's genuinely useful.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvest once the skin has hardened and the stem is drying. Cut the fruit from the vine rather than pulling it, leaving a decent length of stem attached.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorth Georgia Candy Roaster is grown as a keeping squash, but storage life depends enormously on maturity at harvest, curing and storage conditions. I'm particularly interested in testing this one myself, so I'll update this page once I've actually stored and eaten my own crop rather than pretending I've already done it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecure the squash somewhere warm, dry and well ventilated for around two weeks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e before moving it into storage. Properly matured and cured fruit should store for roughly \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2–3 months\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlant into rich, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun after frost risk has passed. Water consistently while establishing and developing fruit, feed during the growing season and give those vines plenty of freedom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKings puts maturity at approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e90–120 days from transplant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, so this is a plant to get established and let get on with its summer takeover plans. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat you'll receive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne healthy, established plant grown here at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Garden Between\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Plants naturally vary in size and shape and may be supplied in reused nursery pots or growing bags — perfectly useful plastic doesn't need replacing simply because it doesn't match.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"A Garden Between","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67879273169119,"sku":null,"price":7.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/8279\/7023\/files\/Screenshot2026-10-04at8.44.50AM_9534dcef-cf09-4e87-8ff2-d328fe7db7ec.png?v=1791056849","url":"https:\/\/agardenbetween.com\/products\/squash-north-georgia-candy-roaster","provider":"A Garden Between","version":"1.0","type":"link"}