# Pumpkin leaves edible??



## larry_stewart (Feb 16, 2010)

Being uplate and bored, I decided to search the internet for protein rich foods for vegetarians ( me and my family). When I came across a few websites that listed Pumpkin leaves as an edible green, high in protein, and popular as an African dish ( peanuts, coconut milk, pumpkin leaves ...)

I was wondering :
1)If anyone has had any experience with pumpkin leaves.
2) If so, can you use any pumkin leaves, or is there a specific variety
3) can you compare what they taste like.

Sure, I can search the internet, and probably will, just curious from someone with first ( or second) hand experience, since my garden doesnt produce too many pumpkins, but a hell of a lot of leaves


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## froggythefrog (Feb 16, 2010)

On protein rich foods for vegetarians:  Legumes (beans, lentils, and peas -- tofu  ), whole grains (such as rice and wheat),  nuts, seeds,  and mushrooms.  Greens do have proteins, but you would have to eat an incredible amount of greens to get the protein content of these other sources. 

On pumpkin leaves:  I've never tried them, but know they wouldn't be poisonous (like tomato, eggplant, or tomato leaves would be).  I imagine they would have a bland taste with a somewhat spongy texture...  Thank God I am growing squash this year, so I am definitely trying the leaves this year. Let us know if you try it and what you think.


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## DaveSoMD (Feb 16, 2010)

If they are edible I'd think the could be stuffed, like grape leaves. Just be sure you don't spay any chemicals or pesticides on then and make sure they are free from podwery mildew. I don't think that would taste too good....


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## blissful (Feb 17, 2010)

Grape leaves are wonderful, free on fence lines here, best picked in June, I've frozen them and canned them and they are very expensive in the stores to buy canned. If pumpkin or squash leaves are edible, I'd be interested in hearing about them, and how they taste.


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## powerplantop (Feb 17, 2010)

In Korea pumpkin and squash leaves are quite comon as a wrap or side dish. You might find this interesting.

입에서 살살 녹는 호박잎 쌈, 고향 생각 나지 않으세요? - 오마이뉴스

In Korean markets you can also find them dried. http://peewee.egloos.com/2436862


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## wanna be (Feb 17, 2010)

Do'nt know what they were saying or makeing but the food looked great.Were those pumpkin leaves or another type?


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## powerplantop (Feb 17, 2010)

wanna be said:


> Do'nt know what they were saying or makeing but the food looked great.Were those pumpkin leaves or another type?


 They are pumpkin its kind of along the lines of the Kabocha.


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## larry_stewart (Feb 17, 2010)

Im just excited because Im a failure at growing pumpkins, but the plants themselves do well.  So, Ill have an abundance of pumpkin leaves to play with.  Everything Ive found online so far , has linked them to African recipes.


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## froggythefrog (Feb 18, 2010)

Larry, it sounds to me like you need to find which one of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will cause blooming, and fortify your soil with that one mineral.   It's funny now that you mention eating squash leaves.  Squash blossoms were a popular dish in the South, and it was probably because the people who ate them had to thin out the number of zucchinis and yellow squashes they were getting. 

Pumpkins also vine like crazy.  Maybe you should selectively prune some vines so that your plant can devote some of its energy to flowering.


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## DaveSoMD (Feb 18, 2010)

Actuallly for all squash you need to have both male and female flowers blooming at the same time in order for polination to happen and a polinator (bees, etc) to move the pollen. Unless you have several plants it is difficult to get a lot if fruit set.


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