Tatume Squash Seeds (Cucurbita pepo) – Calabacita, Mexican Round Zucchini | Isla’s Garden Seeds

Tatume squash seeds from Isla’s Garden Seeds offer a rare blend of versatility and heritage. This Cucurbita pepo open-pollinated heirloom, commonly called calabacita in Mexican kitchens, yields fruit that can serve as a zucchini-like summer treat or mature into a golden-yellow winter squash. Plant once and enjoy options that adapt to your preferences and season.

Seasonal versatility at a glance

With Tatume, you have a single plant that can feed different meals across the year. Harvest the young green fruits for fresh, light meals, or let the vines mature to a deeper color and richer flavor for baking and hearty dishes.

• 🌱 Fast start: germination typically occurs in 5–10 days indoors, with 130 frost-free days to mature outdoors.
• ☀️ Flexible harvests: pick small 4–6 inch fruits for summer zucchini-style use, or allow full maturity for a golden-yellow winter squash.

Growing and care essentials

Ideal for home gardens, Tatume adapts to a wide range of conditions thanks to its open-pollinated heirloom lineage and warm-season nature. Space and soil guidance from experienced growers helps maximize yields and plant health.

• 💦 Plant in very rich soil, 8–10 feet apart in rows 10–12 feet apart, or in tiny hills of two plants 8–10 feet apart.
• 🪴 Direct sow when soil is at least 70°F; plant seeds 1/2 inch deep and thin to proper spacing.

Harvest timing and variety details

Tatume is a hardy variety native to Mexico, capable of producing in multiple USDA zones (3–12). It is an open-pollinated, heirloom cultivar in the Cucurbita pepo family, allowing gardeners to save seeds for future seasons. Harvest window and size guide help you plan meals and storage.

• 📅 Harvest at 45 days for young fruits or wait until the rind hardens and turns yellow for winter squash.
• 🌎 Suitable for garden beds and seed-saving storage, reinforcing a practical approach to home gardening.

Community and inspiration

Share your Tatume journey—photos of thriving vines and harvests help others imagine their own garden successes. Isla’s Garden Seeds invites you to join a community that values heritage varieties and resilient growing practices.