Pumpkin / മത്തൻ

Pumpkin (മത്തൻ) is a vigorous trailing vine producing large, sweet, golden-fleshed fruits with superb keeping quality. A South Indian staple, it’s used in erisseri, sambar, curries, sweets and juices, and the tender shoots and flowers are edible too. Fast-growing and prolific, pumpkin thrives in warm, sunny conditions. Sow seeds in fertile, well-draining soil in full sun, let it trail or climb, and harvest mature fruits in about 90–120 days. Rich in nutrients and storable for months, pumpkin is a rewarding, high-yield crop for home gardens and terraces.