nav-left cat-right
cat-right

GROWING PUMPKIN

Do you want to grow your own jack-o’-lantern for Halloween or would you like a tasty pie or soup? Learn how growing pumpkins in your own garden can easily provide this for you.

Connecticut Field Pumpkin
The most important question that needs answering when growing pumpkins is what variety you want to grow, there is a huge range to choose from, and you can mix and match.When growing pumpkins make sure the site gets full sun for at least 6 hours. In cold climates sow seeds indoors or in a greenhouse so they can be planted immediately after the last frost to gain the full benefit of short summers. It’s a good idea to have cloches available if by chance you are tempted to plant a little earlier or a late frost threatens.

Ensure the soil is well prepared beforehand with lots of well rotted organic matter to create loose, fertile, well draining medium. Modify heavy soils with well rotted manure or compost. Work it into the garden in the fall, never use fresh manure in the spring or summer, because if you do, you risk burning the roots and robbing the soil of nitrogen.

Soil Test Kit

An important part of being successful when growing anything in the garden is to know the measure of acidity or alkalinity of your soil, as all plants thrive if you get an ideal range for that particular plant. You will find that like most vegetables, growing pumpkins in a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0 will give you optimum growth. Now you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to get this right as there are tester kits, like this Soil Test Kit which are easy to use.

Seeds can be sown direct when the temperatures are averaging close to the 70F and the rains have eased off. When growing pumpkins be aware that they require a frost free period between 3-5 months, check the instructions on the packet as each variety differs.

A very popular method when growing pumpkins is to build mounds with the compost prepared last year, about 3-4 feet in diameter, 10 foot apart, then to help retain water, surround each hill with it’s own moat which should be about 4 inches wide and 4-5 inches deep.

Plant 2-3 seeds about 6 inches apart in the middle of the hill and cover with an inch of soil, don’t firm it down. Keep it moist but not soggy by using a watering can, you don’t want to wash the soil away.

After a couple of weeks you should see the two leaves breaking through the surface from each seed, wait a further couple of weeks and thin the seedlings out to leave the best of the plants to provide you with a rich harvest. Remember that they need to be kept moist because of their shallow root system. Water evenly at all times.

All the essential information on growing vegetables is in this book
Burpee : The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener –how to condition the soil, how and where to plant, sprouting schedules, what kind of yield to expect from each plant variety, and harvesting tips–in beautiful, illustrated detail.

Growing pumpkins can be a cause for concern for the novice gardener as they are very vigorous and love to sprawl; a single vine will easily grow up to 30 feet and throw out other vine shoots along the way. You can however prune and train the vine to go where you want it to. Because the vines are prickly wear protective clothing and gloves when handling them. They are great climbers and have been harvested on roofs of sheds; you can train them to climb fences easily or grow up a trellis.Water is a necessity when growing pumpkins, it is always best to water them at ground level where the roots are, drip systems and soaker hoses, like this Ultra Earth Quencher Hose, are best for this and are reasonably priced.

About 2 months after planting the male flowers appear, and then the females, they last only for a few hours so the bees need to get their job done quickly. The vine then starts its rapid growth and you need to keep it in check, if you’re restricted for room, just prune it to go where you want them to be.

The culmination of your efforts in growing pumpkins is when you notice the babies on the stalks, as they grow bigger, gently rotate them so they don’t get damaged or bruised from their contact with the soil. Wait till they finish filling out or go a deep orange and remove with a couple of inches of vine attached.

Growing pumpkins alongside corn and beans is the classic Native American combination sometimes called the Three Sisters. The corn supports the climbing beans and the pumpkin vines creep among the corn stalks acting as a mulch, supressing weeds and keeping the soil moist.

Lumina Pumpkin

Growing pumpkins in your garden can provide you with jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween and can be used for pies, cookies and soup.

Check out the other vegetables which you can grow in your garden.