Bright orange, plump and jolly, who doesn’t love pumpkins?
Perhaps nothing says fall better than a few pumpkins displayed by the front door or the aroma of a pumpkin pie, and certainly nothing says Halloween better than a real pumpkin carved into a jack-o’-lantern.
Did you know that pumpkins are super easy to grow in your garden?
While it’s too late for this year, here’s what you need to do for a bumper crop of Halloween pumpkins for next year.
First, decide on what type of pumpkins you want to grow. With so many to choose from, this might be the hardest part of growing them.
If you buy pumpkin seedlings from a local nursery or plant sale, your selection will be limited, and they don’t tolerate transplanting well. However, starting pumpkins from seeds is straight forward and the large seeds are easy to handle for children and beginners of all ages. If you shop online for seeds from specialists, you’ll find an amazing selection of varieties.
There are pumpkins that are best for carving into jack-o’-lanterns, others for pie-making, tiny decorative ones and colossal giants. Some are tall and some are short and squat. They range in color from dark orange to yellow, white, striped with green and some are covered with knobby warts. Even though what we call pumpkins are actually several different species, they all have the same cultural requirements.
Next, decide where you can grow your pumpkins. Since they need quite a bit of space, this limits how many we can grow for most of us. Pumpkins require full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Amend the soil with compost or other organic material and a complete fertilizer before planting. After the soil has warmed to 65 degrees, plant seedlings or four to six seeds in mounds four to six feet apart. Thin each mound to the two strongest seedlings after they have two true leaves.
Pumpkins are heavy feeders, so side dress with additional fertilizer after the plants have developed side runners. Water deeply and infrequently, one to two inches per week. An organic mulch such as grass clippings, straw, newspapers or chopped leaves around the plants will conserve water, reduce weeds and slowly break down to feed the soil. Apply this type of mulch after the soil reaches 75 degrees.
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Pumpkins grow quickly. After the plants start to flower, you will see small green pumpkins develop. Many of these will drop because the plant can’t mature all of them, and this is perfectly normal. You may also notice the plant wilting on hot afternoons. Correct watering and mulching will minimize this.
Powdery mildew, which looks like white spots or powdery coating on the leaves, sometimes occurs with pumpkins, especially late in the season. If you catch it early, you may be able control it with a horticultural oil such as neem oil.
However, prevention is the most effective approach with powdery mildew. Poor air circulation or too much shade make it worse, so it’s important to allow your pumpkins enough space to grow and be sure they get plenty of sun. Avoid overhead watering because the splashing water can spread the spores. The best prevention is to grow varieties of pumpkins that are resistant to powdery mildew, so consider that when selecting seeds.
Another common problem with pumpkins is squash bugs. This pest feeds heavily on the leaves, which can devastate a pumpkin patch. One way to control them is to hand pick the adults and remove the red egg masses from the underside of leaves. Adults can be trapped by placing boards under the plants and then lifting the boards daily and disposing of the bugs that shelter there.
These methods are effective if the infestation is caught early and is not too large. Otherwise, chemical controls may have to be used. In the fall, remove and destroy all plant material to eliminate places for the bugs to overwinter.
Crop rotation is also helpful for minimizing squash bugs, powdery mildew and other diseases, so do not grow pumpkins or other related plants such as cucumbers, zucchini or squash in the same location for at least two years.
Harvesting your pumpkins is a long-anticipated pleasure. Wait until they are completely orange and the rind has hardened. Handle them gently to avoid cuts and bruises that may cause rot. Leave an attractive three-to-four-inch handle if you like. This also may help prevent rot. Be sure to harvest all your mature pumpkins before a hard frost.
Growing pumpkins is fun and rewarding. Give it a try and next year you can celebrate the season with plump and jolly pumpkins you grew yourself.
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