Pumpkin Growing Guide
Pumpkins (Cucurbita sp.) are in the winter squash family. They are native to North America and have been grown by Native Americans for thousands of years.
They are easy to grow and especially fun if you have children. If this is your first time growing them, remember that they are vining plants and if planted near a fence, it will use its tendrils to climb it. A pumpkin vine can easily extend 20-feet or more in length.
Allowing it to climb a fence may seem like a good way to keep the pumpkin vine from over taking your garden. Depending on the pumpkin variety you planted, you may have one that weighs 10 to 20-pounds or more. This will put a big strain on the fence. It is also unlikely that the pumpkin vine will be able to support that much weight without the pumpkin breaking off, unless you provide some kind a support sling. If the vine starts climbing it would be better to remove it from the fence and place it on the ground.
If the pumpkin vine is threatening other vegetable plants, do not be afraid to prune the vine tips to keep it inbounds. To properly form fruit it needs to be allowed to grow at least 10-feet long with 2 or 3 on its runners.
Starting From Seed
Follow the seed packet instructions. Seeds can be started indoors 3 to 6-weeks before your last expected frost date or you can direct sow in your vegetable garden in the spring.
For starting indoors sow the seeds in a sterile seed starting mix in small pots. Lightly cover with the seed starting mix and keep moist. Germination takes 7 to 14-days.
Bottom watering is the easiest way to keep moist without disturbing the newly sown seeds.
For more detailed information visit the seed starting page.
Soil Preparation
The soil should be nice loose well drained organic garden soil with the soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. As soon as the soil is frost-free and can be worked, till the soil by digging down 8 to 12-inches turning the soil over with a garden fork. Remove any large rocks and stones. The small stones remaining will do no harm and actually benefit the soil by adding some micro-nutrients to the soil. Work in plenty of garden compost before planting.
Planting Pumpkins
Plant the pumpkin seeds in full sun directly in the garden after all danger of frost. They will grow best when the soil temperature is 70-degrees or higher. Most varieties need 75 to 100-days to mature.
If you do not have much space you can choose a bush variety. There are many varieties that can be grown in containers.
To lessen the chance of getting vine borers, plant later in the season. Waiting a few weeks after the last frost date to plant or using a light row cover can be very helpful.
They can be planted in rows or hills.
When planting in rows, sow the seeds 6 to 12-inches apart, in rows 6 to 8-feet apart. After the seeds germinate and are a few inches tall thin them to one plant every 2 to 3-feet by sniping off the extra plants.
When planting in hills dig up an area about 3-feet across adding good rich garden soil leaving a slight mound. Each hill can be 4 to 6-feet apart depending on the size of the variety you are growing.
Sow 4 to 6-seeds per hill and when the plants are a few inches tall thin them to 2 to 3 per hill by sniping off the extra plants.
Watering and Care
When the plants are a few inches tall add a nice loose mulch of shredded leaves or pine straw to shade the plant roots. This will keep the weeds out, the soil cooler and help retain moisture. Keep the mulch a couple of inches away from the stem. During dry spells give some water each week.
Water the plants deeply once a week to keep the shallow roots from drying out, in particular when the vines are flowering and the fruit is growing. Water the vines directly to the base of the plants to avoid wetting the foliage, which could make it more likely for a fungus such as powdery mildew to occur.
The first flowers to appear are the male flowers, which are then followed by the female flowers.
As the fruit forms, to prevent any possible rot, place a piece of cardboard or carpet under it.
Fertilizing
Fertilizer is usually not needed, but when the flowers appear you can feed with an organic balanced vegetable garden fertilizer such as Espoma Garden-tone.
Harvesting Pumpkins
When a pumpkin is ripe it will turn a bright orange and the stem starts to shrivel up. For proper storage the stem needs to remain on the pumpkin. Leave several inches of stem on and cut it with a sharp knife or a branch lopper. Do not move it by holding the stem since it may break off and it will not store very well.
Some people make pies or cook them just like any other squash. Most will use them as a holiday decoration or to carve into a jack-o-lantern.
You can use some of the items you have in your kitchen or you can buy a set of pumpkin carving tools. Many of the professional carvers that make up the large jack-o-lantern displays recommend cutting out the bottom to remove the seeds. It will hold its shape better when the bottom is cut out. If you choose to cut out the top, make the cut on an angle so that the lid does not fall in.
Use a spoon or an ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and pulp. Now you can get creative and make your own design or use a pattern. When you are done coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly to make it last longer.
In the past candles were used to light the jack-o-lantern. Today there are battery operated tea light candles that are safer and the jack-o-lantern will last longer.
The seeds are edible and can be eaten raw or roasted. Rinse the seeds in a strainer to remove the pulp and place them on paper plates to let them dry out. There are several methods of seasoning and roasting that can be found online and in some cookbooks.
After drying the seeds can be saved and stored for planting next spring.
Diseases
Powdery mildew is a fungus that produces white spots on leaves and kills them. It tends to occur on the older leaves that have lost their protective waxy coating. When watering the vines do not get the leaves wet. Remove any infected or dead leaves and put in the trash, not the compost pile. There are varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew.
Pests
There are several squash vine borers that can cause problems. Examine your vines often near where it comes out of the ground. Look for a small entry hole and what looks like sawdust. To save the plant you will need to remove the 1-inch long caterpillar.
To do this make a lengthwise slit near the entry hole and spread the sides of the slit to reveal the caterpillar. Use tweezers to carefully remove it, doing as little damage to the vine as possible. Now pile some soil over the slit to encourage the growth of new roots there. Cover with mulch and water when needed.
The squash vine borer overwinters in the soil so good garden practices are important. At the end of the season always remove any dead vines and leaves. Rotate your squash plants to a new area each year.
There are 2-cucumber beetles that are an occasional pest, which are the stripped and the spotted cucumber beetle. They both have a yellow body and are about 1/4-inch long and are easy to identify. The stripped cucumber beetle has black strips on its wing covers and the spotted cucumber beetle has black spots on its wing covers. The major damage they do is eating the leaves and flowers. Hand picking and yellow sticky traps will help to control them.
Duct tape is a very effective way to remove the adults and eggs. Take a piece about 8 or 9-inches long and attach the ends together to form a loop with the sticky side out. Put one hand through the loop and with the other lift up a leaf looking for any eggs or adults. If you find any adults stick them to the tape and do the same for the eggs.
Cucumber beetles can carry bacterial diseases and viruses such as bacterial wilt and mosaic virus, which can be spread from one plant to another.
Floating row covers are effective in protecting your plants.
Popular Varieties
There are many varieties and sizes available. The Mini varieties, typically weigh up to 2-pounds. The Small varieties from 2 to 8-pounds. The Mid-size varieties from 8 to 15-pounds. The Big varieties from 15 to 25-pounds. The Giant varieties from 50 to 500-pounds, and with special care many can reach 2,000-pounds.
Orange is the most common color, but brown, pink, white and green stripe varieties are available.
Mini Varieties: Apprentice, Baby Boo, Bumpkin, Munchkin, Baby Pam, Casperita, Crunchkin, Hooligan.
Small Varieties: Cannon Ball, Blanco, Early Abundance, Mischief, Spooktacular, Triple Treat, Trickster.
Mid-Size Varieties: Autumn Gold, Bushkin, Spirit, Young’s Beauty, Ghost Rider, Jackpot.
Big Varieties: Aladdin, Dependable, Full Moon, Gladiator, Happy Jack, Cinderella, Jumpin’ Jack.
Giant Varieties: Big Moose, Big Max, Dill's Atlantic Giant, Mammoth Gold, Prizewinner, Dill’s Atlantic Giant, Wallace's Whoppers.
Sources: Seeds Now, Burpee, Johnny's Selected Seeds.
Tips and Warnings
The vines can be a bit prickly so a pair of garden gloves will be useful.
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