How to Grow Pumpkins
by Faith Wright-Draper aka
"byfaithonly"
If you have never grown pumpkin before it is an
experience like none other. It’s not
recommended that you attempt growing pumpkins if
the only garden space you have is a small patio
or deck area. Yes, pumpkin can grow in pots or
containers but the vines will take over your
outdoor space fast if space is limited.
Your average run of the mill pumpkin plant will
send out anywhere from 1 to 10 runners off one
plant. These runners or vines can grow in length
to as much as 50 or more feet. The vines
themselves also send off sprouts that will twist
and wrap around other plants or whatever they can
reach and also root themselves in any soil they
find.
On top of the vines you will find leaves
developing that range in size from that of an
average adult hand to 3 feet across. Yes, one
leaf and each vine will be covered with leaves so
thick that it may take some doing to find the
pumpkins themselves. You will however be able to
judge approximately where your pumpkins will be
as large orange to yellow blooms will open before
the fruit develops.
If you do have an open space where you would like
to grow a few or a bunch of pumpkins it can be a
very rewarding experience. Pumpkins come in a
wide range of varieties offering the grower
different sizes, shapes, and colors. The smallest
pumpkins being about the size of a soft ball to
the largest being over 1000 pounds. Pumpkin
colors are normally white, yellow, or the
traditional deep orange.
Pumpkins grow well in most average soil and
don’t require a lot of care once the plants
are started. If you live in an area where there
is a short growing season you may want to start
seeds indoors but be warned if doing this
don’t start them too early or you will need
to repot several times before they can go outside
and you may end up with pumpkins too early in the
season to enjoy for Thanksgiving or Halloween.
Normally you can plant seeds outside after the
danger of frost has passed. By placing a
mini-greenhouse (a plastic jug such as a milk or
juice carton with the bottom cut out) over your
seeds you will accomplish several things. First
it helps to remind you where you planted the
seeds. Second it helps keep the ground warm at
night. And, lastly it helps to hold moisture in
helping the seeds to germinate faster and the
seedlings to get off to a good start.
Once the seedlings pop up through the soil you
can place mulch around the plant. This helps keep
down weeds as well as hold moisture in the soil
so you don’t have to water as often. In
average soil pumpkins only require watering about
once a week. If they do need watering they will
let you know though as the leaves will start to
wilt. Don’t panic though, just give them a
good watering and the leaves will pop right back.
As the season progresses you will want to keep an
eye on the pumpkin vines. As stated earlier they
do tend to be invasive and it’s much easier
to move them back where you want them early on
rather than waiting until they have attached
themselves to your favorite rose bush or garden
hoe left in the garden. Just gently pick them up
and direct them where you want them. You will
want to wear garden gloves or some protection
though as most pumpkin vines are prickly and
although they don’t cause harm can be
uncomfortable to the touch.
As your pumpkins start to grow you may want to
also adjust the fruit themselves. The pumpkin
will grow however they feel but by setting them
up on end early they develop in much more
uniformed shapes. Ones left on their side may
develop flat spots or upside down ones may break
the stem away from the vine and rot before they
are mature.
You will know when your pumpkins are finished
growing when the vines die off. First the leaves
will wither and die then the vines. The stems
connected to the pumpkin fruit will be the last
to die. Once this happens simply cut the pumpkin
stem 5-6 inches from the fruit and remove it from
the garden.
Your pumpkins are now ready to cut and cook for
pumpkin pie, carve as Jack-o-Lanterns, or set on
your door step as autumn decorations.
| Faith Wright-Draper (aka
byfaithonly) has been writing for over 40
years as a journalist, ghostwriting, and
freelancing. She currently writes for
several blogs, freelances, and on her own
website www.byfaithonly.com
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