It’s one of the finest parts of Halloween to pick out the ideal pumpkin at the farm or store, then spend the afternoon carving it, sipping apple cider, and thinking about your costume design. Instead of making a special trip to the store to buy pumpkins, try growing your own this year.
Growing pumpkins from seed can be a labor-intensive process, but if you stick to a schedule, your garden will be awash in bright orange gourds in no time.
Many gardeners wonder when to start planting pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima). You may use these beautiful squash to decorate your home for the fall season, but you can also use them to cook up a variety of delectable dishes. Growing pumpkins is a simple and fun hobby for children in the garden. Here are a few pointers for growing pumpkins from seed that you might find useful.
When Is the Best Time to Sow Pumpkins?
Planting pumpkin seeds in late May to early July is ideal if you want to reap the benefits of your harvest in the late summer or early autumn. You can buy seeds that are already prepared for sowing, or you can use the seeds from a freshly carved pumpkin. Either way, the process is simple. It’s important to remember that you’ll need a lot of area in your backyard to properly spread out your pumpkin seeds before you start planting them, so would-be pumpkin growers without a lot of outdoor space should stick to the pumpkin patch or store.
Pumpkin Seeds: How to Plant Them
Get Your Seeds Ready
In terms of seeds, you have two options: either pluck them from the pumpkin’s inside or purchase pre-planted seeds at your local garden center. Prior to planting, you’ll need to perform some preparation if you choose the first choice.
To begin, you’ll need to remove the pulp from the fruit. Rinse the seeds under cold water in a colander. After rinsing all of the seeds, sort them out and keep only the largest ones. Because of this, they have a better chance of flourishing. The best way to dry them is by laying them out on a piece of paper towel.
If you haven’t planted your seeds yet, you can keep them in an envelope in the back of your refrigerator until you are ready to plant them.
Picking between these three types of store-bought seeds: If you want to cultivate pumpkins for carving, try Autumn Gold. If you want to raise 200-pound huge pumpkins, look no further than Dill’s Atlantic Giant or Casper.
Decide where to plant.
Decide on a location that receives full to partial sun. Pumpkins prefer soil that isn’t too wet, so make sure the soil can drain.
You’ll need to clear a large area of your backyard to accommodate the pumpkins as they develop in size. Pumpkin seeds should be planted five feet apart because of the vines’ size. Instead of spacing your pumpkins three feet apart if you’re cultivating a smaller kind, do so.
Your soil’s pH (which you can measure with a kit) should fall somewhere between 6 and 6.8. Make sure there are no weeds, pests, or insects in the area: Two weeks before planting, use a weed block to let the weeds die naturally. What else is there? Weed killers that don’t harm the environment.
Pumpkin Seeds: When to Plant Them
You must first learn when to put pumpkin seeds before you can start growing them. The purpose of your pumpkins will determine when you grow them.
If you want to carve jack-o-lanterns out of your pumpkins, wait to plant them outside until the soil temperature reaches 65 degrees Fahrenheit after the last chance of frost has passed (18 C.). Consider the fact that pumpkin plants thrive in warmer areas. Because of this, the best time to plant pumpkin seeds varies depending on where in the country you live. It’s ideal to sow pumpkin seeds in late May in cooler areas of the country, while mid-July is the best time to plant pumpkins in warmer areas of the country.
A couple of weeks before your area’s last frost date, you can begin planting your pumpkins indoors if you want to use them as food or enter a large pumpkin contest.
Seed the Soil with Pumpkin Seeds
It’s imperative that you sow your seeds the right way. It is ideal to put pumpkin seeds in the ground about an inch deep.
Some Proven Techniques for Growing Pumpkins
Prevent Infestation
Check for any critters and weeds in the early stages of the growing season. Fertilizing with a nitrogen-based fertilizer can begin as soon as the plants reach a height of around a foot.
Give Water in the Early Morning
The vine is vulnerable to illness if it isn’t watered regularly. Early morning watering is essential, especially during the hottest months of the year, when the scorching heat can dry out the veggies.
The mulch around the pumpkins can help keep them moist in addition to watering. Remember to take good care of the vine and keep it (and the pumpkin) safe from harm.
Cut back the Vine
“When the vines begin to appear, you should switch to a phosphorous-rich fertilizer. As soon as a few pumpkins have developed, remove the vine’s fuzziness by pinching off the ends. Pruning the vine is a terrific technique to free up some extra room while also directing the growth of the blooming plant.
When to Pick Pumpkins and How Long They Take to Grow
Pumpkins normally grow for 75 to 100 days during the growing season. Remove any leaves that are obscuring the plant a few weeks before harvest. This will help the pumpkins develop a richer color.
When the outside of the pumpkin is the correct shade of orange and the skin feels hard to the touch, it’s time to eat it. The stem is another telltale sign of a mature pumpkin. They will be shriveled and dry to the touch.
Make sure to wear gloves and cut the stem from one to four inches, keeping in mind that if you cut it too short, the pumpkin won’t last as long. Place the pumpkin in the sun for 10 to 14 days after cutting the stem to allow it to harden and ripen.
