Growing pumpkins successfully

The diverse group of plants produces pumpkin vines with fruits coming in various colors. These range from gray to orange. The shapes can be round, oval, or long, and the skin can either be ridged, smooth, or knobbly.

You only need to grow a few pumpkins to have access to lots of the sweet flesh over a long period. And pumpkins offer a range of different options in the kitchen.

Where to grow pumpkins successfully

Pumpkins require a warm and sunny spot to prosper in. The more sun one plant gets, the more pumpkins it will produce, and the greater the chance of each being a big pumpkin. The ideal spot would get six hours of direct sun each day.

Pumpkins love soil that retains moisture well, and they do like to be protected from cold winds. The crop is very easily affected by cold and frost, and can be badly hampered by strong winds.

The plants prefer a site with a soil ph of between 6 and 6.5. Do a soil test to check your site and, if you are required, add amendments to get the soil to the correct ph level.

How long does it take to grow pumpkins?

Pumpkins require a long growing season. The average pumpkin plant will be ready to harvest after three or four months of warm weather, spent growing out in the garden.

This can vary depending on the variety and also if you want small pumpkins or a huge great pumpkin. Check the seed packet or look online to find out your chosen variety’s days to maturity.

How to Grow Pumpkins

Pumpkin plants are commonly bought in garden centers in the Spring. However, most people grow them from seed.

This can either be done early undercover in a protected environment. Or you can sow directly outside in the soil, once the temperature has warmed up.

Growing Pumpkins From Seed

Pumpkin seeds can be sown indoors in Spring and need a temperature of 18-20 Celsius to germinate.

Fill pots with compost and plant the seeds, one per pot. It has long been recommended that pumpkin seeds are sown on their side at a depth of half an inch.

Water the pot well and the seeds should germinate quickly. When they do, then keep the compost moist, but make sure not to overwater. Grow them on in a light spot and try to keep a temperature of around 16 Celsius.

Plant Pumpkins In the Garden

Start a vegetable garden, with pumpkin plants, is immensely rewarding. Although, be aware that it can be planted outside once the risk of frost has passed. Before planting indoor-raised plants in their final spot, acclimatize them to the outside.

Space out the plants around 1-1.5 meters apart and choose a sunny and sheltered spot. They are hungry plants that need lots of food to grow. Incorporate compost, organic matter, or well-rotted manure into the planting area.

Sowing Seeds Outdoor

Pumpkin seeds can be sown directly into the soil in late Spring. However, make sure the soil temperature is warm to the touch, as the seeds will not prosper in cold and wet soil.

Prepare the ground by removing weeds and mix in some compost or well-rotted manure into the soil. Plant seeds around 3cm deep and leave a spacing around three feet apart.

Looking After Your Plants

Planted pumpkins should be fairly simple to maintain, and they are a reliable crop. They need a little attention and a few key tasks undertaken once planted out in their final position.

Consider mulching around the plant to retain moisture in the soil. It will also help to suppress weeds that will compete for nutrients.

Also, when growing pumpkins, it is a good idea to place a cane or marker next to the pumpkin plant. This will help to find its center when watering as the plant sprawls.

Regular Maintenance

Pumpkins are heavy feeders and will benefit from a lot of watering and feeding throughout their growth.

Make sure to water plants regularly, especially in dry weather. A good tactic is to sink a pot in the ground alongside each plant. Watering into the pot ensures the water sinks in deep and finds the roots of the plant. It helps avoid the risk of rotting caused by excess water sitting around the neck of the plant.

Feeding Plants

To help with strong and healthy pumpkin growth, feed the plants regularly. A high nitrogen feed should be used until the flowers start to appear. But then the feeding regime changes when the fruits appear and you need to help them swell.

Then feed with a liquid general-purpose fertilizer, such as a tomato fertilizer. A feed such as this is high in potassium and should be given every 10-14 days once the fruits start to develop.

Flowers and Pollinations

Pumpkin plants have both male flowers and female flowers. Only the latter can turn into pumpkins, but the male flower tends to open earlier in the season than the female.

The male blooms come first to entice bees. These pollinators will then return to the plant once the female flower has opened.

If there is a lack of fruit forming on the plant, then you can hand pollinate the plant. You do this by moving pollen from the male to female blossoms.

Pests and problems

Powdery mildew can be a problem on the leaves of pumpkins and winter squash. This is a particular problem when the ground is dry. Regular watering and mulching to retain moisture can help.

The issue starts as white spots on leaves and powdery mildew can affect the yield. Affected pumpkin leaves can be picked off if spotted early. There are home remedies for powdery mildew using a mix of milk and water. See here for more information about using milk to combat the issue.

Cucumber beetles can affect vine crops such as pumpkin. The pests damage roots, leaves, and fruits. Pumpkins are particularly susceptible in the early stages of growth. Try to examine crops every week for these pumpkin and squash bugs.

Growing Tips and Tricks

Once the fruits are swelling, place wood, glass, or tiles under the growing pumpkins. This helps keep the fruit clean and away from wet soil that could cause rotting. It will also ensure they sit out of reach of pumpkin pests on the soil surface.

You can trim the sprawling vines to limit the production of fruits per plant. This can help if you want earlier miniature pumpkins.

Tip: do not cut the main pumpkin vine until the fruit has developed enough to determine which fruit is the healthiest looking on the vine, or also if you want to help only a selected few pumpkins grow large.

Stop the plants after there are two or three fruits per plant. Remove remaining flowers or excess mini pumpkins and cut back the vine growth. This makes the plant concentrate its energy on the remaining fruits.

Growing Up Supports or in Containers

Pumpkins often require a lot of space. They tend to be planted many feet apart and their vines grow long as they are left to ramble over the ground. The average vine can reach up to 20 feet in length if not cut back.

If space is limited in your garden, then pumpkins can be planted in either the ground or in pots and grown up supports. They need a strong structure that will support the heavy plants and fruit. Consider using an arch, metal frame, or trellis, and pick varieties of pumpkin that don’t grow too large and weighty.

Pumpkins can also be grown in large containers or grow bags. However, they will require lots of watering if grown in a container.

Harvest Pumpkins

Pumpkins will be ready to harvest in the middle of autumn. They need to be picked before the first heavy frost. The skin hardening and stem cracking are signs the pumpkins are ready to harvest.

Cut the fruit from the vine with a sharp knife or pruning shears, and leave a small amount of stalk attached to the fruit.

If you plan to store the fruit, cure pumpkins by leaving them in a sunny spot for a week to ten days. This toughens the skin and will mean it can be stored for several months. If the fruit is not allowed to cure, it stands a higher risk of going moldy.

FAQ‘s

How long can pumpkins be stored?

Pumpkins can store for up to six months, depending on the variety. Store the harvested pumpkins in a cool location with good ventilation. Temperatures of between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius are ideal.

Check the pumpkins regularly for signs of rot. At the first sign of any soft spots or rot starting, remove the affected fruit immediately.

Should you cut the vines back?

Check-out “Growing tips above” but the obvious answer is: it’s not recommended to trim the vines, until you have decided which ones are growing faster and become the larger pumpkins.

Let us know in the comment box below if you had any difficulties in growing your pumpkins.