The Great Pumpkin Thread

[NC_P]

I'd love to plant some pumpkins to harvest for the fall but dont know the first thing about them. Anyone have suggestions for when to plant them, how to care for them and tips for a first timer?

 

[LIcenter]

First make sure the ground temp is above 70° F. They will do best in full sun, but they can take a little partial shade. The more sun the better. If you have clay soil, you will need to dig a rather large hole to be filled in with a good compost mixture a week in advance. Plant the seeds (2-3) in a small hill to allow for water runoff. After the plants are established you will need to pay close attention to watering. They are thirsty little guys, but do not like wet feet either. One other thing, if you are limited of space, you can get pumpkin seeds in a bush variety. That's all I got. I've tried them in my yard, but there is not a spot that really gets the required sunlight they need to grow properly. Good luck!

 

[Tjohn]

Pumpkins are squash. If you can grow winter squash, you can grow pumpkins.

 

[NC_P]

Thank you both! Do you recommend a specific time of year to do it? How long do they take to grow and when's the latest I can plant?

 

[Tjohn]

Depending on the variety, pumpkins take from 85 to 110 days. Plant two weeks after the last frost date, or start indoors (not really recommended). They do not like their roots disturbed. The bigger the pumpkin, the longer it takes to ripen, so allow for time to grow, they cannot take much cold.