Pumpkin plant times
Time to Plant Pumpkins for a Fall Harvest
Time to Plant Pumpkins for a Fall Harvest
Bianca Bidiuc
In the U.S., pumpkins are a beloved fall and winter staple. Native to Central and South America, pumpkins are a key ingredient for traditional Thanksgiving dishes such as pies, soups, and breads. They are also widely used to carve jack-o’lanterns for Halloween, a tradition that originated in Ireland, where locals carved jack-o’lanterns out of turnips and potatoes.
In Central Texas, pumpkin patches are typically planted in early summer, as they require warm soils to germinate. Although June is prime planting time, pumpkin patches require advance planning because of the way they grow. Before you plant your seeds, make sure you know what kind of pumpkins you want to harvest. Do you want to use them to carve or decorate, eat, or both? Varieties that are best for carving are Dill’s Atlantic Giant, Big Max, Mammoth Gold and Lumina. Jack-B-Little is a smaller variety that is very good for decorating. For roasting or making a pie, Small Sugar is a good choice. Jackpot and Spirit Hybrid are good multi-purpose varieties that can be both carved and eaten. Of course, any of the varieties could be eaten, but with the tradition of Halloween, the pumpkins that are bred for carving pumpkins often lack the flavor of some of the smaller varieties that are better-suited for eating.
Pumpkins are members of the gourd family, which includes cucumbers, melons, cantaloupe, watermelons, and zucchini. What do these vegetables have in common? They grow on vines and need plenty of space! Pumpkins can easily take over your entire garden patch before you know it. Generally, you will need 10 ft. by 20 ft. for several pumpkin plants, but you can also plant these to grow around the base of other crops, such as corn. Alternatively, plant pumpkins around the perimeter of your garden or build a sturdy shade structure from bamboo for pumpkin vines to grown on.
Just make sure to place your trellis on the north or west sides of your beds so as not to shade out other parts of your garden.
Pumpkins require at least eight hours of direct sun each day, so choose a sunny spot in your garden accordingly. Plant your pumpkin seeds in mounds and place four to five seeds in each hole, one to one and a half inches deep, spacing the mounds about four to six feet apart. Add a thin layer of compost to the top of the soil. Once the seeds germinate – usually in a week – wait seven to ten days and then carefully thin the seedlings with scissors, leaving only the strongest two plants. Don’t pull the seedlings out by hand so as not to damage the roots of the remaining plants! After thinning the plants, add a layer of organic mulch to conserve water and suppress weeds.
Although pumpkins are fairly hardy and drought tolerant, water them deeply a few times a week. Manage your pumpkin patch by looking out for any pests and diseases. Common pests and diseases for pumpkins include squash bugs, vine borers, aphids, cucumber beetles, powdery mildew, and downy mildew, but these can be managed using organic techniques – remove the bug casings by hand or try spraying the pumpkins with citrus oils or compost teas.
Downy mildew can be prevented by watering directly onto the soil and not wetting the leaves.
Generally, pumpkins take 90-120 days to mature after seeds are planted, depending on the variety. Pumpkins are ripe when they are fully colored and have a hard rind and woody stem. Carefully cut off the stem with a knife, leaving several inches of stem on the pumpkin. Some pumpkins might fall off of the vine when they are ready to be harvested. Pumpkins can be stored for a long time in a cool, dark storage area and can be used for all your fun fall activities and delicious recipes long into the winter.
Once you harvest your pumpkin, don’t be shy to clean and roast the seeds to make a great treat—recipe below! Of course, if the pumpkin was a particularly nice one, you may want to also save some of the seeds to plant next year. Gourds were originally prized for their seeds as a source of protein, just as or even more so than the flesh. As a child, I have fond memories of snacking on freshly baked pumpkin seeds after an evening of carving pumpkins for with friends and family.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds
- Salt
- Spices of your choice (garlic powder, cumin, coriander, chile powder are all good choices).
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
While carving a pumpkin, scrape the seeds out with a spoon or your hand. Place seeds, which will be tangled in the stringy pumpkin flesh, in a colander and rinse with water. Remove any fleshy strings.
Spread seeds out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Depending on how many seeds you have, make sure they have enough room to roast and are not piled on top of each other.
Sprinkle a few pinches of your choice of spices over the seeds, along with a few pinches of salt. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until seeds brown, but be careful not to burn them.
Remove the seeds from the oven and let them cool down on the baking sheet. They will get crispier as they cool.
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Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Knowing when to plant pumpkins is important as they have a long growing season. You need to prepare well ahead for the fall arrival of plump, orange pumpkins, ready to carve for Jack O’Lanterns, or varieties to roast for pies, add to stews and soups and many other culinary uses.
Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family, Cucurbitacae, and are actually considered a berry. Cucurbita pepo is the type of pumpkin used to make the jack-o-lanterns seen on Halloween, but there are many different sizes, shapes, colors and flavors.
Once you know how to grow pumpkins you can try many different varieties that you won't generally be able to find at the grocery store.
(Image credit: Clare Gainey / Alamy Stock Photo)
When to plant pumpkins
Because they have a long growing season, it is important to plant pumpkins as early as possible as part of your vegetable garden ideas.
'It is best to wait about 2-3 weeks after the last average frost date in your area, or until soil has reliably warmed to 70 °F,' says Shannie McCabe, horticulturist for Baker Creek Seeds based in Mansfield, Missouri.
Since there are a range of frost dates depending on where you live 'it is best to get online and research the average last frost date for your region,' Shannie adds.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
What is the best month to plant pumpkins?
The best month for planting pumpkins depends on whether you live in a warmer or colder region, and the hardiness zone for that area.
Check the seed packet for the suggested planting time for your zone. You can also look for frost dates in your region in the US by zip code on the Old Farmer’s Almanac .
For many regions the best time to plant pumpkins will be between April and June, but it will also depend on the variety and the time it takes for them to mature ready for harvest and there are various ways to know when to pick a pumpkin off the vine.
(Image credit: Polly Eltes)
When to plant pumpkin seeds outside?
'Pumpkin seeds are ideal for planting directly outside once the danger of frost has passed,' says Matthew Stevens, Agriculture Extension Agent at NC State University Extension-Nash County Center in North Carolina.
'Pumpkin seeds are large enough and germinate quickly enough that they can be direct seeded into the soil with great success,' Matthew says.
'Growing pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins is very similar, as each likes the same types of soil and environmental conditions,' he adds. The timing for when to plant pumpkins of both varieties is essentially the same.
When is it too late to plant pumpkins?
When it is too late to plant pumpkins depends on the growing time for that variety, and also where you live.
'You can most certainly make later succession plantings as long as you do the math comparing the average days to maturity of the variety – listed on the back of the seed packet – and how many frost free days you have left until the average first frost date in your region,' explains Shannie McCabe.
'Add on two additional weeks of buffer to account for the slower growing habit after the summer solstice,' she advises. 'At Baker Creek, we like to plant pumpkins in mid June to avoid the peak of squash bug season, which happens in late May to early June in the Missouri Ozarks.
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(Image credit: Getty Images)
When to plant pumpkins indoors
If you want to give the pumpkin plants a bit of a head start, you could seed them indoors when planning greenhouse crops, 'but they will be ready to be transplanted after just a few weeks,' explains Matthew.
Chris Rusch, member of the Douglas County Master Gardeners program at Oregon State University, advises to start your plants in early April in a greenhouse or cold frame for transplanting out in May. 'Keep only the strongest plants,' he adds.
If you plant pumpkin seeds indoors, it is important to transplant them outside 'before they are three weeks old, as they will become stunted from being even the slightest bit pot bound,' says Shannie McCabe.
How long does it take pumpkins to grow?
It takes pumpkins approximately 75 to 100 days without frost to grow, which is why it is so important to know when to plant pumpkins, so that you get them started early enough to guarantee a fall harvest.
Check the seed packet for that pumpkin variety’s growing time in days. Then count backwards from the time you would like to have pumpkins available. Plant your pumpkin crop before or near that planting date, but after the last frost.
If your pumpkin has a growing season of 100 days, for instance, you will have to plant seeds in mid-July, at the latest, to have pumpkins ready for Halloween.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Do pumpkins like sun or shade?
'Pumpkins love fertile soil and full sun,' advises Chris Rusch.
'Before planting, spade the soil about a foot deep, and mix in some homemade compost, manure and well-balanced fertilizer,' he adds.
How much space do pumpkins need?
Pumpkins need lots of space to trail their thick vines. Rows should be at least six feet apart. If you're planning a kitchen garden, planting pumpkins at the outer edge of the garden allows you to train the vines away from other plants.
Pumpkins can be even be grown in a city garden, provided they have enough space and adequate soil.
'Pumpkins are vines that spread into rather large plants, meaning you need a good deal of space to grow even one pumpkin plant. Gardeners should plan to provide a bare minimum of six square feet of growing space per plant. Many typical pumpkin varieties can grow vines as much as 10 to 30 feet long, although there are some that are more compact,' explains Matthew Stevens.
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Will pumpkin seeds overwinter in the garden and come up in the spring?
'Anyone with a compost pile knows that pumpkin seeds will survive the winter and regrow in the summer – it is all too common to find a random pumpkin growing out of your compost pile in the spring,' explains Shannie McCabe.
However, pumpkin seeds are quite cold sensitive so it is not guaranteed that they will overwinter. 'Most likely pumpkin seeds survive in a compost pile because of the heat that is generated from the pile. A pumpkin seed sown into a regular garden bed does not have a great chance of surviving a hard winter,' she adds.
'Also consider that a fall sown pumpkin seed may germinate with the first warm days of spring, only to be killed with a late frost.'
How long do pumpkins need to grow?
Pumpkins needs quite a long time to grow. While some kitchen garden ideas (including radishes and salad leaves) can grow in as little as 25 days, pumpkins need notably longer to mature and can take between 80 and 120 days.
When to plant pumpkins for fall
Thoughts of when to plant pumpkins for fall may seem premature following midsummer – but this process is surprisingly more timely than it initially seems. Despite being synonymous with fall, pumpkins are sensitive to the cold, so it is essential to plant your pumpkins no later than early summer – for a healthy harvest for Halloween.
'Late spring to early summer is the best time to plant most pumpkins from seed, but it will depend on two things: the last frost of the season and the variety of pumpkin,' says garden expert and chef Sylvia Fountaine, the CEO and founder of Feasting at Home .
Is September too late to plant pumpkins?
Yes, sadly, it is too late to plant pumpkins in September. This is because the soil temperature is likely to fall under the ideal growing conditions, and they will not have matured before the end of the fall.
‘Pumpkin seed usually germinates in warm weather conditions, so you must sow them when the soil temperature is above 65°F(18°C),’ adds Richa Kedia, CEO of Nursery Lady . ‘So, the pumpkin seed needs to be planted before Mid July if you want to harvest that in the fall.’
Can you winter sow pumpkins?
No, it is not possible to sow winter pumpkins. As the experts suggest, at the latest, you should only plant between mid-May and mid-July. However, if you’re looking for some winter-friendly garden ideas, there are other options to consider. These include grapefruit, Mandarin oranges, and kiwi fruit.
R.W.Williams is a freelance writer who lives in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Her work has been seen in print and online publications for decades, and she continues to learn and grow every day in the industry.
Over the years, she has written about lifestyle, gardening, pets, agriculture, sustainability, retirement, budgeting, celebrities, and more.
from seedling to harvest, the best varieties
Most Russian amateur gardeners grow pumpkin today. This is one of the most useful vegetables, the fruits of which contain a huge amount of vitamins and rare substances that are so necessary for the human body.
Pumpkin fruits can weigh from 2 kg (most often butternut squash varieties) to 400 kg (hard-barked pumpkin varieties). They can be dyed yellow, gold, green, red and bright orange.
Pumpkin does not require careful care. In the central and northern regions, it is grown through seedlings, sowing seeds in pots or plastic cups on May 3-8, and in June the seedlings are transplanted into open ground. nine0003
It is very important to properly plant young plants in a permanent place and properly care for them. We assure you that growing pumpkins is not at all a difficult process.
Today the topic of our conversation will be planting a pumpkin in open ground and further care for it.
PLANTING PUMPKIN IN OPEN GROUND WITH SEEDLINGS
Planting dates. The timing of planting pumpkin seedlings is largely influenced by the climatic conditions of the region in which you live.
Pumpkin is a heat-loving crop that stops growing when the air temperature is below +14 degrees. Therefore, planting pumpkins in the spring on the beds is carried out only after the soil temperature reaches +15 degrees and the threat of return frosts has passed. nine0003
The air temperature must be at least +20 degrees. It usually settles at this level by mid-June. Therefore, the optimal time for planting pumpkin seedlings in open ground is June 10 - 15.
In the northern regions, for ultra-early varieties with medium-sized fruits, planting is allowed until July 2.
Selection of landing site. Pumpkin is a southern culture, so it needs a lot of bright sun throughout the daylight hours to form large healthy fruits.
In this regard, form a pumpkin bed in an open, well-lit place. nine0003
Pumpkin does not tolerate close groundwater and flooding by rainwater. Her powerful root system will suffer greatly from this. If your site is located in a lowland, plant seedlings in beds at least 60 cm high.
Ground preparation. Gardeners do not always know what kind of soil is needed for planting pumpkins. And it should be literally oversaturated with organic matter.
Must be fertile, light, loose and well permeable to atmospheric oxygen. And necessarily - neutral (pH 7.0). Pumpkin will not grow on heavy clay and acidic soils! nine0003
Such soil must first be neutralized with dolomite flour, bringing it in for digging at the rate of 2 kg per 5 square meters. m plot.
When preparing a pumpkin bed, add (per 1 sq. m.): 2 buckets of rotted manure (or compost) and leafy soil, a bucket of sand, a bucket of wood ash and 2 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
Mix the soil well and form a bed 1.5 - 1.7 m wide, 40 - 60 cm high and as long as you like. nine0003
Water the bed well with warm water, and you can start planting pumpkin seedlings.
Landing pattern . The planting scheme is determined by the dimensions of the plant and its powerful root system. After all, pumpkin roots can go into the lower layers of the soil by 1.5 - 2.0 m (depending on the type and variety).
And the whips growing in different directions go in different directions at a distance of several meters. This means that each plant needs a large area of \u200b\u200bnutrition.
Therefore, the optimal scheme for planting seedlings is 2x1 m. The depth and diameter of each planting hole should be 5 cm larger than that of an earthen clod around the root system of seedlings (or a peat cup, from which seedlings do not need to be taken out). nine0003
Planting seedlings: step-by-step instructions . It is better to plant a pumpkin in the evening, after 18 hours, so that it does not immediately fall under the scorching rays of the sun.
Spread a black sheet over the finished bed and fix it well around the edges so that it does not blow away in the wind.
Mark with chalk where the pumpkin seed holes will be placed. They can be placed in a straight line or staggered at a distance from each other indicated above.
Make cross cuts on 30 cm dia. foil according to the markings.
Dig appropriately sized holes under each incision.
Fill the bottom of the hole with compost mixed with wood ash to a depth of 5 - 6 cm.
Sprinkle each hole well with clean water.
Place a pumpkin plant in each hole so that it faces vertically upwards.
Fill holes well with fertile soil.
Water all planted plants with warm water.
In the first two weeks, install arches over the seedlings and cover them with non-woven covering material to protect the plants from intense sunlight during the day and from a sharp drop in temperature at night. nine0003
HOW TO GROW PUMPKIN
Classic .
Planting seedlings according to the classical method, we described above. When growing fruits, creeping lashes lie freely on the beds.
Tapestry . It is only suitable for growing pumpkin varieties and hybrids with medium-sized fruits, but it can significantly save space on the site.
With this method, pumpkin seedlings are planted in rows at a distance of 40 - 50 cm from each other. Distance between rows - 1 - 1.5 m.
On both sides of the row, dig wooden supports 2 m high. Nail wooden boards or slabs to them. They will serve as a trellis. Wire or rope will not work, as they simply cannot support the weight of the fruit. During growth, tie the whips to the trellises.
Many gardeners use thick coarse mesh instead of boards. And lashes are tied to it.
On compost heaps . Compost heaps are a storehouse of nutrition for pumpkin plants. And the soil on them is warm, light, in general - what you need. Therefore, you can make several holes on last year's and the year before last's compost heaps and plant pumpkins in them.
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Rest assured that you will get an excellent harvest there.
CARE OF THE PUMPKIN AFTER PLANTING IN THE OUTDOOR GROUND
Top dressing of the pumpkin in the open ground . Pumpkin is a very powerful plant and therefore needs abundant nutrition. Despite the fact that you fed them well at planting, this fertilizer will not be enough for them to form large juicy fruits.
Therefore, give your plants at least three top dressings per season.
For the first time - in the phase of four true leaves, feed pumpkins with mullein infusion at a concentration of 1:10, adding 2 tbsp. tablespoons of potassium magnesia per 10 liters of water (dose for 2 plants). nine0003
Feed the gourds a second time with an infusion of fermented grass during the flowering period.
Fertilize a third time during fruit formation. For this, some ready-made mineral complex for summer feeding of pumpkin crops is suitable. When applying fertilizer, adhere to the dosages indicated on the package.
Outdoor pumpkin watering . This is one of the most important agricultural practices in pumpkin farming. Can you imagine how much moisture the powerful leaves and huge fruits of this plant need? nine0003
Under-watering will cause the leaves to dry out, fruit growth to stop and ultimately to the death of the whole plant!
In non-hot, dry summers, the pumpkin is watered abundantly twice a week at the rate of 30 liters for each plant in order to thoroughly wet the entire root layer.
In hot weather, double the frequency of watering! Water only with warm water well warmed up in the sun.
Starting from the second decade of August, reduce watering, and stop altogether three weeks before harvest, otherwise pumpkin fruits may start to crack or will be very poorly stored due to excess moisture contained in them. nine0003
Pollination . You must constantly monitor this process, because with poor pollination, the harvest will be scanty.
Pumpkin is a bee pollinated plant. However, in recent years, the number of insect pollinators has declined sharply. And in rainy and cool weather, they do not fly. You need to take this into account.
Approximately on the 35th day after planting the seedlings, first male flowers appear on pumpkin plants, and after 5 - 7 days - female flowers. If there are few pollinating insects, help the plants themselves to set fruit. nine0003
To do this, pick a male flower, tear off its petals, and pass the stamen over the female pistils. One male flower can pollinate 4 - 5 female ones. This process is called mechanical pollination.
In general, try to attract insect pollinators to your garden by planting fragrant honey plants next to pumpkin beds. You can put saucers with a solution of honey or fragrant jam on the beds with pumpkins.
Shaping. All pumpkin plants require shaping. This is especially important for large-fruited varieties and hybrids.
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On the largest plants, leave only 2 fruits, on medium-fruited plants - 4 - 5, on small-fruited plants - no more than 8 pieces per plant.
Pinch off the whip over the 4th leaf after the last fruit. Do not pinch bush pumpkin varieties, but simply remove excess fruits.
To provide additional nutrition for climbing gourds, cover several internodes with fertile soil and pin them to the ground in this place with a metal wire bent into a hairpin. nine0003
After a couple of weeks, these internodes will begin an active process of root formation, which can provide additional nutrition to the whole plant.
Pumpkin harvester . These terms, firstly, depend on varietal characteristics. So, early ripening varieties ripen 80 - 90 days after planting seedlings (in the middle - end of August). Mid-ripening ones ripen in 100 - 110 days (in mid-September), late-ripening - respectively, after 110 - 130 days.
Late-maturing plants will not be able to ripen outdoors before frost, so they must be harvested unripe.
In general, because of this, we do not recommend growing late varieties for residents of the northern regions. nine0003
Before harvesting, the stalk of the fruit must be lignified and dry (not juicy and soft, as in unripe fruits).
The color of the fruit should be an intense varietal color, eg bright orange or bright green.
The leaves should fade, turn yellow and begin to dry out, and the skin of the fruit should become hard.
Cut the pumpkin fruit with a very sharp garden knife or pruner, leaving a 6-7 cm tail. If you do not do this, the pumpkin will quickly begin to deteriorate.
Do not twist the fruit or try to tear it off!
HELPFUL HINTS FOR GROWING PUMPKINS
How to grow pumpkins while saving space. Some gardeners plant pumpkins in thick 50 liter trash bags. It is better to place them on the site in sunny places. They can be filled with compost and rotted leaves.
It is best to place the sacks against the fence on the sunny side, with a mesh over them for future lashes with fruits.
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Pumpkin can also be grown in old metal barrels in exactly the same way.
How to grow a big pumpkin. Many gardeners dream of growing a huge pumpkin and even compete with each other. How can this be achieved?
First, choose the right variety or hybrid. Secondly, it is correct to form an adult plant.
When three fruits appear on the main lash, remove all other ovaries, pinch the lashes. After the fruits reach the size of a volleyball, leave only one - the largest and most regular in shape. Cut off the rest carefully. nine0003
It is also very important not to let the pumpkin bark harden ahead of time, otherwise its growth will stop. To do this, protect the single fetus from direct sunlight by shading it with spunbond, an old sheet, or some other material.
And, of course, take good care of the plant: water, fertilize, etc. in time.
Selection of predecessors . The pumpkin harvest largely depends on the previous crops.
It will grow poorly after zucchini, cucumbers, squash and other related crops, as well as after all nightshades, after which a lot of pathogenic microflora accumulates in the soil. nine0003
The best precursors for pumpkins are potatoes, onions, garlic and all legumes.
Seedless way "from the greenhouse to the garden." Some gardeners from the central regions of Russia sow pumpkin seeds in the second decade of May on beds in a film greenhouse located on the south side.
When the return frosts have passed, and the whips of the pumpkin are of sufficient length, gardeners make small cuts in the film and drag the stems through them into the street, placing them on an open bed. nine0003
As a result, pumpkin roots are always warm and the harvest ripens earlier.
THE BEST PUMPKIN VARIETIES FOR OUTDOOR GROUND
We told you about how pumpkin seedlings are planted in open ground. In conclusion, we present the best varieties and hybrids from our unique collection of vegetable seeds.
Our Collection ). nine0119
Read more about these varieties and hybrids on our website or in the SEEDS 2022 Catalog.
And you can buy them from us today!
See also our published articles:
"How to grow a pumpkin";
"When to plant seedlings";
"We plan the vegetable rotation on the site in advance."
favorable planting days according to the lunar calendar
Useful information about pumpkin
| Sowing dates | • for seedlings - April 20 - May 15; • in open ground - May 20 - June 5 |
| Sowing (planting) scheme | • bush varieties - 70x70 cm; • medium climbing varieties - 150x100 cm; • long climbing varieties - 200x150 cm |
In the middle lane, this is about the 5th number. 
nine0003 Photo: globallookpress.com 
Because it has huge leaves that evaporate a lot of moisture. And damaged roots simply will not be able to provide plants with water. Therefore, it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate cups - plastic ones with a volume of 0.5 liters are suitable - to a depth of 4 - 5 cm (2). The cups are placed in a warm place with a temperature of 25 - 30 ° C - in such conditions, the seeds germinate on days 5 - 6 (3). After the shoots appear, it is better to transfer the seedlings to a cooler place, where it will be 15 - 17 ° C during the day, and 11 - 14 ° C at night. And, of course, the place for seedlings should be very bright. In such conditions, she will grow strong and stocky. nine0003 
