When do you start growing pumpkins
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
Pumpkin Growing - How And When To Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Home › Edible Gardens › Vegetables › Pumpkins
Pumpkins
By: Heather Rhoades
Image by Valentina Sheboltaeva
When do you start growing a pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) is a question that many gardeners have. These spectacular squash are not only a fun fall decoration, but they can make several tasty treats as well. Pumpkin growing isn’t hard and is even a popular garden activity for a child in the garden. Let’s take a few minutes to learn a few pumpkin growing tips for starting pumpkins from seed.
When to Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Before you can grow pumpkin seeds, you need to know when to plant pumpkin seeds. When you plant your pumpkins depends on what you plan on using them for.
If you plan on making jack-o-lanterns with your pumpkins, plant your pumpkins outside after all chance of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached 65 F. (18 C.). Take into account that pumpkin plants grow faster in hot climates than cold climates. This means that what month to plant pumpkin seeds changes depending on where you live. So, in cooler parts of the country, the best time when to plant pumpkin seeds is in late May and in warmer parts of the country, you can wait until mid July to plant pumpkins for Halloween.
If you plan on growing pumpkins as a food crop (or for a giant pumpkin contest), you can start your pumpkins indoors about two to three weeks before the last frost date for your area.
How to Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Starting Pumpkin Seeds Outside
When you plant pumpkin seeds outside, remember that pumpkins need an incredible amount of space to grow.
It’s recommended that you plan on a minimum of 20 square feet (2 sq. m.) being needed for each plant.
When the soil temperature is at least 65 F. (18 C.), you can plant your pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds won’t germinate in cold soil. Mound the soil up a bit in the center of the chosen location to help the sun heat the pumpkin seeds. The warmer the soil, the faster the pumpkin seeds will germinate. In the mound, plant three to five pumpkin seeds about 1 inch (2.5 cm.) deep.
Once the pumpkin seeds germinate, select two of the healthiest and thin out the rest.
Starting Pumpkin Seeds Indoors
Loosely pack some potting soil in a cup or a container with holes for drainage. Plant two to four pumpkin seeds 1 inch (2.5 cm.) deep in the soil. Water the pumpkin seeds just enough so that the soil is moist but not swamped. Place the cup on a heating pad. Once seeds have germinated, thin out all but the strongest seedling, then place the seeding and cup under a light source (bright window or fluorescent light bulb).
Keeping the seedling on the heating pad will cause it to grow faster.
Once all danger of frost has passed in your area, move the pumpkin seedling to the garden. Carefully remove the pumpkin seedling from the cup, but don’t disturb the roots of the plant. Place in a hole 1-2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) deeper and wider than the rootball of the pumpkin plant and backfill the hole. Tap down around the pumpkin seedling and water thoroughly.
Pumpkin growing can be rewarding and fun. Take some time this year to plant pumpkin seeds in your garden.
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cultivation, planting, care in the open field
Pumpkin cultivation
Pumpkin in the old days was often planted in the farthest parts of the farmstead just for the reason that it almost does not need care.
There it grew in breadth, occupying large areas. But in modern dachas, the plots are small - 6 - 10 acres. To give everything under the pumpkin is ridiculous. Therefore, many gardeners simply do not contact her. Meanwhile, these plants can be placed compactly.
In a barrel. Many summer residents on the site have a large metal or plastic barrel, which was purchased just in case, but never found a use. And it's a shame to throw it away. And it is not necessary! You can plant squash there. It is enough to fill the barrel with fertile soil and sow the seeds. Shoots will not crawl around the site, they will hang from the barrel. It is not only economical, but also beautiful!
On a dunghill. As you know, do not bring fresh manure for vegetables - the roots will burn. Everyone except the pumpkin - it only benefits her. So, if you stocked up on organic matter, but there is no reason to use it yet, sow a pumpkin there.
Along the fence.
You can put whips of pumpkins on the fence. But in this case, a problem arises: the fruits are heavy, they can break off the whips. Therefore, as soon as they begin to increase in size, they must be put in vegetable nets and tied to the fence.
So you can always find a place for a pumpkin. But still this culture has two conditions that must be met.
Fertile soil. In general, pumpkin grows well on any soil, except for strongly acidic and alkaline soils. But it is very desirable that the land be fertile, rich in organic matter. If the land is poor, when sowing, 0.5 buckets of humus should be added to the hole.
Sunny place. Pumpkin is photophilous and thermophilic (1), it should be grown in the brightest area - in the shade the harvest will be poor, or even no fruit will be tied at all.
Planting pumpkins
In the middle lane and regions where conditions are similar, all pumpkins are grown in the same way.
Seeds are sown immediately on the beds after May 25 to a depth of 3-4 cm (2). 3 seeds are sown in each hole, and when shoots appear, one of the strongest plants is left. You can’t leave everything - they will interfere with each other and the harvest will be very small.
If there are few seeds, the variety is rare, then you can sow one seed at a time, but first they need to be soaked in hot water (about 50 ° C) for 3-4 hours (3) - this will save them from pathogens and help them germinate faster.
Hole spacing varies by variety. If the shoots are short, like those of zucchini (there are also such varieties), then the sowing scheme is 70x70 cm. If the stems are of medium length, there should be 1 m in a row between plants, and 1.5 m between rows. For varieties with long lashes - 1 5x2 m. The length of the shoots is usually indicated on the package with seeds.
Pumpkin care outdoors
Watering. It is needed only until the moment of germination.
You can water a couple more times when sprouts appear (once a week). There is no need to water further - excess water on the soil surface can provoke diseases, and the roots of the pumpkin are so long that they can easily extract water from the lower layers of the soil.
Top dressing. If the pumpkin grows in fertile soil, additional fertilization is not necessary. If the land is poor, then during the summer it needs to be fed 3 times:
- 2 weeks after germination - mullein infusion (1:10), norm - 1 bucket per 5 plants;
- when the 5th true leaf appears - 2 teaspoons of nitrophoska under each bush - scatter evenly over the soil surface and rake;
- when lashes begin to form - 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water, the norm is a bucket per plant.
Optional: Feed once a month with ashes - 1 cup per plant.
Pumpkin harvest
There is no need to rush to harvest pumpkins - the longer they lie in the garden, the tastier and healthier they will be.
But it is important to pluck them before frost. In the middle lane, the harvesting period usually falls on the first half of September.
Pumpkins must be harvested in sunny weather to keep them all winter long. If it was plucked in the rain, the fruit must be dried for 2 weeks in a ventilated room at a temperature of about 25 ° C before storage.
The fruit must be fully ripe at the time of harvest. If there are scratches on the peel, they can be covered with brilliant green so that they do not rot.
Cut pumpkins so that the stalk remains (its optimal length is about 10 cm). Without a stalk, the fruit quickly deteriorates.
Rules for storing pumpkins
Pumpkins are perfectly stored in an apartment - in the villages they were put under the bed. This is the best place right now. If there is a pantry, then you can send it there. Or under the kitchen table. In warm conditions, the starch accumulated in the fruits over the summer turns into sugar. And the longer the pumpkins lie, the sweeter they become.
But there are 2 nuances that must be taken into account during storage: the room must be dry and dark. With high humidity and light, the fruits lie less and begin to rot.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about growing pumpkins with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.
How to choose a pumpkin variety?
Here, rather, you should be guided by your own taste, because pumpkins have different shapes and colors and can serve as decoration first in the garden, and then at home. But remember that butternut squash (they are usually pear-shaped) are always sweeter. And the small-sized fruits are convenient to use - they can be eaten at a time.
Which pumpkins keep the longest?
Most of the varieties sold in stores are of 3 types of pumpkin: large-fruited, hard-barked and nutmeg.
Large-fruited ones lie the longest - up to 6 months.
In second place are hard-barked - 3 - 4 months.
The sweetest ones, nutmeg, are stored the worst of all - about 1.
5 months.
What is squash?
This name can be seen on seed packets produced in America or Europe. There pumpkins (pumpkin) are called varieties with round orange fruits. And anything that isn't round or orange is squash. They divide squash into winter (pumpkins) and summer (zucchini, squash, crooknecks).
Sources
- Pantielev Ya.Kh. ABC vegetable grower // M .: Kolos, 1992 - 383 p.
- Shuin K.A., Zakraevskaya N.K., Ippolitova N.Ya. Garden from spring to autumn // Minsk, Uradzhay, 1990 - 256 p.
- Yakubovskaya L.D., Yakubovsky V.N., Rozhkova L.N. ABC of a summer resident // Minsk, OOO "Orakul", OOO Lazurak, IPKA "Publicity", 1994 - 415 p.
favorable landing days according to the lunar calendar
Useful information about the 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 |
| Seeding depth | 4 - 5 cm |
| Predecessors | •|
| well -lit plot |
In the south and the middle zone, pumpkins have time to ripen, even if seeds are sown immediately in the garden on May 20-25 (1).
But if the summer is short, and even cool, they may not have enough heat - the seedling method is better there.
Pumpkin seedlings can be planted at 20 days old, so it is easy to calculate when to sow the seeds.
Pumpkin loves warmth, does not tolerate frost, so it is more reliable to plant seedlings in the middle lane after June 5th. So, you need to sow around May 15th.
If you are ready to cover young plants for the first time, then pumpkins can be planted in the garden after May 10th. And seeds for seedlings should be sown on April 20.
Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse: 21 - 22, 25 - 26 April, 2 - 4, 6, 9 - 10, 13 - 14 May.
Auspicious days for planting seedlings in open ground
If you decide to plant a pumpkin in the beds early, after May 10, you will need to cover it with non-woven fabric.
If there is no desire to mess with shelter, then the landing date should be postponed to the beginning of June, when the threat of sub-zero temperatures has passed. In the middle lane, this is about the 5th number.
The area where the pumpkin will grow should be as lighted as possible from morning to evening - it is very photophilous. And the soil must be fertile. If the soil is poor, clay or peat, pour half a bucket of humus into the hole during planting - it will be enough for the pumpkin for the whole summer. In addition, organic matter will make the soil loose, just like a pumpkin loves.
The best predecessors are potatoes, legumes (peas, beans), root crops and onions. And after related plants (zucchini and squash, watermelons and melons, cucumbers), pumpkin cannot be planted - they have common diseases.
It is useful to harden off seedlings a week before transplanting. This is easy to do - you need to take it out to fresh air. For example, on the balcony. The first couple of days - for 2 - 3 hours.
Then you can send "walking" for the whole day. The main thing is that she does not stand in the scorching sun - there should be a light shadow.
Seedlings should be planted in beds carefully so that the clod of earth does not collapse - if the roots are exposed, the plants will be sick for a long time, and may even die. After planting, the pumpkin must be watered - about 0.5 liters of water per hole.
If the weather is hot outside, the first few days the planted seedlings should be shaded from the sun at noon, when it is the hottest.
Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground: 9-10, 13-14 May, 1-2, 5-6 June.
How to determine the timing of planting in your region
It is important that the pumpkin is not killed by frost, so you need to focus on the weather.
In the south, seedlings can be sent to the garden at the end of May. In the middle lane - in early June, and with shelter - after the May holidays.
And in the greenhouse it can be planted in early May.
Tips for caring for pumpkin seedlings
Pumpkin seedlings hate transplanting - if the roots break, they get sick for a long time, and may even die. 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.
Watering. Seedlings should be watered very carefully and rarely, so that the soil dries completely between waterings.
Pumpkin does not tolerate excess moisture! And be careful not to get water on the leaves - they can rot or get sunburned.
Top dressing. Seedlings do not need to be fertilized - before planting in the garden, they will have enough nutrients that are in the soil.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about growing pumpkins with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.
How to choose a pumpkin variety?
There are 3 types of pumpkins that differ in taste, size and shelf life. The largest fruits grow in large-fruited pumpkins, and they are stored the longest - up to 175 days. The sweetest are nutmeg pumpkins, but they are stored a little less - up to 140 days. The most unpretentious are hard-skinned pumpkins, but they are stored less than others - about 100 days.
Can I sow my own pumpkin seeds?
Pumpkins cross-pollinate very easily, not only with all types of pumpkins, but also with marrows and squash.
