Pumpkins

Types of Pumpkins

My research found there are 3 types of pumpkins. Some are good for cooking, some are for carving, and some are novelty pumpkins.

The one pictured above is Connecticut Field, mostly grown for carving, and not a great pie pumpkin. I did not know this when I purchased the seeds. This was my first time to plant pumpkin seeds.

The ones good for cooking include Sugar Pie, Cinderella, and Lumina.

The ones good for carving are Connecticut Field, Howden, and Jack-O-Lantern.

The novelty ones are One-To-Many and Red Warty Thing, both these are good for cooking and for carving. There is also Wee-Be-Little which is a really mini-size good for decoration. Then there is the Atlantic Giant which could become mammoth.

Growing Conditions

SOIL PREP :: Cover planting area with ground up cow manure or compost 1 to 2 months prior to planting to allow nutrients to "soak in".

SOIL pH Level :: 6.0 - all plants have a pH range, but I have found that 6.0 falls in the range for most of my crops.

PLANTING :: Plant 4 seeds, 1 inch deep, in hills spaced about 6 feet apart. Leave a lot of room for growth because the vines can be up to 20 feet long, with multiple vines.

LIGHT :: Full Sun. When the pumpkins start growing vigorously, gently rotate so that all sides get sun.

WATER :: The fruits need plenty of water from below the leaves. Drip irrigation is best as watering above the leaves will damage the plant.

FOOD :: Pumpkins are heavy feeders. When the plants are about 1 foot tall, use a liquid 2-1-1 every 2 weeks for good foliage growth. When the very first bloom appears, switch to a liquid 1-3-3 to support good fruit development.

THINNING :: When plants are about 3 inches tall, thin out to two of the best looking plants.

TEMPERATURE :: My research found that pumpkins grow best between 65 and 95 degrees with low humidity. However, I can say the one pictured above was experiencing about 105 degrees. But, it was the only pumpkin on the vine. I am not sure if that is because of the heat, or because animals found my pumpkin vines and starting eating the leaves.

POLLINATION :: Pumpkins must be pollinating as they are not "self pollinators". I am growing mine on the terraces where I have honey bees, bumble bees, and butterflies. This is because I have pollinator plants mixed in the other growth on the terraces. They can be pollinated by hand as well.

PRUNING :: Once the vines get about 10 feet long, cut off any fruits that do not look healthy. This will also re-direct the plant's growing energy to the remaining fruit. My research found that, if the vines get too long, I can cut the vine, and then replant the part of the vine that I cut off. Best to replant if there are still fruits on the cut part.

PROTECTION :: Place a piece of cardboard or wood under any part of the fruit that rests on the ground, or trellis such that the fruit does not touch the ground. Pick off any bugs such as squash bugs and throw them into a coffee can half filled with soapy water. Pick off their eggs as well which will be found on the back side of the leaves clustered at the veins. To prevent vine borers ( which get inside the stems and eat from the inside out ) wrap the base of the vine with foil where it comes out of the soil to shield from borers getting inside the vine in the first place. Keep rabbits & deer out of the pumpkin patch because they eat the leaves.

DAYS TO HARVEST :: Expect about 100 days from germination to harvest. For my area, I can get spring & fall crops by ( 1 ) planting about March 15 then harvest about June 30, then ( 2 ) planting about July 1 then harvest about Oct 15. Best time to harvest is when the tendril starts to turn brown. My research found that pumpkins need to sit or "cure" about 10 days before cutting into them.

Preserving Pumpkin

PRESSURE CANNING :: Complete instructions are in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, page 393. I will experiment with this method for my pumpkin pies this year instead of buying canned pumpkin in the grocery store.

SWEET PUMPKIN PICKLES :: The Ball Book has a recipe for these pickles on page 301. They look great and include cinnamon, allspice, cloves, etc !

THE STAY AT HOME CHEF :: This is my favorite go-to site for recipes !! She has recipes there for pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, roasted pumpkin seeds, etc !

Other Considerations

SAVINGS SEEDS :: Clean the seeds, then lay out in a single layer to dry on parchment paper, paper towels, or in a flat dish. Once dry, store in a paper bag in a dark place for next year's planting.

CROP ROTATION :: Rotate to different planting space, being careful to be 3 to 4 years before planting back in this same spot.