Pumpkins
Introduction
Pumpkins are a type of winter squash that is a member of the gourd family of plants. In the UK, pumpkin is grown for carving at Halloween, and some people cook with it to make delicious soups and pies.
For the competitive grower, there is also the opportunity to attempt to grow massive pumpkins, with pumpkin varieties specially bred for this purpose.
Planting
- Planting depth: 2.5 cm
- Planting spacing: 90 cm between plants, 90 cm between rows (minimum distances)
Harvesting
- Harvest fresh in September and October, retaining at least 10 cm or 4 inches of stalk
- Store in a cool dry place
(inside)
(outside)
(fresh)
(stored)
= jar, 
= freeze, = store
Varieties
Perhaps the most famous squash of all, pumpkin is grown for carving at Halloween, and eating. Often, local allotment associations may have a competition for growing the largest pumpkin.
Pumpkin varieties can be broadly divided into those grown for size, and others for their culinary use. Whilst fascinating, enormous pumpkins are not that practical for the kitchen, as they require a great amount of strength to move, and space to store. Smaller pumpkins are more practical, and come in a range of colours, sizes, and shapes.
The easy way for a gardener to organise their growing and discover gardening ideas.
Growing
Pumpkins are hungry plants that thrive on rich soil, ideally with plenty of well rotted manure or compost mixed into it. Regular watering will help to produce big and healthy fruit. I like to plant my pumpkin through biodegradable weed fabric. This helps to preserve moisture in the soil, and keeps the fruit clean and unblemished as they ripen in the late summer sunshine.
Growing pumpkins is generally problem free, provided that the plants do not experience cold weather or frost. Seed is usually sown in April and May indoors or undercover, before the young plants are transplanted to their final growing position once all risk of frost has passed. The bigger the seedling when planting out the better, as young plants can sometimes be consumed by slugs and snails, whereas larger plants are more likely to be left alone. Sowing pumpkin too late in the year risks the fruit not having enough time to mature before colder weather arrives in the autumn.
My suggestion for growing a big pumpkin for Halloween is as follows:
- Start early to give a long growing season
- Protect young pumpkins from any risk of frost
- Dig a big hole where you want to transplant your seedling to, and fill with manure and compost
- Water regularly (never let your soil dry out)
- Feed with fertilizer