It’s that wonderful time of year again – autumn! Everyone loves the fall season and it’s no wonder why with all of the holiday festivities and stylish fall fashion. If you’re all about fall, then you know what else is on everyone’s mind – pumpkin spice everything. Pumpkins have become a huge part of this season, whether you’re just carving some fun jack-o-lanterns or making your own pumpkin pie.
Did you know that pumpkins are also healthy for you? This amazing vegetable is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and fiber, just to name a few. So it’s no wonder that growing your own pumpkin patch has become a rising trend lately. Getting your own source of pumpkins for the fall season can not only save you money, but it also will be great fun for the kids!
Follow these helpful tips on how to care for your pumpkins, and you’ll be all set by next fall for harvest!
Getting Your Vine Right
Pumpkins love moist, nutrient rich soil to grow. The best way to create the perfect environment for your pumpkin is to dedicate a large section to them alone and add some compost to the soil. Make sure that your soil pH is somewhere around a 6 to 6.8, and give them at least a 3 foot diameter section for your vine to grow.
Pumpkin vines tend to spread out and can grow up to 50ft. long – yikes! You’ll want to keep your pumpkin vine separate from the rest of your garden by laying in a divider or just giving them their own raised planter to grow in.
Pro-tip: This season when you have a left over pumpkin, plant the whole thing in the ground. Cut the top of the pumpkin off and add some gardening soil to jump start its growth. The skin of the pumpkin will provide the seeds nutrients to during their germination period. Weed out any excess seedlings from your soil once they pop up.
Caring for Your Pumpkins
Your pumpkin vine will need a lot of water while its vegetables are forming, so make sure to soak the roots of your vine thoroughly. Be careful with watering as not to damage any of the leaves or flowers of the vine as this can negatively affect any other additional growth.
Also, keep a sharp eye out for any bugs or fungi attacking you vine as this too can affect the effectiveness of your vine’s growth. Try using homemade pesticide or fungicide to keep your garden healthy and organic during the growing season.
If you’re looking to get bigger, fewer pumpkins, be sure to pinch off the rest of the vine once 3 to 4 pumpkin bulbs have appeared. This will help these few pumpkins grow bigger without having to divert any extra nourishment elsewhere. Otherwise, if you’re looking to get a greater quantity, but smaller pumpkins, let your vines grow naturally, only pruning where you have to.
Harvesting Your Hard Work
As your pumpkins begin to mature, you might want to fit a plastic tarp or piece of cardboard under your fruit to keep it from rotting or getting in contact with any burrowing insects. You’ll want your pumpkins getting plenty of sunlight so make sure that there aren’t leaves shading your ripening pumpkins at all.
Have you ever wondered why pumpkin patches have so many pre-cut pumpkin sitting around? It turns out that after harvesting, you need to cut the stem of the pumpkin from the rest of the vine and leave it out in the sun to “cure” for 10 to 14 days. This will help its skin harden as well as lock in and preserve a better taste!
Enjoy!
Let us know in the comments how your own pumpkin patch is coming and what you plan to do with your pumpkins after you harvest!
As always, happy planting!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
