Growing Pumpkins
The name Pumpkin refers to a plant associated usually with the Cucurbita pepo; these are smooth, dark yellow to orange in color, round, with a mild ribbed skin.
Pumpkin Quick Facts
| Common name | Pumpkin |
| Scientific name | Cucurbita pepo |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Cucurbitales |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus | Cucurbita |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Type | Warm-season vine, a kind of squash |
| Habitat | Sunny, warm, fertile soil with pH 6.0-6.8 |
| Weight | ‘Atlantic Giant’ types reach 200 pounds |
| Colours | Dark yellow to deep orange |
| Edible parts | Pulp, used for baking and cooking |
Anatomy
A thick shell encloses the seed and the pulp. A few remarkably big cultivars of squash of comparable looks derive from Cucurbita maxima.
Habitat
Antarctica is the only continent of the seven continents that is unable to grow pumpkins; China, India, the United States and Mexico are among the largest producers of pumpkins.
Growing at Home
Soil for Planting
Pumpkin too requires a soil that is warm and fertile for its growth, similar to its cousin, the cucumber. It needs a soil of pH value 6.0 to 6.8. While planting your pumpkin, prepare a mound of at least 3 feet of rich and warm soil. In order to decide on methods of altering the soil for best growth, every year or two, subject the soil to a test. Follow some of these pumpkin growing tips for a successful attempt.
Planting
- Select a dood location with bright sun (and mild shade)
- Warm the soil methodically. The best temperature of the soil l is 60° to 65°F. Pumpkins are too sensitive to cold temperatures.
Watering
- Pumpkins need enough water, they thirst all the time. Water them an inch a week. Deep watering is necessary at the time of producing fruits.
- During watering: keep the fruits and leaves dry, if it is not a sunny day. If they are damp, they rot easily
Temperature and Humidity
Grow pumpkins in early June; they are warm-weather crops. You need a soil that retains the water having a temperature that is 60°F (15.5°C).Plant them 7.6 cm deep.
Care
While growing pumpkins, supplement fertilizer regularly. In the early stages, you must keep up a high nitrogen content. Just before the vines start creeping and when the plant reaches a height of 1’ is the right time to add fertilizers; changing over to a high content of phosphorus, earlier to blooming.
Bear in mind that pumpkins are delicate from the time of planting to harvesting. Mulch, to control weeds. The roots are shallow, hence over growth damages the roots.
Pumpkins are gluttons. A constant care using compost or manure, mixed with water will suppoet a healthy growth.
Pest and Pesticides
- Aphids.
- Anthracnose
- Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are regular, For controlling them refer to your local county extension.
- Powdery Mildew.
- Cucumber beetles and squash bugs attack pumpkins, particularly at the end of summer.
- Insufficient light, excess fertilizer, Insects, reduces the pollination; leading to decrease in fruit production during flowering period.
Harvest Month and Storage
You can see the pumpkins ripening when its skin color is dark (deep orange for majority of varieties).
When you knock the pumpkin you feel the skin hard and sounding hollow. When you insert your nail into the skin of the pumpkin, and you find a resistance to the penetration, then it is ripe.
Harvesting the pumpkin occurs by cutting the fruit of the pumpkin vine cautiously using a pruner or a sharp knife; never pluck it. Remember to leave a long stem (3-4 in) or more from the pumpkin, this increases shelf life of the pumpkin.
Handle your pumpkin very carefully, otherwise they get damaged.
Treat your pumpkin in the sun for nearly a week for the skin to toughen, after which you store them in a cool, dry place such as a cellar, somewhere near 55° F.
Varieties
- ‘Dill’s Atlantic Giant’ Jumbo variety grows to 200 pounds.
- ‘Autumn Gold’ great for decorating and carving.
- ‘Jack Be Little’ miniature types of pumpkin, ideal for a holiday table.
- ‘Sugar Treat’ semi-bush hybrid. Best for baking and cooking.
Pumpkin FAQs
When do you plant pumpkins?
Plant pumpkins in early June, when the soil is 60 to 65 degrees F. They are warm-weather crops and cannot take cold.
How much water do pumpkins need?
About an inch a week, with deep watering while the fruit forms. Keep the leaves and fruit dry so they don’t rot.
How do you know when a pumpkin is ripe?
The skin turns deep orange and feels hard. It sounds hollow when you knock on it, and your fingernail will not easily pierce it.
How should you pick a pumpkin?
Cut it from the vine with a pruner or sharp knife and leave 3 to 4 inches of stem, which helps it keep longer. Never pull it off.
How big can pumpkins get?
The ‘Dill’s Atlantic Giant’ can reach 200 pounds. Small types like ‘Jack Be Little’ are tiny enough for a table decoration.
Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
