Let’s be clear. I can count the number of pumpkins I have grown on less than one hand. Well, that might be exaggerated, but I am certainly not a pumpkin grower extraordinaire. The pumpkins I have grown are the small sugar variety, a delicious sweet fruit perfect for soups and breads.
My grandchildren don’t live nearby, so I would prefer to use the space for food that takes up less room and buy my Halloween pumpkin at nearby Wright’s farm. That said, if you have little people around, it’s probably the very best use of space in your garden. What child does not want to grow their own Jack’O Lantern?
Space is a necessity when growing these cucurbits. If you are planning to grow a regular-sized pumpkin, you will need about 50 to 100 square feet. That’s a lot of space in a small garden. These plants need a lot of nourishment and the soil must be rich and loaded with organic matter.
If you can meet these two require- ments, pumpkins are fairly easy to grow. If you have a compost heap, plop a couple of plants in it early in June and you can almost ignore them from then on. The only thing to worry about is watering and most compost heaps have good water retention. If planting in your garden, choose a sunny corner where the vines can sprawl without interfering with the rest of your crop.
Be sure to amend the soil often and it’s best to fertilize on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I recommend a good, stinky, water-soluble fish fertilizer.
Pumpkin plants are sensitive to cold and our season is short. Buying a started plant from your local garden center is ideal or start your seed inside about a month before you intend to plant outside. Be sure to harden off (acclimatize) your plants or the sudden shock of the sun or cold will cause a setback or death. If it calls for frost, you can protect your plant at both ends of the season by using a frost blanket, also available at your local nursery. Having owned a garden centre, I am all about supporting them. They are the guys with the knowledge you need for growing and they don’t have screwdrivers and tires to help them with sales throughout the year.
You won’t get pumpkins without pollination. This is where the bees and other insects come into play. Of course, bees are your primary pollinators and we need to protect them at all costs. If you don’t see them around, you will have to give Mother Nature a hand. Remove the male flower (the one without the ovary – the small growth behind the flower) and gently shake the pollen from it into the female flower. This can also be done with a paintbrush but it’s a little more time-consuming. The male flower is only used for pollination and is dispensable whereas the female flower must be left on the vine. You should see the ovary starting to swell within a few days but if it dries up your assistance was for naught and you will have to start again. Once you have a few pumpkins that seem to be taking off, remove any more that begin to grow.
Here in Newfoundland, our plants will produce one or two nice-sized pumpkins. Any more than that will give you a lot of very small fruits as each one takes a ton of energy to grow. If you aim to grow small pumpkins, you can let eight to 10 grow on a vine.
Remember that pumpkin is a delicious food and is not just a means to an end for a spectacular Halloween. That being said, what would Halloween be without them?
Some cool things to do with pumpkins
- Carve your child’s name on the skin when the fruit is smallish. It will heal over and grow along with the pump- kin.
- Try a few interesting varieties like ‘Blanco’ a pure white pumpkin, Warty Gnome, or a baby jack mix for a colour variety of small pumpkins.
- Like pumpkin seeds? Carefully scoop them out and roast them for a delicious snack. There are tons of ‘how to’ methods and recipes online.
- If you want to try for one of those mega pumpkins, use Dill’s Atlantic Giant seed and prepare to spend your summer nursing it along.
- And then there are the flowers! What a delicious taste treat. Stuff them with Boursin or ricotta and herbs. Lightly sauté them and boom, move aside Martha Stewart.
Great article! I really appreciate the clear and detailed insights you’ve provided on this topic. It’s always refreshing to read content that breaks things down so well, making it easy for readers to grasp even complex ideas. I also found the practical tips you’ve shared to be very helpful. Looking forward to more informative posts like this! Keep up the good work!