Starting a Garden Journal Make and start a garden journal at the same time you start your flower garden. Read fun journaling ideas too! For instructions and ideas click here.
Planting and caring for Pumpkins.
Step 1 - Get a head start! Sow pumpkin seeds indoors. In Spring, about 4 - 6 weeks before the last frost date start seeds indoors. Add a seed starting soil mixture to peat pots. Place pumpkin seed with pointy end facing down into the soil. Read more on how to start seeds indoors. Or Plant seeds directly into your garden in late May. Wait till soil has warmed and after any risk of frost has past. Seeds are best planted in hills of soil mixed with some well rotted compost or manure. The amount of seeds per hill depends on the variety of pumpkin. It is ideal to follow the instructions on the packet your seeds came in for planting depth and distance.
Step 2 -Transplant pumpkin seedlings to the outdoor garden. After the pumpkin seeds have germinated and have grown their first true leaves, it is time to transplant the seedlings to a sunny outdoor garden spot. Keep in mind pumpkins need a lot of room to grow. It is best to wait until any risk of frost has past. If you have a greenhouse or you can provide a mini cold frame structure to protect the seedlings from brisk weather such as frost, than go ahead and transplant the pumpkins as soon as the soil is workable, and warm. Be gentle with seedlings during transplanting!
Step 3 - Watering Keep pumpkin plants well watered. Do not let seedlings dry out. During very hot temperatures watering may be needed twice a day.
Step 4 - Watching for flowers and small pumpkins. This is the exciting part! Watch for the first flowers to appear. Usually in about 10 weeks you will start to see big flower buds blooming from your pumpkin vines. After these flowers been pollinated a small pumpkin will start to grow.
Step 5 - Caring for the pumpkins. Continue to water well. If you are growing pumpkins just for fun and your not to concerned about size, then let nature takes it course and enjoy watching them grow. If you want to grow a prize winning pumpkin, then there are some suggestions you can try. A vine can have many pumpkins growing on it. Look for the healthiest pumpkin, and remove all the others from that vine. This allows all the plant's energy to go to growth and health of one pumpkin. Keep vines pruned. Watch carefully! Pumpkin Patches have been known on occasion to take over the whole garden or even yards.
Step 6 - You can feed your pumpkins. With the help of Mom or Dad, feed your pumpkins a plant food following the instructions provided on the plant food you use. Remember keep pumpkin patch well watered.
Step 7 - Harvest Time- When to pick the pumpkin. Keep pumpkins covered on cooler nights until ready to pick. By the end of August or early September watch for your pumpkins to change from green to an orange or yellow color. It is time to pick your pumpkin when you see this color change. Keep the pumpkins in a cool place until you are ready to use them for cooking, Autumn display or Halloween.
Happy Pumpkin Planting!
Fun Pumpkin Facts
Pumpkins are not a vegetable they are a fruit.
Pumpkins can grow to up tp and over 1,000 pounds.
Pumpkins are 90% water.
The seed from a pumpkin can be roasted and eaten.
The world's largest pumpkin weighed 1,385 pounds.
There are many different varieties of pumpkins. Here is a list, just to name a few.
Carving for Halloween Jack-o-Latern Jumpin' Jack Funny Face Happy Jack
Giant Size Pumpkins Atlantic Giant Big Moon Prizewinner
Cooking Spookie Small Sugar Triple Treat
Minature Size Bay Boo or Baby Boo Casper Jack Be Little Munchkin' Sweetie
