Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Pumpkin can be processed into a variety of sweet and savory dishes; Roasted pumpkin seeds are a very enjoyable and nutritious snack; Pumpkin tree with beautiful shape also helps to adorn your garden. Pumpkin cultivation is relatively easy and inexpensive, as this plant can thrive in many different regions. If you want to grow pumpkins, read the information below on how to choose varieties, find the right environment for the plant to thrive, and grow and harvest pumpkins.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Preparing to plant pumpkins

1. 

   Find out a good time to grow pumpkins in your area. Pumpkin seeds will not sprout in cold soil, so sow them after frost. You can plan on planting pumpkins in late spring or early summer to harvest in late fall. Normally, pumpkins grown in 95- 120 days can be harvested.
   • If you want pumpkins to be used during Hallowen, you should plant them in late July.

2. 

   
   
   Choose a location for the pumpkin and prepare the soil. Pumpkin is a creeping creeper and requires a lot of space to grow. Choose a garden area that has the following features:
   • There is a wide clearance of 6 to 9 meters. Pumpkin plants do not have to occupy the whole garden. You can grow pumpkins on either side of your home or along a fence in your backyard.
   • There is total sunlight. Don't choose to stay under tall trees or in the shade of your home. Make sure your pumpkin plants receive sunlight all day long.
   • The soil has good drainage. The clay will not absorb water quickly and is not suitable for growing pumpkins. Choose a plot where there is no standing water after heavy rain.
     • For better pumpkin growth, prepare the soil in advance by fertilizing. Dig large holes in the area where pumpkins are to be planted and fill in the compost one week before planting.

3. 

   
   
   Choose pumpkin seeds. You can buy seeds at nurseries or online through a catalog. There are many varieties of pumpkins, but home grown pumpkins come in three main varieties:
   • Pumpkin varieties are mainly eaten.
   • Big pumpkin varieties can be carved into lanterns. The seeds of this pumpkin variety are edible but the fruit is not delicious.
   • Small pumpkin varieties for decoration, often called mini pumpkins.
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Part 2 of 4: Pumpkin cultivation

1. 

   
   
   Sow pumpkin seeds on the "hill". Place a small patch of soil and sow seeds about 2.5 to 5 cm deep. The soil tissue will help improve soil drainage and allow the sun to heat the soil more quickly, helping to accelerate germination.
   • Sow 2 or 3 seeds a few inches apart, in case there are no seeds sprouting for some reason.
   • Any end of the pumpkin seed is fine. If a pumpkin seed could sprout, it would grow no matter what.

2. 

   Plant the pumpkins in rows, spaced wide distances. If you are a zucchini, you need to build soil in the same row about 3.7 meters apart, and the rows about 1.8 to 3 meters apart, depending on the size of the pumpkin variety. "shrub-like" pumpkin varieties with shorter strings need a gap within a radius of about 2.4 meters.

3. 

   Apply compost to the pumpkin seeds just sown. If you've applied compost before, you can skip this step. If not, spread a thin layer of compost or mulch where you just sow the seeds. Compost will help prevent weeds and provide nutrients to the seeds.
   • With good care, pumpkins will sprout in about a week.
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Part 3 of 4: Taking care of pumpkin plants

1. 

   Water the plants when the soil moisture is low. Pumpkin plants need a lot of water, but not too much. Practice the habit of watering your plants when the soil appears a little dry, instead of watering your plants when the soil is still wet. Ideally not to water multiple times, but deep water each time.
   • When watering your plant, water a lot and let the water soak into the soil. The roots of the plant plunge several centimeters into the ground depending on the stage of plant growth, and it is important that water reaches the roots.
   • Try not to leave too much water on the leaves. Stagnant water on the leaves will create conditions for a fungus called white chalk to grow, causing the leaves to wilt and die. You should water them in the morning instead of at night to allow the water on the leaves to dry in the sun.
   • Reduce watering when the pumpkins appear and start to turn orange. Stop watering about a week before you plan to harvest the squash.

2. 

   Fertilize the plants. When the pumpkin plant starts to sprout (within about 1-2 weeks), you should fertilize it to help the plant grow well. Go to the nursery and ask what fertilizer is suitable for fertilizing the pumpkin plants.

3. 

   Control weeds and pests. To make sure your plant produces good pumpkins, you will need to keep an eye on the plant throughout the planting.
   • Weed regularly. Do not let weeds overwhelm the pumpkin plants, otherwise they will absorb all of the plant's nutrients. You should weed a few times a week.
   • Examine the pumpkin leaves and flowers for the beetle that eats the plant's tissues and eventually kills the plant. You need to get rid of the beetles a few times a week.
   • Place mulch around the plant to prevent weeds from growing and keep moisture in the soil.
   • Aphids are a pest that threatens many plants grown in gardens. Aphids often cling to the underside of plant leaves, and if you don't pay attention to handle them, they will quickly kill plants. Use spray water to repel aphids in the morning to give the leaves time to dry.
   • If necessary, you can use organic insecticides to get rid of the pests on the plants. Ask your nursery for the right product.
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Part 4 of 4: Harvesting pumpkins

1. 

   Check if the pumpkins are ready for harvest. Pumpkins should be bright orange in color (depending on the variety) and have a hard shell. The pumpkin stalk and cord will begin to dry on their own and wither.

2. 

   Do not harvest soft pumpkins. Such fruits are spoiled for only a few days.

3. 

   Cut the stem of the pumpkin. Use scissors to cut the stem of the pumpkin, leaving a length of about a few centimeters. Do not push the stem to avoid rotting the pumpkins.

4. 

   Store pumpkins in a cool, dry place, away from moisture and direct sunlight. You do not need to store pumpkins in the refrigerator. Pumpkins can be kept for many months after harvest.
   • You can wash the pumpkins with mild chlorine water to fight mold. Use a mixture of 1 cup (240 ml) of chlorine bleach mixed with 19 liters of water.
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Advice

• Water much, but not too soaked, as the pumpkin string is easy to rot.
• Once picked, pumpkins (which often go wrong) can be stored outdoors for long periods of time or in cellars if you live in a snowy area. In temperate climates, you can keep pumpkins in the barn, on the roof of the barn, under sacks to have pumpkins eaten all winter.
• Some stores sell insect predators, such as aphid-eating ladybugs. You can find these natural enemies in stores if you find bugs.
• If you are not particularly interested in pumpkin varieties and just want to grow a big pumpkin, choose a giant pumpkin variety.
• You can make fresh squash into a thick sauce. This sauce can be used in baking, soup or bread, and is also easy to freeze for storage.
• If the plant is difficult to pollinate, manually pollinate the pumpkin flowers.

Warning

• Pumpkins are a thriving plant - they often occupy a corner of the garden. You should keep pumpkins separate from other plants to give them plenty of room to grow. When the pumpkins are fruiting, any plants that grow underneath are crushed - keep an eye out for new pumpkins that appear and move gently away if they are on something. Sometimes they even crush each other!
• Pumpkins can climb onto nearby plants or climb walls if given the opportunity. Someone once bought a house where a pumpkin garden spread and a pumpkin grew on the roof!
• In North America, the pumpkin borer is the main pest of the pumpkin. Check regularly for wilted leaves, perforated leaves, or substances such as sawdust so that you can treat your plant early.

What you need

• Pumpkin seeds
• Shovel, shovel uproot, spade
• The soil is suitable for planting trees and large spaces in the garden
• Water regularly
• Compost
• Organic pesticides (optional)