Illustrated tutorial on growing pumpkins How to grow pumpkins

Pumpkin has many uses. It makes a beautiful sweet treat, yields pumpkin seeds, and makes a beautiful, bright fall decoration. Growing pumpkins is easy and economical because they thrive in many different areas. Read this guide on how to choose pumpkin types to grow, find an environment that will help your plants thrive, and grow and harvest your pumpkins.

Illustrations of pumpkin planting tutorials. This handmade DIY tutorial includes: preparing to plant pumpkins, planting pumpkins, caring for pumpkins, and harvesting pumpkins. If you want to learn how to grow pumpkins, check out this tutorial on how to grow pumpkins. Learn the illustrated pumpkin tutorial!

Preparing to plant pumpkins

1Determine when to plant pumpkins in your area. Pumpkin seeds cannot germinate in cold soil, so plant them after the frost has passed. Plan to plant your pumpkins in late spring or early summer and harvest in the fall.
- If you are celebrating Halloween and want to harvest pumpkins in time for Halloween, plant them a little later in the summer. If you plant them in the spring, your pumpkins may ripen and harvest too early for Halloween.
2Select a planting site and prepare the soil. Pumpkins grow on vines and need a lot of space to grow. Choose a spot in your yard that has the following qualities:
- 6-9 meters of open space. Your pumpkin patch doesn’t need to take up your entire yard. You can plant it along your house or in your backyard along a fence.
- Plenty of sunshine. Don't choose a spot under a tree or in the shadow of a building. Make sure the pumpkin gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
- Well-drained soil. Clay-based soil cannot absorb water quickly and is not conducive to pumpkin growth. Choose a location where water will not accumulate after a rainstorm.
  - To further encourage pumpkin growth, prepare the soil beforehand by adding compost. Dig some large holes where you plan to plant your pumpkins, and fill the holes with a compost mixture a few days before planting.
3Select pumpkin seeds. Go to your local nursery or order seeds from this catalog to plant in your pumpkin patch. There are many different varieties of pumpkins, but for home growing there are three main varieties:
- Pie pumpkin, used for eating.
- Large decorative pumpkins that can be carved into Halloween jack-o-lanterns. The seeds of these pumpkins are edible, but their flesh is not very tasty.
- Small decorative pumpkins, often called mini pumpkins.

Growing pumpkins

1Plant the seeds 2.5-5 cm deep in the soil. They should be planted in rows along the middle of the pumpkin patch so that the vines have plenty of room to grow. Leave a space of one or two meters between planted seeds.
- Plant 2 or 3 seeds within ten centimeters in case one seed fails to germinate for some reason.
- It doesn’t matter which end of the seed points upward. If the seeds are viable, they will grow no matter what.
- Some seed packets recommend planting the seeds on a hillside or in a mound of soil, spaced out in the rows of your planting area. This can help if your soil doesn't receive good natural drainage, but under the right conditions, its not necessary.
2Cover the planted seeds with compost. If you have already composted the soil before planting, you can skip this step. If not, then add a thin layer of compost or mulch where you plant the seeds. Compost will help stop weeds from growing and nourish the seeds.
- With proper care, pumpkin plants should sprout in about a week.

Taking care of pumpkins

1Water your pumpkin plants when soil moisture is low. Pumpkin plants need lots of water, but not too much. Water them when the soil seems a little dry; moist soil won't require more water. Get into the habit.
- When you water your plants, use plenty of water so it soaks deep into the soil. Depending on their stage of growth, the roots of pumpkin plants can extend downwards from ten centimeters to a meter or two, and it is important to allow water to reach their roots.
- Try not to water the pumpkin leaves. This promotes the growth of a fungus called powdery mildew, which can cause leaves to wilt and the plant to die. Water in the morning rather than in the evening so any moisture on the leaves has time to dry in the sun.
- As the pumpkin begins to grow and turn orange, reduce your water usage. About a week before you plan to harvest your pumpkins,Stop watering completely.
2Feed the pumpkin plants. When the plants first sprout, adding fertilizer can help discourage the growth of weak squash and promote the growth of healthy squash plants. Go to your local nursery and ask about fertilizers that can be added to your pumpkin beds.
3Control weeds and pests. To ensure that your plants produce healthy pumpkins, you must monitor them throughout their growth process.
- Weed your pumpkin patch often. Don't let weed growth crowd out your pumpkin plants or absorb the nutrients your pumpkin needs to grow. Plan to weed several times a week.
- Check pumpkin leaves and flowers for beetles, which will eat plant tissue and eventually kill the pumpkin plant. Scrape the beetles off the plants several times a week.
- Aphids are pests that threaten many garden plants. They can be found under the leaves and will quickly kill the plant if you don't pay attention to them. Spray them off with water in the morning so the leaves have time to dry.
- If necessary, use organic pesticides to rid your plants of pests. Ask at your local nursery for product information.

Harvest pumpkins

1Check to see if the pumpkin is ripe. The pumpkin should be bright orange in color and have a hard shell .Their stems should begin to dry out and wilt. In some cases, the vines themselves may begin to wilt.
2Do not harvest soft pumpkins. They don't last more than a few days before they go bad.
3Cut the pumpkin stems. Use scissors to cut the pumpkin stem, leaving about ten centimeters long. Do not break the pumpkin stems as this will cause the pumpkin to rot.
4Store the pumpkin in a sunny, dry place. Keep them away from places with high humidity and moisture. They do not require refrigeration. After harvesting, pumpkins can be stored for several months.

Tips

You generally don’t have to worry about pumpkins being attacked by insects. They are usually tough.
Water well but not too much as the stems are susceptible to rot.
Once picked, pumpkins (which are very prolific) can be stored outdoors for a long time.For a long time, or if in a snowy climate, it can be stored in the cellar for a long time. In mild weather, place pumpkins in sheds, on shed roofs, in burlap sacks, etc.; in snowy days, in basements. They will keep you fed all winter long.

Warning

If given the chance, they will even climb up nearby trees or walls. A house we once bought had an overgrown pumpkin patch and the pumpkins were on the roof!
Pumpkins are prolific plants - they take over their share of the garden. So differentiate them from other plants so they have lots of room to spread. No matter where a pumpkin starts growing, any plants underneath will be crushed - keep an eye on the new pumpkins and if they are crushing other plants, gently move them and their stems to the side. Sometimes they even push against each other!