Growing Pumpkins in Your Backyard

More and more people like to grow their own fruits and vegetables for hobbies, self-satisfaction, and to control what they eat. However, growing fruits and vegetables in our backyard have some risks, do’s and dont’s, and there are some things we certainly need to avoid. 

Things to consider when growing Pumpkins in our garden:

1. The 4 essential elements when growing pumpkins in our backyard are: Full sun, Enough Space for the plants to grow, Covered Soil (an efficient way to increase soil temperature, maintain soil moisture, and control weeds), and Good-Drainage.
2. If you are growing pumpkins from seeds, prefer to buy your seeds from a plant nursery (to ensure variety purity and reasonable germination rate) since most seeds from pumpkins (bought for consumption) are sterile. 
3. Another option is to use transplants. Again, it is essential to purchase your young pumpkin plants from a legitimate seller and then transplant them into their final positions. We need to choose the type of pumpkin carefully. There are many different pumpkin types. Some are used as ornamentals, others produce more tasty fruits, while others, like the Jack o’ Lantern, give giant pumpkins that are preferred for carving during Halloween. Furthermore, asking the local nursery for soil-borne diseases commonly found in our region is helpful. This way, we can choose a hybrid seedling with a strong chance to overcome difficulties and produce well-shaped and tasty pumpkins. 
4. Pumpkin plants need a medium to warm soil to germinate and yield. As a rule of thumb, we should sow the seeds or transplant our young pumpkin seedlings when the soil temperature is above 15-18°C (60-65 °F). A position with good access to sunlight (around 6 hours) should be preferred. Even a mild frost may cause severe damage to tissues and fruits. In tropical climates, winter is the best period to start pumpkin seedlings, while in places with a cooler climate, we can plant our pumpkins during late spring. Commercial Pumpkin growers cover the soil with a black plastic film to heat the soil, boost plant growth, and control weeds and soil moisture. Backyard growers can do something similar by covering the soil around the pumpkin plant with a black plastic film or covering it with a layer of mulch. 
5. Before sowing or planting, we may need to apply organic fertilizers to increase nutrient levels since pumpkins thrive in rich fertile soils. Many growers prefer to use manure or composts as fertilization methods, mainly to increase nitrogen and potassium soil levels during the growing period. Keep in mind that pumpkins are pretty sensitive to very low pH, salinity and calcium deficiency. 
6. When growing Pumpkins, spacing is crucial. If we sow/plant pumpkins, especially the ones that are meant to produce large fruits, then we may not have the desirable result (reduced yields, smaller fruits, etc.). As a rule of thumb, placing 1 pumpkin plant per square meter is best. However, if we use trellis (bamboo stakes) to grow our plants, we can plant two seedlings per square meter. Growing Pumpkins in raised beds is a popular technique. 
7. Pumpkin plants have large leaves, and the fruit flesh has high water content. Thus, they need high amounts of water to produce well-shaped fruits with tasty flesh. We should ensure that the soil remains sufficiently moist, especially during flowering and fruit sets. In all cases, growers are advised to avoid excessive irrigation and humidity, as well as to water the plants’ leaves, since wilt of seeds and disease outbreaks may be an issue. In addition, waterlogging during the fruit ripening stages will most probably cause watery, tasteless fruits. During the maturing stages, the water needs of the plant normally decrease. 
8. Pumpkins growing from seed need, on average, 3-4 months until harvesting. 
9. When growing pumpkins, keep in mind that crop rotation is an easy way to control pests and diseases as well as avoid soil depletion. We can rotate out pumpkins with other (not closely related) species to have healthier plants and fewer pest and disease problems. However, pumpkins are considered relatively more resistant to disease and pests than other Cucurbita species like melons. 

References

• https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash#watering-236360
• https://extension.psu.edu/pumpkin-production
• https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/pumpkins-in-the-garden

Read more

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Growing Pumpkins in Your Backyard

Plant Information and Variety Selection of Pumpkins

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Growing Pumpkins Outdoors for Profit – Complete Growing Guide from Start to Finish

Pumpkin Yield, Harvest and Storage

Common Pumpkin Pests, Diseases, and Weed control

Pumpkin Fertilizer Requirements

Pumpkin Water Requirements and Irrigation Systems