Let's Start A Pumpkin Patch

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To grow pumpkins you have to first wait until the weather is right. Wait until the spring rains are over and the temperature is in the low 70s most days. Pumpkins need LOTS of sun! At least 6 hours a day. So plant them in a very sunny spot. Also, pumpkins have to planted on a small hill. About 3 feet around. In the center of the mound you plant your pumpkins seeds 6 to 8 inches apart, one inch deep.. 4 or 5 pumpkins seeds for the mound. If you want more pumpkin plants make another mound at least 10 feet away from the first.

Keep the soil moist not wet. Use a watering can instead of a garden hose so that the top soil doesn't get washed away. It takes pumpkins a couple weeks to sprout and leaves start developing within a few days after that. Two weeks later the plants should be established. At this point choose the strongest or largest looking plants and remove the rest. There would not be room for all 4 or 5 to grow.

A pumpkin vine can grow to 30 feet! Unless you want your entire yard being taken over, guide the vine where to go. They can be trained to go along a fence or over a bush or up a wall onto the roof! You can also prune them without damage to the plant.

Bees will pollinate your pumpkins and soon you'll have lots of fruit growing.

That's all for today. Coming next: Flower Beds: Pinks, Purples, Blues and Yellows!


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For more information on growing pumpkins check out this article: How To: Growing Pumpkins or this book: The Perfect Pumpkin: Growing/Cooking/Carving by Gail Damerow

You may also be interested in Dills Atlantic Giant Pumpkin 15 Seeds