If you are seeking knowledge on how to grow pumpkins, follow through.
During fall, pumpkins can be found everywhere; and they are very delicious in various recipes as well as being fun to decorate during Halloween. When it comes to growing of pumpkins, you might be surprised just how easy it can be.
If you want to harvest your grown pumpkins by autumn. Then mid-summer is the appropriate time to start planting pumpkin seeds. Pumpkins are huge plants. For that reason growing them in containers is out of the question. Since they require lots of space and they are also prone to a good number of pests. Common pests that cause serious menace are cucumber beetles and squash bugs.
This means that they require a lot of care and attention and checking after a few days will suffice. In addition to this there are common diseases that affect these huge plants. Such as powdery mildew that you need to be on the lookout for.
Planting of Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins are one of the plants that are easy and fun to grow. This applies to whether you are looking for simple decorations in your home garden. Or you are really into the commercial growing of pumpkins and you are looking to make profit. Hence, pumpkins do exceptionally well you plant the seeds directly into the ground.
What you need to do is to plant the pumpkin seeds about 4 feet apart. They should be buried 1 to 1.5 inch deep. Make sure that there is maximum sun when planting these seeds. You can do your planting in spring subsequent to the last frost in the area you are located. So be sure to have information of the climate within your region for the correct estimate of that date. However, you need to keep an eye for early to mid-July. As this is the best time if you are considering reaping your harvest in fall.
Some pumpkin varieties have the ability to grow up to 20 feet long but there are varieties that are more compact and they require about six feet of ground. But, this should not be overlooked as these pumpkins still need enough room for growth, so that is something you need to be on the lookout for. You need to be sure with the choice you are opting for so as to be sure that you are choosing a suitable variety that will be a perfect fit for your garden.
Pollination plays a key role in the growth of pumpkins which are mainly bees to set fruit. To attract these little pollinators in your garden, you need to plant a lot of flowers so as to attract them. The following are seven tips to keep in mind when learning how to grow pumpkins:
Applying Fertilizer for Effective Growth of Pumpkins
Pumpkins require fertilizer with minimum nitrogen and high potassium and phosphorus for effective growth. Prior to planting your seeds, apply a tablespoon per seed of fertilizer. After about a week when blossoms begin to appear, side dressing of the vines is required, what this means is that you spread the fertilizer close to the plants so that the roots get nutrients from this fertilizer to promote growth of pumpkins.
Make sure you Prune Pumpkin Vines
Ensure that you pinch off the tips of vines oncea number of pumpkins have formed on each one, as this will help in focusing of energy in developing pumpkins as a substituteof concentrating it in the growth of vines. Pruning comes in handy when your pumpkin vines are getting out of hand and growing all over the place also, this will help in redirecting the energy back to the growing pumpkins.
Application of Insecticides on Pumpkin Leaves
Typical pests that are bound to cause problems to your plants if not controlled are, squash bugs, squash vine bore, aphids, and cucumber beetles. Care must be taken when applying insecticides to control these pests so as to avoid interfering with pollination. You need to ensure that when applying these insecticides on pumpkin leaves, apply it in the afternoon when the blooms have closed. This is usually in the late afternoon or early in the evening so that the bees do not interact with the insecticides.
Do Regular Mulching on Pumpkin Plants to Keep Weeds at Bay
Mulching on pumpkin plants will help you in controlling weeds. There is a variety of mulch you can use but it is highly recommended that you use black plastic mulch or organic mulch. For the plastic mulch, you need to install it a few days or weeks ahead of planting. Still, you have the option of not applying mulch. If this is so, then you may have to apply a hoe so as to remove weeds accumulating in your pumpkin space.
You may also observe curling and leaves turning yellow in cucumbers and pumpkins
Managing of Powdery and Downy Mildew
Pumpkins are highly proneto these diseases. Powdery mildew appears as spots in the leaves that are powdery white. You need to know the correct way to manage powdery mildew so that that they cause minimal damage. When it comes to downy mildew, it appears as pointed cuts that turn brown. In order to control powdery and downy mildew, apply a sulphur fungicide for a couple of weeks which will offer protection to the pumpkins.
Conclusion
Now you have all the reasons to ensure that your garden looks appealing with the huge fruits and broad green leaves. This article has focused on all the key areas that are of importance in the growth of pumpkins form the planting of seeds to controlling of pests. As an aspiring pumpkin farmer, this information will be helpful on learning how to grow pumpkins.
Knowing the right time to grow pumpkins will ensure that you are successful in maximising your produce, together with the tips offered on fertilizers, pruning, mulching, and application of insecticides as well as the common diseases. You will end up with the largest pumpkins in the neighbourhood. In addition to this you are guaranteed the benefits of a wonderful and delicious fruit that is great in making of various recipes. Just keep in mind that these fruits need an ample supply of water and you need to keep an eye on them frequently from time to time as they grow bigger and bigger.
Read my other articles on urban gardening and small vegetable garden.
