When gardening pumpkins, there are a few things that you need to know.  I’m learning these as I go along.

• If you live in an area that gets cold in the winter, like I do in Northern Indiana, and you want your pumpkins to be ready for harvest at or around Halloween, then you should consider starting your pumpkins indoors a couple of weeks before threat of frost is past.  Pumpkins have a fairly long growing and maturing time, as long as 100-120 days.
• Pumpkins need to be planted in mounds.  You can plant 4 or so plants per mound.  Mounds should be at least 5′ apart from each other to give room for the vines to grow.
• If you’re short on garden space, then plant your pumpkins at the edge of the garden, and train the vines to grow along the edge of the garden or out into the yard surrounding it.  Be careful not to move the vines once they have rooted themselves in because the shallow roots are easy to break.
• Once one or two pumpkins are growing on each vine, remove the fuzzy end of the vine so the plant can focus its nutrients and water to the fruit.
• Be careful when watering the pumpkin plants, not to get too much water on the leaves and fruit because pumpkin plants are very susceptible to rotting.

These have been a few tips for gardening pumpkins that I’ve learned this year.

Tips for gardening pumpkins that are large:

• Be sure to use fertilizer throughout the growing season.
• Once 1 or two pumpkins are growing on your plant, remove any other flowers or started fruits to allow the vine to focus its resources on the single fruits.
• Keep the pumpkin itself out of the hottest sunlight by shading it, and water it often.  At least 1″ of water per week.

Check out this book with plenty of tips for gardening pumpkins:How to Grow Squash: Planting and Growing Pumpkins, Zucchini, Summer and Winter Squash, Gourds, and Chayote

Do you have any more tips for gardening pumpkins?  Let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to include the tips for everyone to benefit from them.