Best Ways to Grow Pumpkins in Your Yard

No matter how many pumpkin varieties are out there, pumpkins are a fall staple. The options include small and large, as well as either plain or decorative kinds for baking. You can certainly buy some pumpkins at your local pumpkin patch, but you'll also have fun growing pumpkins from seed on your own.

Interested in planting pumpkins this autumn? Read through this helpful growing guide to get you started. A bit of patience and care can really pay off with pumpkins and it will improve the look of your garden.

Make Your Pumpkin Seed Selection

There are hundreds of different types of pumpkins, each one differing in size, color, taste, and texture, so there's no single pumpkin type that can lay claim to the title of "best." Ballooning and teeny-tiny pumpkins, amongst others, are out there waiting for you.

Plant the Seeds in a Spot That Receives Full Sun

Sow seeds directly in the ground a day after the last frost. Each seed packet will state the average time required for pumpkins to reach full maturity. For instance, mini pumpkins require 100 days to grow. If you want them to be ready to pick in early October, you'll need to plant them in late July.

When planting in full sun, pick a spot where the seed packet's recommendations on seed spacing apply. While there are bush-type pumpkin plants that grow in a smaller space, some pumpkin vines are very expansive.

Plant your seeds in raised dirt mounds to create pumpkin "hills." Hills warm up and drain water more quickly than just planting them flat on the ground. "It raises the plant and lets the long wines cascade a bit down." You will also need a no till planter to sow the seeds perfectly.

As Often As Necessary, Fertilize the Soil

Pumpkins consume a lot of food. They can receive the food they need from a general vegetable garden fertilizer, not a product made just for lawns. You should also get a soil sample every two years or so. The results will indicate what kind of dirt you're dealing with, including the pH and nutrient levels, and you can use this information to make an appropriate plan.

Harvesting Pumpkin

The color of your pumpkins will be exactly how you want it after several months of growing, and when the rinds become firm and hard. Burpee notes that harvesting should be done before a heavy frost, which can harm the fruits. Use pruning shears to cut the vine and leave about a foot of stem. When you're done, enjoy the fruits of your labor by cooking, decorating, or cutting it up.

If you are planning to grow pumpkins in your yard, buy a no till planter from 4AG Manufacturing in OKC. Happy harvesting!