Pumpkin plants symbolize the beginning of fall, whether they’re baked into pies and simple bread or displayed on your front porch.
They are fantastic in our favorite pumpkin dishes and fun to decorate. And if you allow yourself enough time to grow them, they’re not too tough. The middle of July is the ideal time to plant seeds if you want to harvest in the fall. Additionally, whereas many crops may be grown in containers, pumpkins cannot. They require a ton of space! In order to prevent common pumpkin pests from ruining your harvest, you’ll need to pay attention and examine your plants about once every day. Here’s how to cultivate pumpkins in your own yard.
Pumpkin Plant Description
Pumpkin is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and is typically planted as a vegetable or decorative plant. Pumpkin vines are either annuals or perennials that have spreading tendrils and large lobed leaves. The plant produces huge yellow or orange flowers as well as a pumpkin-shaped pepo fruit. The fruit comes in a wide range of sizes, from little pumpkins that only weigh a few ounces to enormous pumpkins that can weigh over 75 lbs. (34 kg).
The skin of a pumpkin is often ribbed and is typically a shade of orange. Pumpkin plants are often cultivated as annuals that only last one growing season. If the vines are allowed to take root, they can grow as long as 15 m (50 ft). Pumpkin, which is also known as squash or marrow, is said to have come from Mexico and South America.
Growing Requirements for Growing Pumpkin
- Place the seeds in a location that receives direct sunlight.
- Regardless of the type of pumpkin, you choose to cultivate, maintain the space weed-free. Within a few weeks of planting, fertilize pumpkins once with a general-purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer.
- Drink a lot of water for them. A lot of water is preferred by pumpkins when the blossoms and fruits are developing. Vines droop and flowers shrink and wither during dry spells.
- Mulching your beds will help weed growth and keep pumpkin plants more regularly watered.
- You don’t typically need to trim your vines. To create more carbs, they need larger leaves, which results in more pumpkins.
Pumpkin Life Cycle and Growth Stages
- Pumpkin Plant Stages
- Pumpkin Growing Stages
Pumpkins follow the typical vegetative-flowering-fruition sequence. The journey begins with the planting of pumpkin seeds in sandy soil. It should be noted that the growth procedures may differ based on the pumpkin variety. In this article, we’ll look at the stages of pumpkin growth that occur across all pumpkin types.
Let us take a deeper look!
Pumpkin Plant Stages
1. Sowing The Pumpkin Seeds
Although pumpkin seeds can be sown in a seedling tray, planting pumpkin seeds on the ground is recommended. With the sharp end pointing down, plant the pumpkin seeds 1 to 1 1/2 inches (1.27 cm) deep in the ground. You must position each seed 24 inches (60 cm), or 2 feet (60.96 cm), apart since the vines will need some room to spread out as they grow. When purchasing your seeds, pay attention to the classification of pumpkin sizes. The amount of the area you must create will depend on how big they get.
2. Pumpkin Seed Germination
Pumpkin seeds sprout quickly after being planted. They are actually quite swift! Normally, pumpkin seeds germinate in 10 days or less. Typically, there are no problems with this stage. It happens so quickly that if any problems were discovered, it would be too late to address them. The good thing is that if your plants aren’t growing, you’ll be able to tell rather soon. After 10 days, if your seeds have not sprouted, it is time to sow new seeds.
3. Pumpkin Seedlings
You’ll see the subsequent stage in the pumpkin plant stages, the pumpkin seedling, after watering your pumpkin seed for around a week. Your first baby pumpkin seedling will seem substantial, powerful, and rough in comparison to other seedlings you may have seen as you observe it.
The actual pumpkin leaves begin to appear in the midst of the sprouts as the pumpkin seedlings grow. The new leaves will be distinct in both form and appearance. They are heart-shaped, dark green, and have jagged edges.
4. Developing Pumpkin Plant
The leaves and stems will begin to form in a few weeks. More leaves will erupt as the vine starts to creep. First, after weeks of development, you’ll see that your adult pumpkin plant develops a sturdy canopy. Your mature pumpkin plant’s tendrils will also be seen if you look at it more closely. The pumpkin vine’s tendrils support it in your garden and aid with wind defense. If the weather is suitable, you’ll also notice that your mature pumpkin plant grows incredibly quickly.
Pumpkin Growing Stages
5. The Male and Female Pumpkin Flower
The plant will begin to produce its first blossoms after a few weeks. Since pumpkins are monoecious, they have separate male and female flowers (staminate and pistillate, respectively) on each plant. Ten days before the female blossoms, the male flowers appear. The pollination of the plant requires the pollination of these two blossoms.
You may look at a few distinctive traits to determine the gender of the pumpkin blooms. Female blooms are often located at the end of the vine and have an ovary or baby pumpkin at the base of the stalk. The center of the vine is where the male pumpkin blossoms appear.
6. Baby Pumpkin Development
Pumpkins don’t pollinate themselves. To move the pollen and fertilize the female flowers, they require the assistance of helpful insects like honeybees. When both male and female flowers are open, this is the ideal moment to pollinate pumpkins. You can aid your pumpkins if there aren’t any bees around by pollinating them yourself.
Your female pumpkin blossom will produce a baby pumpkin if the pollination process is successful. The most exciting phase of the pumpkin growing process is when your baby pumpkin first forms. Your newborn pumpkins require lots of water, sunshine, and comfortable temperatures as they start to develop.
7. Mature Pumpkin Ready for Harvest
When your pumpkin is a rich orange color and the skin feels rigid, it is ready for harvest. Pruning some leaves and vines will allow the fruit to get direct sunshine, which will aid in fruit ripening and drying. The fruits must be turned so that the opposite side may become orange. You’ll get a pumpkin with green streaks if you don’t.
How to Harvest Pumpkin
- Harvest on a dry day.
- When a pumpkin ripens, the stem becomes harder and the skin changes to a rich, solid color of orange.
- The pumpkin’s rind will feel firm and make a hollow sound when you tap it with your finger. When a pumpkin’s skin resists being punctured by a fingernail, it is ripe.
- Using a sharp knife or pruners, gently cut the fruit from the vine, being careful not to break it. Make sure to avoid cutting the pumpkin too closely. To extend the shelf life, leave the stem at least 3 to 4 inches long (Approx. 11cm).
- Pumpkins should only be handled lightly to avoid bruising.
How to Store Pumpkin
- Curing pumpkins in a sunny location for approximately ten days in a climate of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 degrees Celsius) and 80 to 85 percent humidity can toughen the skin and enhance the taste. The front porch would be a wonderful place to exhibit your pumpkin right now! If you’re carving a pumpkin, make sure to finish it no later than three days before Halloween, otherwise, it will start to decay.
- After curing, keep pumpkins for two to three months at 50° to 55°F (12.8 degrees Celsius) in a cold, dry basement, root cellar, or similar location.
- The lifespan of properly stored seeds is six years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pumpkin plant grow all year long?
Yes, pumpkins can be grown all year round. However, as pumpkins require a lot of sunlight to thrive, the optimum growing seasons for them are often spring and summer, with the rest of the year seeing less success.
Do they require a lot of water?
You can expect that pumpkins need a lot of water as they develop since mature pumpkins are 80 to 90 percent water.
How soon after flowering does pumpkin begin to grow?
It takes a pumpkin between 45 and 55 days to reach maturity after successful pollination. The pumpkin plant will continue to enlarge and change color throughout this period until it is entirely orange.
How long do pumpkins take to grow?
Pumpkins typically take 110 to 140 days to develop from seed to harvest. But a lot of that also depends on your ability to provide your plants with the best possible growing conditions, on the local climate, and on your degree of expertise.
What promotes their fast growth?
Early in the summer, plant pumpkins close to the edge of your garden. Plant pumpkins two to five feet apart. Grow every pumpkin on a mound of warm, healthy soil that is 3 feet (91.44 cm) broad and has a pH range of 6.0 to 6.8. Add several inches of old compost or other rich organic matter to your native soil to improve it.
How many pumpkins per plant?
Typically, a single pumpkin plant can produce between 2 and 5 pumpkins. However, usually we plant several seeds which result in multiple plants. If you’re using seeds for very large pumpkins they might produce fewer but larger ones. And if you plant plants which results in smaller pumpkins they typically produce more (up to 12). You can simply think that there is a limited amount of nutrient and water a plant can use to produce pumpkins. Either a few larger ones or many smaller ones.