Who doesn’t love pumpkins?!

“I spilled my Pumpkin Spice Latte, and now a bunch of ants are making brunch plans and doing yoga.”

Pumpkins are one of the best plants to grow and harvest so I’m going to start with reasons why growing pumpkins might be right for you!:

• You have the growing space
• You have children or grandchildren
• You’re a large child yourself 😀
• You like pumpkins for their many uses
• You don’t like paying for pumpkins at the store

Their uses are endless whether you grow them for carving, decorating, or cooking.  They are fun for kids and adults and never disappoint at harvest time.

 

You can carve them…

 

Paint them…

 

Decorate with them…

 

Create a Vignette with them…

 

Humiliate them…  😎

 

And even cook with them…………………Yum!

 

Taking note of the following tips will help you successfully grow pumpkins, and once you start you won’t want to stop growing them in your future gardens!:

1. Full Sunlight – plant in a location that gets 6+ hours of sunlight every day
2. Rich Soil – pumpkins are heavy feeders so provide a nutrient rich soil and fertilize often to see them thrive
3. Lots of Water – continuously moist but well drained soil is a must
4. Space – if you don’t have the growing space choose a small variety like “Jack-Be-Little” that can train up a trellis or run along a fence
5. Time – pumpkins can take up to 120 days to fully mature – sowing seeds directly in the ground is best, but if your zone is cooler start the seedlings indoors
6. Bees & Flowers – bees pollinate the large flowers on the pumpkin vine so planting flowers nearby will attract more bees to your garden

Here are some pictures of past gardens so you can see some of the varieties:

 

Pumpkins

A brief description of varieties I’ve tried so far:

• Burpee Jack Be Little – 3″ across and 2″ high, perfect for decorating
• Burpee Halloween Blend – 50% ‘Jack O’ Lantern’ and 50% ‘White Casper’
• Burpee Big Max – Huge pumpkins up to 70″ around!
• Burpee Triple Treat – For pies, seeds and carving 🙂
• Burpee Jack O’ Lantern – Best for carving

Two “exotic” varieties I’m growing this summer are ‘Jarrahdale’ and ‘Rouge Vif d’Etampes.’  Jarrahdale comes from New Zealand and the pumpkin has blueish-green skin.  Rouge Vif d’Etampes is the stunning scarlet pumpkin that inspired the artist who drew Cinderella’s coach.  ❤

There are others I hope to try in the future like ‘Porcelain Princess Hybrid,’ a deeply ribbed hybrid with pinkish-orange skin, and ‘Musquee de Provence,’ a favorite among chefs.  They are all unique looking and would make great Fall decorations.  Some sound tasty too!

I hope this article inspired you to try pumpkins in your garden too!  xoxo