Pumpkins and squashes, not only make good lanterns at Halloween, they also make good pies and great soups and can be stored for 6 months after harvesting if stored cool and dark....
JFMAMJJASOND
Sow ~ March/April in Green house
Sow ~ May direct
Harvest ~ before Halloween or before Jack Frost comes.
Soil Type Any Soil
Aspect South Facing
Light Partial shade
Hardiness Not Hardy
Moisture Well-drained
pH(6.6 - 7.3)
This Month
Prepare the soil - remove weeds and add organic matter
Sowing ~ Hundredweight Pumpkin, Crown Prince Squash, Long Green Trailing Marrow.
Soak and then sow seeds in pots and then plant out under glass until all chances of frost have gone. Plant 2m between plants.
Pruning & Thinning
Harvesting
Harvest before the firsts frosts
Growing pumpkins in the garden can be a lot of fun, especially for children who may use them for carving their jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. But, as many gardeners know, successfully growing pumpkins in the garden for Halloween pumpkins can be difficult to do. With a few pumpkin growing tips, you can grow perfect Halloween pumpkins in your garden.
Plant at the right time, now,late May.
It is keeping the pumpkins from rotting before Halloween that is hard. Mature pumpkins will rot quickly, so it is important to make sure your pumpkin is ripe right at Halloween. The best time for planting pumpkins depends on the variety and your climate. Normally, in the North, you should be planting pumpkins in mid to late May.
...Give your pumpkin lots of room...
Growing pumpkins requires a lot of room. Many pumpkin plants can grow to be 30 to 40 feet long. If you don’t provide enough room for your pumpkin plant, you may cause it to shade and weaken itself, which makes the plant more susceptible to disease and pests.
...Pumpkins love sunshine...
Plant your pumpkins where they will get lots of sun. The more the better.
...Pumpkins love water...
While growing pumpkins will tolerate some drought, it is best to make sure that they get regular watering. Make sure your pumpkin plants get 2 – 4 inches of water a week. Supplement with the hose if you are not getting this amount of rain.
...Plant your Pumpkins with Companions...
To help repel bugs from your pumpkin plant, plant some companion plants near.
Plants like....
Catnip
Radishes
Nasturtiums
Marigolds
Petunias
Mint
...Keep the Stem...
When you harvest your pumpkin plant, make sure you leave a good, long piece of the stem on the pumpkin. Once you cut potential Halloween pumpkins from the vine, a “handle” or stem will help slow the rotting process.
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