Advice On Growing Pumpkins

In the Northeast where I live they should be in the ground by Memorial Day. Growing big pumpkins requires a lot of feeding, some people feed them liquid fertilizer and some people feed them milk. Other than that all you need if fairly rich growing soil.

I just got done clearing and feeding the area we'll be growing them in.  In MI I read that you can wait a little longer and still have pumpkins by Halloween.  I'm not looking for something to enter into a fair or anything, just to help teach my kids about gardening.

The growing season starts depending on the area you live in. The longer the growing season the better.

If I remember correctly, we tried to grow them when we lived in NY and they had to be on inclined ground so the vines would spread out and produce more fruit.  Also, if I remember correctly, I planted them too late and really didn't get many.  My son tried again when he was little, and instead of inclined ground, he let them grow 'up' on a fence, and it was a constant battle keeping the vines separate from strangling each other.  He did get a few fruits that year.

I'm just looking for a couple of pumpkins for the kids.  Thank you though!

I’d get a bag of Miracle-Gro potting soil (today). Dig holes about 8 – 10 inches wide and deep, and fill with Miracle-Gro soil. Mix Miracle-Gro soil about 50-50 with soil from holes and make mounds over the holes about 3 or 4 inches high in the middle, and about 18 inches across. Poke three or four holes about finger deep into the mounds about six inches apart, and drop a seed into each hole. Water well and daily. When plants appear, water well a couple of times a week. Water heavily with Miracle-Grow about once a month. You may be able to overcome the late start. These things are gonna vine EVERYWHERE you know.

I cleared, fed and watered the area yesterday.  We're going to plant seedlings not seeds.  I read about pruning and forcing vines to go a different direction, including up the fence.

Well then... nevermind ;-)

Then I shall!

Good post! I have 5 or 6 pumpkin seedlings that started where we had a pumpkin left behind last fall. The seeds are seeding themselves! I've been watering them every day as I water my other plants, and I'm just kind of waiting to see.

I don't know much about pumpkins--other than how to cook them--but I seem to remember that they require a long growing season, a lot of sun and a lot of water...but too much water makes the flesh watery and less flavorful. Depends on what you intend to do with the fruits--really big for impressive jack-o-lanterns or small, for pies and such. The pie varieties are sweeter and keep longer, I think.

Just for the kids for Halloween.  A couple of pumpkins to turn into Jack O Lanterns.

i have never grown pumpkins, but good luck!

I grew them when Nicholas and Megan was little.  I know I was told each year grow them in the same spot, and use the seeds from the pumpkins the year before.  That is about all I know. 

Thanks Renee.  I'm going to try to go and get the seedlings tomarrow and let the kids plant them on Monday.

what I have always done was just did a hole and shove seeds in and force them up a fencei have about 5 plants growing nowbut they are no big enough to start up the fence yet.

You are a very adventuresome person and a very nice Mom.  You are creating an adventure that they will remember forever even if you don't do it again. 

Thanks, as long as we're hear next year, we'll do it again!

I have never grown them, but next year I want to!

We planted some seeds in cups AND the ground with LOTS of "food" and we bought two seedlings last night.  Next year, I know to get them EARLY, because places run out of them.

thanks for sharing

So many knowledgeable pumpkin growers!  I'm impressed.

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