How long pumpkins take to grow

Then enjoy the fruits of your labor — either by carving , cooking, or decorating. You' re better off buying seeds from a reputable brand than saving ones from a random pumpkin. Even if the seeds do germinate, they may produce a different plant if cross-pollination with another squash species occurred.

Using saved seeds could serve as a fun experiment, but it's worth spending a couple bucks on vetted seeds for reliably growing jack-o'-lanterns by Halloween.

The bigger the container, the better. A half-barrel planter could do the trick. Take care to monitor the soil — container gardens will dry out faster than normal beds.

Spreading a layer of straw underneath your developing crop can help protect the gourds during the hot summer months. Pumpkins generally take about three months to reach maturity, but it can depend on the variety. Check seed packet for the "Days to Maturity" to determine when you can expect to harvest your crop. It depends. Many varieties need at least days to grow gourds, making July a great time to start planting.

But as long as you have enough time before cold weather and winter frosts set in, go ahead! Pumpkins produce both male and female flowers. You can tell them apart because female flowers in the squash family have an ovary — what looks like a little mini fruit — right below them.

The male flowers typically open first and fall off. That's okay! As long as the female flowers get pollinated, you're set to go. At the beginning of the season, cover your plants with floating row covers to protect them from common culprits like squash bugs , squash vine borers , and cucumber beetles. Remove these covers as soon as flowers develop, however, because you'll need bees to pollinate them! For that same reason, always take care when using any type of insecticide on your garden.

The chemicals can harm these all-important creatures and consequently prevent the plants from producing any pumpkins! Product Reviews. Home Ideas. Pumpkins are members of the gourd family, which includes cucumbers, melons, cantaloupe, watermelons, and zucchini. What do these vegetables have in common? They grow on vines and need plenty of space! Pumpkins can easily take over your entire garden patch before you know it. Generally, you will need 10 ft.

Alternatively, plant pumpkins around the perimeter of your garden or build a sturdy shade structure from bamboo for pumpkin vines to grown on. Just make sure to place your trellis on the north or west sides of your beds so as not to shade out other parts of your garden.

Pumpkins require at least eight hours of direct sun each day, so choose a sunny spot in your garden accordingly. Plant your pumpkin seeds in mounds and place four to five seeds in each hole, one to one and a half inches deep, spacing the mounds about four to six feet apart. Add a thin layer of compost to the top of the soil. Once the seeds germinate — usually in a week — wait seven to ten days and then carefully thin the seedlings with scissors, leaving only the strongest two plants.

After thinning the plants, add a layer of organic mulch to conserve water and suppress weeds. Although pumpkins are fairly hardy and drought tolerant, water them deeply a few times a week. Manage your pumpkin patch by looking out for any pests and diseases. Common pests and diseases for pumpkins include squash bugs, vine borers, aphids, cucumber beetles, powdery mildew, and downy mildew, but these can be managed using organic techniques — remove the bug casings by hand or try spraying the pumpkins with citrus oils or compost teas.

Or plant in early to mid-July if you want a fall crop for decorating or baking. To make sure your crop has enough time to grow to full size before the first frost in the fall, read the seed package to learn the "days to maturity. While some pumpkin varieties can grow up to 20 feet long, many newer types are more compact.

But "compact" is a relative term, and these vines still require plenty of room. Smaller types typically need about six square feet of ground. Read the package to ensure you're choosing a variety that will fit in your garden. Although pumpkins have both male and female flowers on one plant, they require pollinators usually bees to set fruit, so be wary about using pesticides. And if you don't already have flowers in your garden, plant pollinator-friendly plants including annuals or perennials to attract them!

It's good for your pumpkins and all your other edibles, too. Make sure you weed and feed your pumpkin crop. No matter which pumpkin variety you decide to grow, keep the area weeded. Pumpkins have feeder roots near the surface, and weeding reduces competition for nutrients and water and promotes better air circulation, which helps pumpkins fend off diseases. Feed pumpkins once within a few weeks of planting with a general-purpose fertilizer, says Esslinger.

Give them plenty of water. Pumpkins like tons of water when the flowers and fruits are forming. If you're having a dry spell, vines wilt or flowers shrivel and drop off. A large vine needs about three gallons of water to soak the area," says Esslinger. Look for cucumber beetles. Around the same time the baby pumpkins are appearing on the vine, the damaging pests show up.

Watch out for cucumber beetles , small pale greenish-yellow beetles with black stripes or spots, about half the size of the more commonly-recognized Japanese beetle.

In a few weeks, the plants collapse," says Esslinger. Cucumber beetles are not easily picked by hand, so you may need to apply a botanical insecticide called pyrethrin.