CyberSalad: Garden Pursuits: Vegetables: Pumpkins

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Cucurbita pepo

Pumpkins take a lot of space, but many gardeners plant one or two clumps, or hills, of them for fall decoration and pies. Some save space by sowing a few seeds in a row of corn, combining two plants in the same area. Others train the vines to grow on supports. Still others plant bush pumpkins, only three feet across.
Pumpkins are unusual among vegetables in that they grow well in light shade as well as in full sunshine. They do best in soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Sow seeds outdoors when night temperatures are expected to stay above 55 degrees for about four months. Plant 4 to 6 seeds 1 inch deep in a circle in each hill. When seedlings appear, cut off all but one or two of the strongest plants. From late summer on, remove any blossoms or new fruit to channel the plants' energies toward the fruit that have already formed. Harvest pumpkins when leaves die and the fruit become a rich orange, about four months after sowing. Cut pumpkins from the vine with pruning shears, leaving about 3 inches of stem on the fruit; pumpkins decay quickly if the stems are broken rather than cut. After harvesting, set pumpkins in the sun for a week or two to harden the outer skins, then store them in a cool dry place.

'Jack O'Lantern', bright orange 10-pounders look great carved with a spooky or happy face. Save a few for Thanksgiving pies too! Harvest in 100 days.

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Site launched January 1, 2000.
Site updated September 1, 2007.