How to grow pumpkin

Pumpkins are the quintessential fall vegetable, but they're actually a fruit. They're also super easy to grow, which is why I love them so much! You can even start your seeds indoors and move them outside once the weather gets nice. Here's everything you need to know about growing pumpkins at home.

Pick a suitable variety

Choosing a pumpkin variety can be helpful. Some varieties grow well in certain climates, and some are better suited for growing larger pumpkins than others. It's also important to choose a variety that is suitable for your soil type and growing conditions;

Silver Moon (70 days) — This white-fleshed variety has been around since 1900 and is delicious eaten fresh or canned as baby food! Its seeds are easily separated from their stringy pulp with ease, making them perfect for baking into tasty muffins!
Featherweight (74 days) — The large yellow fruits produced by this hardy heirloom grow up to 40 lbs., so plan on plenty of leftovers if you want to take advantage of all that delicious flesh inside—your kitchen will be buzzing with activity all season long!

Pumpkins require lots of room!

Pumpkins need lots of room to grow. Plant seeds in a large garden plot, preferably with well-drained soil. Pumpkin plants grow on vines and can be trained to climb over trellises or stakes. Space the rows at least 1.5 meters apart and space individual plants 1 metre apart within each row.

Know your climate

If you live in a cool climate, it's best to start your pumpkin seeds indoors. This will give them time to grow big and strong before the temperature drops. You can also protect your pumpkin plants from frost after they've been transplanted by covering them with row cover fabric (which is lightweight and breathable).

If you're growing pumpkins in a warm climate, then all you need to do is plant the seedling directly in the ground when the weather warms up enough. If you have an unusually cold spring season or if there's going to be an unusually early frost, then consider covering your young pumpkin plants with row cover fabric until they get established.

Start your seeds in late spring

Start your seeds indoors six to eight weeks before transplanting them outdoors.

The easiest way to do this is by planting the seeds in a seed tray or pot and keeping the soil moist. Once they have sprouted, you can transplant them into a larger container as they grow. Water regularly so that the soil remains moist—you don't want it to dry out completely!

Water appropriately

Watering your pumpkin is an important step for its growth, but it's also one that can be easily forgotten. Watering should be done regularly and deeply, but not too often. The best time to water is in the morning or evening, as soil can get too hot during the day and cause scorching (which can kill roots). A good rule of thumb is to water around 1 inch deep per plant every week; if you're struggling with keeping up with watering needs, try increasing the number of times you water each week until it feels manageable for you!

Harvest at the correct time

When you want to harvest, you'll need to check the skin of your pumpkin. When it is completely orange and hard, it's ready for harvest.

When harvesting pumpkins, cut them off at ground level with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Try not to leave any stem on the fruit as this can cause rot that will reduce its lifespan and value. If there are multiple fruits growing on one vine, they should be harvested individually so they can be treated separately from each other at different stages of development.

The best method for storage is hanging upside down in a cool dry room such as an attic or basement where temperatures stay between 50 F (10 C) and 60 F (15 C). Alternatively some people freeze their pumpkins whole (without cutting them), which preserves their quality by slowing down decomposition and fermentation processes that would otherwise destroy nutrients like vitamin A

Conclusion

When it comes to growing pumpkins, there are plenty of options available and each one offers something different. The best way to find out which variety is right for you is by doing some research and trying out a few different types. If all else fails, start with one of our recommended varieties above and see how things go from there!