By

PUMPKINS 101

By Andy Wolf

SITE SELECTION

• SUN
• ELEVATION, DRAINAGE
• AVAILABILITY TO WATER
• SPACE REQUIRED

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Space Required �Patch Patterns

25’ X 30’ = 750 sq.ft

30’ X 50’ = 1500 sq.ft. (750 sq.ft./plant)

Soil Test

• Western Labs - Parma, ID
• A&L
• Midwest Labs
• Cooperative extension (UMASS, ect.)

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Soil Amendments

• Manure: Cow, Horse, Rabbit, ect.
• Leaves
• Green manure
• Your compost mix.

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FALL PREPARATIONS�

• Cover crop?
• Fertilizers?
• Patch rotation?

SPRING PREPARATIONS�Pre-planting preparations

• Mow cover crop.
• Amendments:
• Gypsum
• Lime (if needed)
• Humic Acid
• Minerals (Azomite, Ironite, ect.)
• Fertilizers:
• Compost
• Manure
• Powdered Kelp (Seaweed)
• Fish

• Work up the ground while tilling in amendments & cover crop/green manure.
• Till too early – mud & clumps. (know your soil)
• Till too late - cover crop too big, hard to till.

Spring Amendments

Tilled in

When do I plant?

• Mid April – Early May - INDOORS
• April 10, 12, 11th start date here.
• The entire growth cycle takes over 150 days, 90 for plant and 90+ for pumpkin.
• Allows for:
• Large plant size at pollination time.
• Fastest growth at warmest part of summer.

SPRING PREPARATIONS�Before planting:

• Pre-warm soil
• Should be over 60 degrees.
• Plastic sheeting flat on the ground.
• Huts covered with plastic sheeting (mini-greenhouses)
• Soil heating cables

Germination

• And if all goes right, after 4-7 days, the seed sprouts.
• The seedlings can become root-bound in around a week.
• This is usually about the time the 1^st true leaf appears.

TRANSPLANTING�The day of planting that seedling

• Transplant in the mini-greenhouse.
• Ensure good ventilation, avoid overheating.
• DO NOT use a pit.
• A raised bed or small mound is better.
• Quicker to warm up.
• Better drainage.

TRANSPLANTING�The day of planting that seedling

• Setting the plant.
• Main vine opposite 1^st true leaf.
• Transplant solution – 1 gallon of warm water with light fertilizers.
• Protect plant on cold nights with cheap styrofoam cooler.
• Spray for bugs!
• Monitor temperature!

Avoid Soil Compaction

• Daily foot travel compacts the soil.

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• Walking boards

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• Loose soil helps proper O₂ exchange & root spreading.

INSECTS & DISEASE

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• Insects:
• Cucumber beetle
• Squash Vine Borer
• Aphids

Cucumber Beetle

Die, Die, Die!

Squash Vine Borer & Aphid

SVB Grub in Leaf

Insecticides�Contact or Systemic?

Vines & Wind

• Vines grow as much as a foot a day.
• Leaf stems can be 2-3 feet tall.
• Vines should be staked down and buried.
• Helps prevent vine splits & breaks during winds.

Temporary Protection

Bury Vines = More Roots!

Vine Training & Watering

• X-mas tree pattern.
• Moves vines late in the day, warmer. AM they are cold & brittle.
• Never move more than a few inches/day
• Takes a few days to complete a vine move.

• Till ahead of vine growth. Don’t get too close, white root filaments= too close.
• To stretch root growth, water away from the main root zone.

Irrigation

• Keep moist, but not overly wet.
• Steady moisture
• Overhead / Drip tape / soaker hoses
• All depends on your soil type and precip.

POLLINATION �2 Ways to Pollinate Pumpkins – By Hand or Bees

• Hand Pollination
• Must be controlled or protected to maintain genetics.
• Insures thorough distribution of pollen to all segments.
• Use multiple male flowers.
• Record pollination date and male plant used.

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POLLINATION �Which one(s) to pollinate

• Deformities – seeds.
• Visualize the larger fruit.
• Stem stress
• “S” bend for shoulders
• Vine height as fruit height increases
• On top of vine
• Vine & stem splits
• Shoulders grow off vine
• Pollinate a few on main vine – 10’ out & greater.

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Good Curve

Culls

Which One(s) To Keep

• The size of the fruit is an important factor, but consider others:
• Feet out on the vine (pollination date).
• Shape of the fruit.
• Position on the vine.
• Cull down to only fruit you are going to grow for maximum size.

If things are going well…

More things to Remember�Again, while all this is going on….

• Maintain weekly insecticide & fungicide applications.
• Keep plants pest free.
• Remember – the Cuke Beetle bacterial wilt takes 30-45 days to appear.
• Most (all?) vine growth terminated after 1^st of August.

Don’t forget --

• Once fruit is “set”/ pollinated for sure, usually 30” – 50” circ., fruit growth should take off.
• Read your plant.
• Lime green vs. Blue green
• Fertilize entire root system.

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Slow & Steady Wins the Race

• Remember:
• Do everything gradually
• Too much fertilizer will end your season faster than too little.
• Pre-season ground prep is essential.

You Too Could Be Here.

Questions

• Common beginner mistakes
• Planting too soon
• Nitrogen levels
• Inadequate pest control

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• How can we help?
• Free plants!
• Show by example

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• Fungicide / Pesticide use?
• Honestly not good enough
• Bugs: Merit, Sevin*, Triazcide, Cyonara
• Fungicides: Eagle, Stylet Oil, TKO, Quadris
• Biologicals: Azos, Companion, Subtilex, Root, TerraGrow

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Questions

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• Spray damage?
• I use very dilute fish on leaves only rarely, and mainly to discourage deer.
• Went heavy with TKO last year on leaves, it did some damage , especially on newer leaves.
• Keep track of what you spray, then look back.

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• Ideal temperature?
• Best growth seems to be mid -80s F during the day, and high 60s for a low
• Keep the fruit warm during cold spells at night, cold snaps during good growth tend to bring on split pumpkins.
• Shade vine tip(s) on hot / high UV days

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