Oh my gourd, I love fall!

 

Some people grow pumpkins to eat while others want to just carve them.  Then there are individuals who grow pumpkins as a sport, striving for the largest pumpkin they can grow for the county fair. The term ‘pumpkin’ can be confusing, meaning different things in different places.  What I am referring to is the round or oval orange fruits that are a member of the squash/gourd family that are typically used for the traditional Halloween decorations and holiday pies.  The seeds are also used for snacking and are a good source of protein.  However, there are more varieties of pumpkins than just the common orange Jack-o-lantern.   Pumpkins seem as American as apple pie, but they've been grown around the world for centuries. Pumpkins are technically a type of squash. The Native tribes grew them alongside corn and beans as one of the mythological “Three Sisters” garden of agriculture.

Have you ever wondered why pumpkins are orange?   During the growth stage, pumpkins are green and contain a pigment called “carotenoids”.  Chlorophyll is needed for plant photosynthesis.  Nature sends a signal to green pumpkins to ripen.  The green plants produce less and less chlorophyll, allowing the orange color of the carotenoids to emerge as the pumpkin ripens. Orange is the most commonly known color, but pumpkins come in white, red, pink, and blue; and can be smooth, bumpy, warty, oval, flattened, or round.

One of the most popular orange varieties grown commercially is "Connecticut Field". These are usually between 10 and 20 pounds each.  They have a watery, bland taste. So the “Connecticut Field variety” is not a great pie pumpkin, but it makes a great Jack-o-lantern.

Many people like to use a “crook neck” pumpkin also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch crookneck squash.  It is a popular variety for both fresh market and home garden. According to many gardeners and myself, this is the best pumpkin for pies. This is actually a squash related to the butternut squash.  Its fruit is 18 to 24″ in length with a 4 to 5″ neck and a 9″ bulb. The rind is light brown, smooth, and hard.  The flesh is thick, solid, dry, sweet, and orange in color. 

 

2024 Pumpkin Growing Tips

Once you decided the pumpkin variety and purchased your seeds, you can start them indoors about three weeks before the last expected frost.  Or if you choose to direct sow, the soil temperature should be about 60 degrees F.  Plant 3 - 6 seeds in a hill, or slightly raised mound.  Spacing varies with the variety (check seed packet), but in general allow at least 5 feet between plants in each direction. Vines and roots can easily spread 15 ft.  Just keep in mind pumpkin plants take up a lot of space and you’ll need a 6 x 8-foot area for 1 plant.

Pumpkins will grow up a fence or trellis, but make sure it is strong and study since there can be as many as 9 pumpkins per vine. The vines of small pumpkin varieties can sprawl as far as large pumpkins.  They like full sun and a rich well-draining soil. Soil ph should be slightly acidic, 6.0 to 6.5.

Suggested Varieties of Pumpkin to Grow:

Carving Pumpkins: "Connecticut Field", "Ghost Rider" or "Jack O" Lantern".

Giant Pumpkins: "Atlantic Giant"

Cooking Pumpkins: "Small Sugar", aka "New England Pie".

Heirloom "Cinderella" Pumpkin: "Rouge vif  D"Etampes", "Musque de Provence"

White Pumpkins: "Baby Boo", "Lumina", "Casper"

Other Colors: "Australian Blue" & "Rouge D"Etant" (Red variety)

Hull-less Seed Varieties: "Hungarian Mammoth", "Lady Godiva", "Triple-Treat"

Caring for Pumpkin Plants

Thin the seedlings to the strongest 2 -3 plants.  Use mulch around the plants to help conserve moisture, suppress the weeds, and keep the fruit clean.  It also helps to place boards under the fruits to keep them from touching the ground and rotting.  Give your plants at least 1 to 2 inches of water a week, especially when they're blooming and setting fruit. Once the first fruits appear, you can pinch back the vine tips, to limit vine growth and to put the plant’s energy into maturing the existing pumpkins. However, this may limit production of more fruits.  Turn the pumpkins slightly every week or so to keep them growing symmetrical. Do this gently because you don’t want to snap the vines.

Pumpkins take about 90 to 120 days to mature after seeds are planted depending on the variety.  The pumpkins are ripe when they are fully colored and have a hard rind and woody stem.  When ready to harvest, carefully cut off the stem with a knife, leaving a few inches of stem on the pumpkin.  Then place them in a warm sunny spot (low to mid 80s F.) and space them far enough apart so they are not touching.  Allow curing for about 2 weeks; then they can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry spot (50 F.)  Some pumpkin varieties do not store very well through the winter, but you should be able to hold onto them for a month or two.

Common pumpkin pest problems are squash bugs, vine borers, and cucumber beetles. Avoid planting them near a close a relative, like cucumbers or other types of squash. Companion plants such as petunias or nasturtiums may help deter the pests.  Plant them nearby to help repel the squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and vine borers.  You may want to try circling each hill at planting time with radishes to ward off squash beetles.  Common diseases include powdery mildew and downy mildew.  Downy mildew can be prevented by watering directly onto the soil and not wetting the leaves.

So let’s spice things up a bit with one of my favorite recipes using fresh pumpkin puree for easy pumpkin bread.  This makes 4 small loaves great for sharing at the holidays or freezing.   “Orange” you glad fall is coming?  Enjoy!

 

Homemade Pumpkin Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix in a large bowl:

1 ¾  C.  flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 ½  C. sugar

Add to the dry mixture:

½   C.  Vegetable oil

1/3  C.  water

2 large eggs

1 C.  fresh pumpkin   (you may use canned also)

Directions:

Stir well or use a mixer to blend

Pour into well greased baby baking pans 5” x 3 ¼ in. x 2”

Bake 40 – 45 mins. or until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans.  Enjoy with butter or cream cheese spread. 

 

Kathy Rohrbaugh, York County Master Gardeners