Pumpkins are a staple in our household - they are used in a diverse variety of dishes - from simply roasted to curries, lasagna, risotto, beef stew…the list goes on! We grill them, roast them, boil them for soup and simmer them with coconut milk.

We seek to have pumpkins in the pantry from March - November!! And we have discovered that the unique texture and flavour of each variety lends itself to particular recipes - making having an assortment not only decorative but appetising!

Many people tend to choose one pumpkin as they do have roaming vines which can become unruly - even on a farm our size. But think about those quintessential moments in high summer when you gaze over the garden and see abundance and vibrant health. A pumpkin vine weaving its way through corn and sunflowers, cascading over beds and fences, attracting beneficial pollinators and slowly maturing big fruits is truly a sight of the growing season. And as I love to decorate seasonally, I adore the multitude of pumpkins on benches, steps, porches and larder shelves.

Even some large pumpkin varieties can also be trellised to create a living arch over a garden path. The stems actually strengthen as the fruit grows supporting its weight!

GROWING TIPS

Seed Starting

We start our pumpkins in large 3”soil blocks - preferring starting them in the glass house to direct seeding in the field only because it gives us a head start at weed control in the field. Pumkins have large root systems that stretch down over 1m. They do not particularly like their roots disturbed so we tend to plant them out as soon as we see roots at the edge of the soil block. Soil blocks offer minimal root disturbance at transplanting.

We start them 2-3 weeks ahead of our ideal transplant date which balances warm soil and temperatures with the days need to mature the crop. We want to harvest our crop from late Feb - April to allow time to cure. With some varieties needing 125 days to mature, this puts our sowing date late October - first week in November. In cooler springs, starting early in the glass house gives us a jump start on the warm season.

Transplanting

Sow 2-3 seeds per 2-3" soil block or container 2-3 weeks prior to transplanting. Germinate at 24-35°C. Thin to 1 plant/container or cell with scissors. Harden plants 4–7 days prior to transplanting. When nights have warmed above 15°C, transplant out according to the spacing recommendations for each variety. Handle seedlings carefully; minimal root disturbance is best.

Direct Sowing

Sow in late spring when soil is at least 21°C and nights are above 15°C. Sow 2 -3 seeds at the appropriate spacing interval for the variety's vine length, 1/2-1" deep. Thin to 1 plant per spacing interval after seedlings are established.

Soil

Pumpkins are considered heavy feeders and benefit from soil that has had an autumn sown diverse green manure crop grown with well rotted manure. This offers the plant rich soil with lots of soil life. Fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8–6.8 is best.

Pumpkins occupy two whole bays on our small farm. We interplant them with a low lying white clover and sunflowers. Not only do the sunflowers look amazing with the pumpkin vines, they also attract pollinators. As pumpkins use so much high valued real estate, we demand that they are productive! Pumpkin fruit development completely depends on pollination with each plant having male and female flowers. The pollen from a male flower needs to get into a female flower. This is directly related to pollinators in your garden, availability of male flowers when there are female flowers open and climate, as too much heat or a lot of rain can damage the available pollen.

We have also had intense heat in summer and the sunflowers shade the forming fruit helping to avoid sun burn while the clover shades and protects the life in the soil and available moisture.

We have tried once with a non-living mulch - mowing our green manure crop and planting into it. One of our main “pests’ in our coastal situation is small snails. As soon as we transplanted the crops, the snails attacked the young fresh flesh. We also love living, diverse soil which again for our sandy location is best maintained with living ground covers.

The pollen of any pumpkin variety will pollinate the fruit. That fruit will grow true BUT the seed produced will be a cross. Many varieties of pumpkin benefit from having different varieties close to aid with pollen production. So in addition to having a few different pumpkins to harvest, diversity also can help with the overall harvest.

If you want to save your seed, hand pollinate a few female flowers, marking the forming fruit so you know which fruit has true seed!

The Three Sisters

The three sisters is a companion planting guild with corn, climbing beans and pumpkin - each nurturing the other in a symbiotic relationship that benefits all the crops. This planting guild has its origins in the domestication of squash, corn and beans is Mesoamerica over 6000 years ago with many different interpretations throughout North America.

The practical application, in a home garden might be with a flint or pop corn variety, a dried bean and pumpkins. Pumpkins are so vigorous, harvesting corn and beans for fresh eating would require tip toeing through the pumpkin vines.

Also, for us here in Southern Victoria, the pumpkin patch is a haven for poisonous tiger snakes, attracted to the ample mouse population hiding under the huge pumpkin leaves. Once the pumpkins plants have closed the canopy, we walk in with tall gum boots.

In addition to clover though, vetch, a leguminous green manure bean, can be under sown in the pumpkin. The flowers attract pollinators, the nitrogen fixing nodules work for the pumpkin and the corn, and the legume stabilise the corn in strong winds.

Disease Prevention

One of the best way to ensure an ample harvest is supporting the health of the plant.

Transplanting into fertile soil filled with life.
Allow adequate space and airflow. Powdery mildew is a leading pumpkin disease that reduces the vigour of the plant just when it is finishing the maturity of its fruits.
Try to mange plant stress early
- Offer deep watering to encourage a strong root system
- Cover the soil

*‘MARINA DI CHIOGGIA’ HEIRLOOM PUMPKIN FROM ITALY*

Harvest

Harvest when fruits are full size and have a deep rich color and hard rinds that can’t be easily dented with a finger nail. We also look for dryness in the stem - the plants indicator that it is finished. Changing colour of the “ground spot” or general tanning or a slight terracotta colouring in the skin is also a sign. To harvest, cut stem at least 5-10 cm from the fruit: a short or broken stem can lead to rot. Cure after harvest by keeping in a warm, dry location for a few days.

Storage

Store at 10-12°C with 55-75% relative humidity and good air circulation. ‘Red Kuri’ and ‘Honeynut’ do not need curing, but will not store as long as other varieties.