Pumpkin Patch in Your Landscaping

Growing a pumpkin patch in your landscaping requires a lot of space. Some experts suggest 50 to 100 square feet per hill for the average pumpkin patch. However, if you want to grow giant pumpkins you will need more room than that in your landscaping design.

If you want to have mature pumpkins in October you will need to look at your timing when planting. Pumpkin seeds won’t germinate unless the soil is at least 60 degrees. If the area that you live in is slow to get warmer weather in the spring, you can start the pumpkin seeds indoors. Just make sure you check the maturation dates on the particular seeds you are planting; some varieties have a growing maturation date as short as 50 days.

If you are planting your pumpkin patch outdoors, plant four to five seeds an inch deep in a pumpkin hill, which is simply an 18-inch mound of enriched soil that receives full sun. Leave 5 to 6 feet between your hills for pumpkin plants that vine, 3 to 4 feet for semi-vining plants. Once seeds sprout, leave two or three of the strongest seedling per hill. Mini pumpkin patch can be planted with much less room; you can plat two or three seeds every 2 feet if planting in a row.

Use drip irrigation in your pumpkinpatch to keep the soil evenly moist and leaves dry. This helps reduce the risk and spread of disease. Be on the lookout for cucumber beetles and squash bugs in your pumpkin patch. These bugs love every part of the pumpkin – from the seedling to the vine to the fruit. Damage to the vine from these bugs can spell disaster to your pumpkin patch.

Harvest your pumpkins when they are a deep, solid color (orange for most varieties) and the rind is hard. Pumpkins are typically ready to be harvested in late September or early October. When harvesting your pumpkin patch, cut the stem leaving a 3 to 4 inch stem. If you are not going to use your pumpkin right away, store them in a cool (50 to 55 degree), dry location to help them last longer.