It’s pumpkin season! Even if you don’t like pumpkin spiced lattes, which honestly, I could take ‘em or leave ‘em, Its still not October if there aren’t pumpkins every where!
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For 2 months out of the year, life is colored with pumpkins and that makes me happy. We carve them for Halloween and we bake them for thanksgiving.
Every year we pick up a plethora of pie pumpkins from the grocery store and we make our annual trip to the pumpkin patch where the Renaissance Man spends way to much time and money finding the perfect pumpkin to carve for spooky season.
My first attempt at growing Pumpkins
I did grow pumpkins one year. At the time we only had 5 kids, but that was a lot of pumpkins and it got a real pricey at the pumpkin patch so I had this brilliant idea that I would enlist the kids into growing their own. It would be a months long project. As the pumpkins grew, each kid claimed their own and watched its progress. Occasionally one would die back and they’d have to pick a new one but by October, they each had their own home grown pumpkin to carve.
The downside to growing pumpkins and the reason why I haven’t done it since, is the vines. Those damn pumpkin vines grow everywhere. They just took over our yard and we spent more time moving them to mow the lawn that we ever wanted to.
Part of the vine problem was that we grew 6 plants. I suppose if we’d only planted one or two, it wouldn’t have felt like the Little Shop of Horror’s
Tips for Growing Pumpkins
Pumpkins have been growing in North America for almost 5, 000 years. They are completely native. I think that’s so cool. Very few of the plants I research are native to the Americas
The have a very long growing season. As such, they need between 75- 100 days from planting to harvest. You should plant seeds directly into the soil after the danger of the last frost (check frost dates for your location here) Make sure the soil has reached 70 degrees or ideally, 95.
They do best when you direct sow but if you have to start them indoors, be sure to harden them off well. Pumpkins seedlings are sensitive to drastic temperature changes.
Pumpkins need lots of sun and LOTS of space, 50 -100 square feet per hill.
Let me explain this hill thing because there are quite a few vegetables that call for one and I did it wrong for a long time.
Plant on a hill
You’re going to want to build up a hill about the size of a small pitchers mound (which is a lot bigger than I originally thought). When planting pumpkins, I suggest you add lots of compost or well rotted manure to these hills. The purpose of the hill itself is because it will get more sun and therefore get warmer, which is what seeds need to germinate.
The secondary purpose of the hill is to elevate the stem from the base of the garden and alleviate the possibility that the stem will be sitting in water or overly moist soil. Wet stems will rot or be attacked by vine borers.
You’re going to want to build these mounds 4-8 feet apart. Add 4-5 seeds per mound and in 7 to 10 days you’ll have little sprouts. Pinch off two of the smaller ones. Don’t pull them, you will disturb the roots of the other ones. Pumpkin seedlings are very sensitive.
Now you have 3 seedlings per mound and a good amount of space around them to grow. I know they look fragile and lonely and it seems that you have a lot of wasted space but those little buggers are going to spread out to take over all the space and them some.
Feeding requirements
Pumpkins are very heavy feeders, which is why we added so much compost to the original hill. You’re also going to want to top dress these guys a couple times throughout the growing season. Just becareful when you work the compost into the soil because pumpkin roots are shallow. Feel free to fertilize with your favorite organic fertilizer, they won’t complain.
They need a lot of water as well, especially after they start fruiting. Be sure they have at least one inch of water a week. Like most plants they do better if you water the ground and not so much the leaves. Pumpkin is prone to powerdery mildew on their leaves.
Its a good idea to mulch the area to cut down on weeds as well as keeping the dirt from splashing all over the plants.
Fruiting
Its normal if the first flowers don’t produce fruit right away. Pumpkins have both male and female flowers and both need to be present to produce fruit. If you have both flowers, (the male are tall on a long stem and the female are close to the vine), and you’re afraid you don’t have enough pollinators, you can take a cotton swab or soft bristle paint brush and pollinate them yourself.
When you do finally get pumpkins growing, try to get them off the dirt by putting cardboard under them. I remember seeing someone put their prize pumpkin on bricks. This will protect them from bugs and microbes.
Alternate Growing ideas
Some of the smaller varieties of pumpkins can be grown on a trellis. Just take care to support the fruit as it grow with slings or stockings.
Harvesting Pumpkins
Pumpkins are ready for harvesting when they are fully grown and ripe. Orange varieties are orange when ripe, if it still has green areas its not ripe. Other ways to tell if you pumpkin is ripe is to thump it with your finger, the rind should be hard and the sound hallow.
When you do harvest, cut the stem at least 2-3 inches from the pumpkin with a sharp knife or cutters. Don’t tear at it, you’ll damage the stem. Leaving a few inches of stem on the pumpkin protects the soft area from bacteria that can cause premature rot.
Once you pick your pumpkin or other winter squash, let it sit out in the sunlight for a couple days. This will toughen up the skin and protect it from bumps and bruises. Afterwards, keep them in a cool dry place until you’re ready to use them. A cellar or other cool room with temperatures around 55 will do fine.
Preserving and Using your Pumpkins
Pumpkins and winter squash will keep in cool dark dry places. It was one of those vegetables that kept early Americans alive through the winters.
You can cut it into pieces and boil it until the tough skin is soft enough to peel. Then chop the pumpkin into pieces to can in a pressure canner.
I don’t have one, so I can’t tell you how to do that.
Pumpkin Puree
My favorite way to prepare and preserve pumpkin is by first making a puree. It’s pretty much what you get in the can but it tastes so much better.
I prefer to roast my pumpkins. Cut them in half, take out the seeds and slick them down with olive oil. Then put them center side down on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until you can stick a fork through the skin.
Once they’re done and have cooled off enough to handle, I peel off the skins and mash the insides.
Now this is what we use when we make pumpkin pies or muffins or any variety of pumpkin flavored goodies like pumpkin butter.
Freezing your puree
If I don’t have a use for it right away, by right away, I mean with in the next 12 hours, I’ll smash it into a freezer bag and freeze it. Try to get all the air bubble out. Its not always possible but do your best. Those air pockets are prone to freezer burn and need to be cut away before using. Frozen puree will stay in the freezer for about 3 months, although I have pushed it to 6 before seeing signs of freezer burn.
Pumpkin Seeds
Lets get back to those seeds we pulled out of our pumpkins. When I gut a pumpkin, I usually have a great big bowl to hold all the seeds. And before I touch that pumpkin, whether I’m cooking or carving, I fill the bowl of pumpkin seed with water. The seed float up to the top while all the flesh and fibers sink. Most of those seeds are going to be connected with stringy fibers and you’ll have to pull them off but its so much easier with water than without.
Once I get the seeds separated, the guts go in the compost and I have to decide what to do with the seeds. Some of them I’ll roast for pumpkin seeds and some I’ll just dry for magic spells.
Medicinal and Nutritional Properties
Once upon a time, pumpkins were thought to cure snake bites. There is no scientific basis or correlation to this old wives tale, I just like fun facts.
Pumpkin, when prepared conservatively, is practically a super food. By conservatively I mean boiled or baked with a little oil, butter and salt. However when you add all the sugar, cream and other additives to make it sweet and rich, you negate the health benefits. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the goodies. Eat those in moderation and also eat boring pumpkin as well. It’s actually pretty good that way.
Pumpkin is high in vitamins and minerals and low in calories. It is high in Vitamin A, C,& E as well as potassium, iron, folate and fiber. Pumpkin is high in anti-oxidants and other nutrients the boost the immune system.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and good for prostrate problems. Eat as much as 1/4 cup a day.
Magical Properties of Pumpkin
Protection:
Carve your pumpkin into a Jack O’ Lantern and use the following Blessing as you place your Jack O’ Lantern on display.
“ May the light of this lantern frighten away all evil spirits who wish to do us harm and light the way for all good spirits and ancestors who wish to visit us this night.”
You can also light pumpkin scented candles to banish negative energies.
Divination
Keep a small pumpkin in your divination space for extra insight when you need help with discovery and to reveal the unknown.
Prosperity
Add a pumpkin to your altar, hearth, or doorstep to attract prosperity. Use pumpkin seeds in prosperity rituals and wishes.
Banishing Ritual
- Hallow out pumpkin
- Write a note detailing what is to be banished
- Put note and banishing herbs in hallowed out pumpkin
- Cover with olive oil or castor oil
- Take to a fire safe place and light oil on fire. Let it burn completely
- Remove any remains from your property and dispose of the remains in a body of water that will carry them away such as a river or stream.
Now that you know what to do with all those pumpkins at the grocery store and farm stands, go out and get as many as your little heart desires! It’s okay to get excited about pumpkins, they only come this time of year!
