Care for a Pumpkin Plant
- Pumpkins should be planted in little hills about ten feet apart. Once you've got plants sprouting upwards from the soil, it will be time to separate them. Thin out your hills by only keeping two pumpkin plants per hill. Overcrowding your plants will shrink your crop. Keep in mind your pumpkin's vines can run up to thirty feet in any one direction. Protect your baby pumpkin plants by pulling up, gently, any weeds that spring up around them. Water them daily during the dry days when precipitation is minimal. Lay soaker hoses close to your pumpkin plants and use them as often as you need to. A good rule of thumb is turn off your hoses when you see water puddling around your pumpkin plant.
- As your pumpkin plants grow you'll find they are heavy drinkers and eaters. As they are made of 80% water, you'll need to water them faithfully as they mature. Besides continuing to water them you will also need to feed them. Pumpkins grow big and need a large amount of nutrients to keep themselves growing healthy. Chances are the nutrient rich soil you planted them in will be drained of it's good minerals in just a few weeks. Add nutrients to your pumpkin plant's growing patch. Look for products that contain fish emulsion. Pumpkins like this smelly fertilizer. Mix it with water and pour into the pumpkin patch. You should add the nutrients every three to four weeks to give your plants a growing boost.
- The number one danger for young pumpkin plants is frost. On nights when frost is expected cover your plants by inverting a clay pot over top of them. Don't worry about the vines, they can take care of themselves. Most pumpkin types aren't considered lunch-worthy plants, but you should keep an eye on the pumpkin's leaves. If they seem especially tattered by chewing bugs you may need to take one to a local feed store to find out what kind of pests are bothering you. The pesky Vine-Borer is a bug that enjoys pumpkin vines. These small bugs bore into the vine of the plant and drink all the juices. If you suspect your pumpkin vines are being chewed on by these bugs you'll need to treat the plants with some Diazinion. Diazinion should be sprayed at the base of the vine according to the manufacturer's directions. It is a type of poison especially deadly to Vine-Borers, but humans should take precautions when handling the product. Wear face masks and gloves whenever handling pesticides.
- As your pumpkin begins to grow it will become heavy. As soon as your pumpkin is heavy enough, set it on the ground gently right side up. You want to end up with a pretty pumpkin, nicely round in shape. Failure to shift your growing pumpkin will result in a lop-sided fruit.
