Growing Guides How to grow pumpkins

Date Published:

15/10/2007

Sowing

These fast-growing plants prefer a sunny, sheltered position with protection from cold winds.

Pumpkins need to be planted in a place that gets at least six hours (preferably more) of direct sunlight during the summer months. They are heavy feeders that need a rich soil and regular watering.

Prepare the growing site well in advance by digging a hole about 30cm (1ft) in width and depth for every plant you wish to grow, then half-filling them with well-rotted manure or compost.

Mix more compost into the excavated soil before returning it into the holes to form small mounds. Cover the area with a thick black plastic sheet or some old synthetic carpet to help warm it up.

Pumpkins are best started off indoors. Sow them in pots of moist seed compost in April or May, placing the seed on its edge around 1cm (½in) beneath the surface.

Put them in a warm place and keep the surface of the compost moist – but not waterlogged. Tiny seedlings should appear in around 10 days, if not sooner.

As soon as they've produced four leaves each, transfer them into 13cm (5in) pots and let them grow for a few weeks so they're ready to be planted out at the end of May.

Later sowings can be made outdoors on your pre-prepared mounds, under the protection of glass jars.

Planting

Plants raised indoors can be planted out on the pre-prepared mounds from early June onward, once all chance of frost has passed.

Position them on the sunniest side of the soil (south or south-west facing) near the top, planting them up to the same level they were at in the potting compost.

If you intend growing more than one pumpkin, the distance between your mounds will depend on how long the vines will grow on the variety you have chosen – the seed packet should reveal all.

They need to be able to spread freely – and put down roots – without interfering with their neighbours.

Put some straw around the vines to help to prevent weeds from interfering – they can be a serious problem as they will drain the mound of food and water.

Finish your planting off by watering the young plant well.