Lots of people love pumpkins. They are not only perfect for Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations, and they also are great for making lots of different crafts in your home. If you want to grow your own pumpkins, it is important to know what pumpkin plants look like and how they grow.
Growing pumpkins is a great way to add some fall fun to your garden! These big, orange fruits are not only perfect for carving jack-o-lanterns, but they also make delicious pies, loaves of bread, and soups. Pumpkins are easy to grow as long as you start with healthy plants.
Here is the scoop on what pumpkin plants look like!
What Pumpkin Plants Look Like
Pumpkin plants are actually a type of vine. The vines can be either green or white and are covered in small, sharp hairs. The leaves of pumpkin plants are large and can be either lobed or palmate. Male and female flowers grow on the same plant, but only the female flowers will develop into pumpkins.
Pumpkin plants are usually between two and four feet in height and have large, dark green leaves.
Pumpkins are ready to harvest when they are a deep, rich orange color and the skin is hard. To harvest, cut the stem about 2 inches from the pumpkin. Be careful not to damage the stem, as this will make the pumpkin more susceptible to rot.
Pumpkin Care
Pumpkin plants need full sun and warm weather to thrive. They also need rich soil with a lot of organic matter. Pumpkin seeds should be planted in direct sunlight after the last frost date in your area, and seedlings should be transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost has passed.
Pumpkin plants are very vigorous growers, and can easily take over a garden if they are not given enough space. They need plenty of room to spread out, and their vines can grow up to 20 feet long! Most pumpkin varieties need a long growing season, so it is best to start them indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.
Pumpkins are heavy feeders, and will need to be fertilized regularly throughout the growing season. A good rule of thumb is to apply ½ pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden space.
Pumpkin vines need lots of water at the base of the plant, especially when they are flowering and fruit is beginning to set. Water the plants deeply about once a week, giving them enough water to soak down to the roots. They need about 1 inch of water per week.
As the pumpkins begin to mature, you may need to prop them up with straw or hay to prevent them from rotting on the ground. You can also place them on a sheet of plywood or cardboard to keep them clean and dry.
Pumpkin Growing Phases
When you plant your pumpkin seeds, you'll nurturing them through several phases until they're ready to harvest. Here's what you can expect:
1. Seed Germination
This is the first phase and it starts when you plant your pumpkin seeds. It can take anywhere from three to 10 days for the seeds to germinate young plants.
Be sure to plant pumpkins in the season with proper soil temperature. It is a good idea to wait until there is no chance of frost before planting your pumpkin patch.
This is typically around late Spring, around late May, or early June in cooler climates, especially in North America.
Also, a great choice is planting pumpkins in a raised bed. This is the best way to control soil moisture and temperature since this is a warm-weather crop.
2. Seedling Growth
Once the seeds have germinated, the pumpkin seedlings will start to grow. This phase can last anywhere from two to four weeks.
There are many factors that impact seedling growth. You need good air circulation, moist soil, and a lot of space for each of the pumpkin growth stages. Your pumpkin sprouts will grow a large main vine. The first true leaves and first flowers will grow from this.
3. Vegetative Growth
This is the phase where the pumpkin plants will start to produce leaves and vines. The vegetative phase can last anywhere from two to eight weeks to grow very long vines.
Make sure that you plan your seed packet in a sunny spot with enough space for the extensive root systems. Your first true leaves will have jagged edges and a green color, giving them the classic pumpkin plant look.
4. Flowering
This is the phase where the pumpkin plants will produce yellow flowers. The female pumpkin flowers will eventually turn into pumpkins. The flowering phase can last anywhere from one to four weeks.
There will be a slight bulge at the base of the female flower. This spot at the base of the bloom on female blossoms is what turns into the pumpkin fruit.
Male flowers will grow on thin stems at the base of the flower. They also grow from a small bulb.
5. Fruit Development
This is the final phase where the pumpkins will start to develop on the vines. The fruit development phase can last anywhere from two to four weeks. You will start to see baby pumpkins that are small and green.
This phase of fruit set begins immediately after fertilization, even if you need to try hand pollination.
These small green fruits will appear to look like green balls before becoming a mini pumpkin. Many plants are ready to harvest once you have small pumpkins that go from bright yellow to bright orange, however, with proper fertile soil they may become larger pumpkins.
Once the pumpkin plants have gone through all of these phases, they will be ready to harvest!
Things to Remember
The best time to plant your seeds and begin the pumpkin life cycle is late Spring. Be sure to protect your plants in the early season. The good news is that you can purchase row covers for this purpose.
Harvested pumpkins can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. If you want to save your pumpkins for seed, be sure to select ones that are free of blemishes and have intact stems.
Store the pumpkins in a dry, cool place, and allow them to cure for at least 2 weeks before cutting them open.
When everything goes smoothly, growing pumpkins is pretty easy. However, there are some things to look out for.
Cucumber Beetles, for example, are common pests for vine plants and crops that cause damage to the plants and even interfere with pollination. Other pests are squash bugs, stink bugs, and vine borers.
Pumpkin plants are also prone to fungal infections and fungal diseases like Powdery Mildew. You can apply a mixture of water and milk to the pumpkin leaves with a small paintbrush to help fight Powdery Mildew.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what pumpkin plants look like and how they grow, you can enjoy your own homegrown pumpkins fresh from the vine!
Whether you want to grow miniature pumpkins or one giant pumpkin, you can grow any pumpkin variety you want with the proper amount of time, plenty of sun, and a little bit of love.
No matter what type of pumpkin you plant, be sure you allow enough time and space for the entire plant to grow.
If you are just getting into pumpkins, you can start with a smaller variety of pumpkin and plant larger varieties for next year! Good luck with your garden!
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