If you’re like us, then you probably haven’t been spending your summer days at pool parties or drive-in movies; but growing pumpkins in your garden! Warm soil means happy pumpkins, and the optimum soil temperature for this crop is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Weeds are the enemies of pumpkin plants, so hoe and cultivate the soil regularly.

A spot with light shade can also work, although pumpkin seed germination may take a little longer. But this isn't a put-up-the-Christmas-decorations-in-October kind of thing. With that said, allowing your pumpkin to naturally mature and grow fully on the vine is always the best option. If need be, harvest in late September and store them in a warm, dry place until Halloween. These facilities heat compost up enough to eliminate any fungus spores. To harvest the pumpkin, cut the fruit off the vine carefully with a sharp knife or pruners; do not tear. However, if frost isn’t being predicted in the weather forecast, you’re better off leaving your pumpkins on the vine. Treehugger uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our, When to plant pumpkins in time for Halloween, The 6 Best Gardening Subscription Boxes of 2020, How to Get a Second Crop of Tomatoes -- For Free, Harvest Time in the Fall Vegetable Garden, How to Know When Asparagus Is Ready to Pick, 10 Tips When Shopping for Seeds This Winter, The Three Sisters: Planting Corn, Beans, and Squash Together, Butternut Squash Is Your Secret Weapon for Pumpkin Pie.

If the vines are still healthy, and have not been attacked by mildew, insects or frost, then this should take place in late September or early October. Ideally, you'll be able to leave your pumpkins on the vine until mid to late October. Every holiday has its iconic symbol, and for Halloween, it's a pumpkin. If you are planting pumpkins for Jack o' Lanterns, be sure to get started early. Other types, such as Baby Boos and Luminas, can be a white or off-white color when fully ripened. As for soil, pumpkins like it rich but well drained. While the mature pumpkin has a tough skin, the seedlings are actually quite tender and require warm soil to thrive. You can bag them up and throw them in with your garbage, or consider sending them to a municipal composting facility. Some big gorgeous heirlooms take 120 days or more, but even little cutie-pies can take 90 days or so.Also, make sure all threat of frost has passed and the soil is warm.When it comes time to harvest, here are some tips from The Old Farmer's Almanac to help extend the post-harvest life of your pumpkins. Ideally, harvest pumpkins on a dry, sunny day. While your pumpkins might look fully grown already, you’ll need to have patience and wait for the right moment to harvest them. Leave 4 inches of stem on the pumpkin when you harvest since this helps the plants store well.

Pumpkins, like winter squash, grow on sprawling vines that snake their way over the soil.

Without its stem, a pumpkin will be vulnerable to organisms that can cause it to rot, spoil, and decay. To harvest cut the stem where it joins the vine and allow the pumpkins to cure in the sun or in a warm dry place turning the squash daily until the skins are cured. But you'll have to start planting pumpkin seeds in the garden well in advance of the holiday.

Carving pumpkins is a crafty (and fun) Halloween tradition. They are ready for harvest when they are a deep orange with a hard rind. Adding organic compost helps accomplish both of these ends, so work it into the garden site or container soil before you even plant seeds. With the fall season quickly approaching — bringing with it 2 holidays that are ideal for pumpkins including Halloween and Thanksgiving — you won’t want to miss it! She earned a BA from U.C.

In other words, if you want a healthy pumpkin for the optimal amount of time, then make sure the stem stays intact! She currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern France. Give each one enough elbow room. If this is your first time growing pumpkins, you might not know when the best moment will be to harvest your crop. Alternatively, it's also possible to plant pumpkins in containers. The rind (also referred to as the skin) of your pumpkin is the first part you should check when it comes to knowing if your pumpkins are ready to be harvested or not. A professional writer and consummate gardener, Spengler has written about home and garden for Gardening Know How, San Francisco Chronicle, Gardening Guide and Go Banking Rates. Melissa Breyer is Treehugger’s editorial director.

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