When Halloween approaches, everyone thinks of pumpkins, the iconic vegetable of the holiday. This plant is actually a whole genus, whose fruits in their different varieties and species have been used throughout the world for things as diverse as food consumption or as containers or musical instruments. In addition, the consumption of the pulp and seeds of this vegetable provides great health benefits.
if you want to learn when and how to plant pumpkinsjoin us in this practical Green Ecology guide.
When to plant pumpkins
There are two main ways to plant pumpkins and the ideal time to plant them will depend on the chosen way.
When to plant pumpkins in their final location
The first option is to plant them directly in their final location. This plant accepts this sowing method without problems and, in this case, we must carry it out in the early-mid springonce the last frosts have passed, which could kill the seedlings.
When to plant pumpkins in seedbeds
The other method consists of sowing in a seedbed, to be able to advance the entire crop and transplant it outside in spring, so that we will have gained several months. If you do so, you can prepare your seedbeds in late winter.
Here we are going to follow this last method, although if you choose the first, do it all the same but directly in its final location and from the end of the frosts.
How to sow pumpkin seeds
Follow these steps and directions to sow pumpkin seeds in a seedbed and, thus, when spring arrives you can transplant the pumpkin seedlings to their final location.
- The first thing is to prepare the seedbeds with their substrate. As always, we recommend using a seedbed substrate. You can buy it directly at a specialized store or make the mixture yourself, which will be cheaper and ensures that you have the desired components. The mixture of peat, coconut fiber and earthworm humus with an addition of perlite and vermiculite is always a more than safe bet in this regard.
- Take your pumpkin seeds and let them soak in water for about three hours.
- Fill in your seedbeds leaving room for some more substrate later.
- Leave the seeds in a horizontal position on the substrate and then add another centimeter of it.
- Then water by spraying water or with a fine-jet watering can, moistening the entire substrate of the seedbed.
- Place the seedbed where it receives direct sunlight to avoid malformations in the seedlings, near a window and at a constant and warm temperature.
How to plant pumpkin plants
Approximately a few 6 weeks after sowing, your pumpkins will be ready to be transplanted to their final location outdoors, with spring already underway. follow these pumpkin planting tips:
- You must place your pumpkins somewhere where they receive direct sunlight and for at least 8 hours a day.
- Pumpkin plants take up a lot of space, so it is recommended to leave a space of around 2 or 3 meters between them, so that there is enough distance for them to develop as much as they can.
- You will need the soil to be loose and to have a good drainage if you want your pumpkins to grow optimally. In this other EcologíaVerde article we tell you how to prepare the land to plant vegetables.
- Similarly, although it is not necessary, rich soils help this crop a lot.
- Once the ground is loosened, prepare a hole a little deeper than the bottom of your seedbed, and bury the pumpkin an inch deeper than it was before.
Pumpkin Plant Care
Now that you have seen how to sow and plant these vegetables, we give you these guidelines to know the pumpkin care:
Watering the pumpkins
In addition to its sun needs, which we have already mentioned, the pumpkin also needs abundant and frequent irrigations, so that the soil never becomes excessively dry. Precisely for this reason it is so important that the soil has good drainage, since otherwise puddles would form that can rot the roots of the plant. If watering is not regular, pumpkin fruits are likely to split as they develop.
Temperature
Regarding the cultivation temperature, the pumpkin shares characteristics with other plants of its family, such as cucumber, courgette and melon. It needs a lot of sun and develops well in a climate of around 20ºC, being able to withstand temperatures between 10ºC and 30ºC without too many problems. Beyond that margin, we would be taking risks.
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The plant will also appreciate the application of fertilizers rich in nitrogen and potassium during its fruiting season. It is advisable to use natural fertilizers such as humus and banana tea for this, and increase the risks a little when it begins to bear fruit.
About six months after first planting, your pumpkins should be ready for harvest. Here you can learn about the properties of pumpkin seeds, their benefits and contraindications and below you will see a video on this subject.
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