Growing Pumpkins
Let your children try growing pumpkins. What good fun it will be for them to grow their own Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween.
Make a nice mound, about 3 feet in diameter, of good enriched soil and plant 4 to 5 seeds, spaced 6 to 8 inches apart, in a circle. Once the seeds have sprouted, thin to just the 3 strongest plants. Pumpkin vines can travel more than 50 feet, so be sure you have plenty of room for the growing pumpkins to ramble.
Several years ago, I was growing pumpkins along the back fence. The pumpkin vines not only climbed the fence, but also climbed a tree. When autumn came along and the tree began to drop its leaves, I spotted a 25-pound pumpkin happily growing on the tree branch supports!
Since a soaker hose or a drip irrigation system is better for growing pumpkins than an overhead sprinkler, it would be fun to have the children build a moat around the "castle" mound where the pumpkin seeds will be planted. The moat, or trench, is a great way to water the growing pumpkins. When the moat starts to fill with water, that's enough.
The growing pumpkins need sun to thrive, and that means no shade. Remember, lots of room and nothing that will interfere with sunshine.
Just like other fruits and vegetables, growing pumpkins are susceptible to some nasty diseases and nasty bugs. The cucumber beetle can infest your pumpkin vines, and the beetle carries a disease called powdery mildew. Powdery mildew spreads quickly and will kill the plant. Check with your local agricultural office for help in controlling pests.
We hope that growing pumpkins will be a delightful project for you and your children. And who knowsThe Great Pumpkin may come to visit you! Right, Charlie Brown?
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