Perfect Time For Growing Halloween Pumpkins

Growing pumpkins in the garden can be a lot of fun, especially for children who will use them for carving. With a few of these growing tips, you can grow your perfect Halloween pumpkins!

1. Plant at the right time:

Growing pumpkins is Pretty easy, it is keeping them from rotting before Halloween that is difficult. The best time for planting depends on your climate. In the north, you should be planting in mid to late May. In warmer southern climates you should be planting in mid June to mid July.

2. Give your pumpkins lots of room:

Growing pumpkins requires a lot of room. Many pumpkin plants can grow to be 30 to 40 feet long. If you don’t provide enough room you may cause the plant to grow close together, and then the leaves will cover the plant and weaken itself, which makes the plant more susceptible to disease and pests.

3. Pumpkins love sunshine:

Plant your pumpkins where they will get plenty of sun. The more sun, the better!

4. Pumpkins love water:

Growing pumpkins will tolerate some drought, but it is best to make sure that they get regular waterings. Make sure your pumpkin plants get 2-4 inches of water a week.

5. Plant your pumpkins with companions:

Squash bugs are the number one killers of pumpkin vines. To repel them from your pumpkin plant, planted some companion plants near your pumpkin plant. Plants that squash bugs don’t like will keep them from the growing pumpkins. These plants include catnip, radishes, nasturtiums, marigolds, petunias, and mint.

6. Keep the stem:

When you harvest your pumpkins, make sure you leave a good, long piece of the stem on the pumpkin. Once you cut potential Halloween pumpkins from the vine and carve them up with spooky faces, you can use the extra stem as a “handle”.
 
Remember, growing pumpkins is not only fun for Halloween, they also make a great addition to your compost pile!