How to Grow Pumpkins and Squashes
Squashes and pumpkins belong to the gourd family with hard outer skin and soft inner flesh. Squashes are picked right when they are ripe and soft. They are used within a few days for different dishes. Pumpkins are left to ripen fully and a hard coat develops on them. They are extensively used during Halloween for decoration, making puree for dishes, and are stored for different uses over the year. Pumpkins and squashes are really easy to grow and do not need any extensive techniques. All they need are the basic conditions for growing any other plant.
Things Required:
– Garden
– Water
– Summer Squash Seeds or Seedlings
– Fertilizers
– Mulch
Instructions
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1
It is better to start growing your pumpkins and squashes indoors as they are very sensitive to frost. Start in late April if you are starting indoors and transplant outdoors later. If you want to start directly in the ground outside then wait till mid-May when it is a bit warmer.
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2
Plant the squash seeds in peat pots. You can also use trays for the indoor plantation. Plant two or three seeds per plant initially. Reduce the seedlings to one per pot when they germinate and grow.
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3
Prepare the planting site outside. Dig up the vegetable patch in a corner of the garden. Pumpkins and squashes grow into extensive vines which can be directed away from the garden.
Apply manure to the top soil. Fertilizers can also be added to the soil at this point to ensure full growth of the vegetables. After you prepare the soil, transplant the seedlings from the pots to the ground. Do this by late May or early June when day temperatures are between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plant the seedlings at least two feet apart. You can also plant them on hills and use wood stakes or canes to support the vines. -
4
Let the seedlings harden in the soil before watering. Water regularly during the hot summer months as pumpkins and squashes need a lot of it for their flesh. You can also apply an insecticide for coping up with any pest issues.
It is preferable to use an organic insecticide. Let the squash and pumpkins ripen in September before clipping them off. Do not pull them off from the main plant. You can use the squash within two weeks for fresh use while the pumpkin can be allowed to mature more.
