What Does it Take for a Pumpkin to Grow?
Like all plants, either vegetable or fruit, the pumpkin starts as a seed. With food in the form of fertilizer, plenty of sunshine and a lot of water, the seeds quickly grow into thriving plants.
However, planting a seed and occasionally watering it is not adequate for a pumpkin to thrive. Although pumpkins are easy to grow, they do require a bit more care. The main requirements for a healthy harvest are as follows:
- Plenty of room to grow.
- At least six hours of sun per day.
- Good organic fertilizer.
- Water.
Pumpkins Need Room to Grow
Since all varieties of pumpkins produce vines, you need to provide enough growing space for them to spread. This does not mean you have to have a significant garden plot. Instead, you can grow pumpkins in a raised garden bed or even a large planting container.
Pumpkins planted in a pot need to be supported by a trellis or shelving. The pumpkin vine climbs up the lattice, and the shelving props up each pumpkin.
Tip: Planting Giant pumpkins in a pot is not recommended. Even the largest container will not hold a 500 pound (227 kilogram) pumpkin!
Pumpkins Need Plenty of Sunshine
All types and sizes of pumpkins need abundant sunshine to grow into thriving plants. For this reason, make sure to plant the seeds in an area that gets a minimum of six hours of sun per day. The more sunshine they get, the better they will perform.
If you are planting in a container, be sure to place it in the sunniest spot. Although you can move some plants around during the day to receive enough sun, this is not very practical for heavy pumpkin plants.
Provide Food and Water
To be sure the pumpkin plants successfully grow from seed to harvest, you also need to provide an excellent organic fertilizer and enough water to keep the soil moist.
With some care, you will be able to watch firsthand how the pumpkins in the grocery stores get their start.
