Gardening with Gary
Gardening Advice from an Expert
Pumpkins
Q. I have a package of field pumpkin seeds, but no planting instructions. We're
in Houston, TX, so it is already pretty warm. We'd like to harvest by Halloween.
Is it too late?
A. No, go for it right now. You can directly sow your pumpkin seed into the garden
in most areas [Northern areas the seeds need to be started indoors for a full season
and to reach a huge size]. You need about 120 days for most varieties of pumpkins.
Giant pumpkins and other giant varieties require 130 to 150 days. People with
short growing seasons, or growers pursuing 'the big one', will need to get a jump
start on the season by planting indoors. In addition, if you are growing Atlantic
Giants, Big Macs, Prize Winner Hybrids, or other giant pumpkins, the seed coat is
quite hard and thick. It makes germination a little more tricky.
File the edges of the seed lightly with a nail file. File all edges except the
pointed end. This allows moisture into the seed easier. Most importantly, filing
your seeds makes it easier for the leaves to emerge from the shell without damage.
The shell of giant pumpkin seeds are very thick, and the leaves sometimes have difficulty
splitting open the shell. To avoid pinched or damaged primary leaves, we recommend
filing the edges of the seeds for all giant pumpkins. As a matter of fact, it will
aid germination and seedling emergence for any hard shelled pumpkin seed or other
seeds. Soak the seeds in warm (not hot) water for an hour or two.
Place the seed on its side. Add 1 to 1 1/2 inches soil to cover. Water thoroughly.
In 4-6 days, the seedling will emerge from the soil. Healthy plants will all
but explode from the soil, growing at a fast pace even as a seedling. Coating the
seeds with a fungicide will offer protection against mold and fungus growth.
The newborn pumpkin seedling immediately needs light, as much and as direct as
possible. First, the sun is not up as long in the spring as it is in the summer.
Second, there are many rainy spring days with little or no direct sun.
Provide water to the pumpkin every couple of days. You do not, and should, not
soak the soil each day. Overly wet soil is one of the basic ingredients for damping
off disease. Let the soil dry out a little on the top first, then water thoroughly.
The seedling does not need a lot of extra nutrients in the first few days of
its life. The seed has some stored inside of it. After several days, add a little
liquid fertilizer to the water, but you do not need to give it full strength.
http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/germinat.htm
© Copyright 1999-2009 Recipe Goldmine™ | Trademark
No portion of this website may be reproduced without permission.