Pumpkin Questions

Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:58 am

Question 1: My pumpkins were planted in Mid Febuary. If I continue to let the plant grow, would I be able to have pumpkins for Halloween, or would the plant die before then?

Question 2: My pumpkins are getting to the point when they are so long, they are beginning to run onto the ground. They are so long that they will be growing into my yard and out of the garden. This means that they will be in grass. Should I worry about this?

Thanks.

Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:57 am

I started them in feb also. The pumpkins you'll grow will be needed to be picked way before oct. People who plant pumpkins for oct. Plant them in mid summer you can store the pumpkins you grow in a cool dark place. The darker the color the longer it will last. But if your asking will your plant keep growing intell oct idk. You can cut your plant and make it grow bigger pumpkins for you. If the sizes is to big.

Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:13 pm

1- if the plant does die. pumpkins store for a long time. if you harvested it in July, it would still be good in December given you stored it properly. most people around here start pumpkins for Halloween in late June.

2- absolutely not. think of it this way. that plant is taking space that can not be used to grow food, at worst it may make it hard to mow your lawn.

Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:43 pm

the only thing I would caution is pests.

A couple of years ago my wife started some lettuce in a pot. Some how she got a pumpkin seed in there. Don't ask.

So we transplanted it out behind the garage. It took over that entire 20'x 8' area. We got 2 pumpkins off it.

ANd we had the worst infestation of aphids and stripped cucumber beetles ever. It was so out of control you couldn't get around it easily to spray the damn things.

And it filled the area from ONE plant.

Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:20 pm

It is not a bit unusual for pumpkin vines to grow 20 feet or more. You can let them go and mow around them if you wish, or as soon as you get a pumpkin set on, clip the vine beyond the fruit. You can also move them over to go in a different direction if you want.

Your pumpkin fruit will be ready way before Halloween.

If you plant some seed about June 1, you will have pumpkins getting ready at Halloween.