Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me with a question about pumpkins' need for sun. This is my first time growing pumpkins, so I'm trying to figure out how much of my space I can devote to them. The area I am using has full sun during the summer, but the house shades part of the yard towards the end of summer and by fall it shades a good portion of it for a good part of the day. I got an app on my phone to figure out what would still have full sun by october, and it turns out I lose quite a bit of full sun in the last couple weeks of september. Does anyone know if I vould I get away with some of my pumpkins having partial shade during the last couple weeks of the season? My backup plan is to just plant early-maturing varieties in those parts of the yard.
Thanks in advance for any help!
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applestar
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You've caught on to an important aspect of gardening which is the way sun exposure changes over the season when you don't have an open space to garden in. I have same issues and have been trying to track sun exposure in different beds in my garden depending on location.
Since this is your first try, I would really recommend growing more of the earlier maturing varieties (90 days) and maybe ultimately a couple of plants of the longer maturing (120 days). This way, you'll be able to see which will work out better.
Where do you live and how much space do you have? Which varieties were you thinking of growing?
Depending on where you are, SVB (squash vine borers) may be a serious problem. They are particularly attracted to C. maxima and C. pepo species of squash and most pumpkins belong to one or the other. I can only grow fast maturing type of these varieties so they will produce a couple of mature fruits before going down. I'm trying more varieties of C. moschata species.
Since this is your first try, I would really recommend growing more of the earlier maturing varieties (90 days) and maybe ultimately a couple of plants of the longer maturing (120 days). This way, you'll be able to see which will work out better.
Where do you live and how much space do you have? Which varieties were you thinking of growing?
Depending on where you are, SVB (squash vine borers) may be a serious problem. They are particularly attracted to C. maxima and C. pepo species of squash and most pumpkins belong to one or the other. I can only grow fast maturing type of these varieties so they will produce a couple of mature fruits before going down. I'm trying more varieties of C. moschata species.
I was thinking of growing several different varieties and seeing what works out well (at least one variety for each of c. peop, c. maxima, and c. moschata). The maturities range from 85 days to 120 days, so I think I am going to try planting some of the later plants farthest from the house where they'll get full sun for the full 120 days and put the 85-95 day varieties in the area that's not going to get quite that many days full sun. I'll probably play it safe and avoid the areas that are really iffy until I have a chance to track how much sun they actually get over the course of the season. Since this is my first summer in this home, the days of sun are just estimates based on an app that calculates sun positions. This season I'll be tracking it and writing it down so I'll know better for next year.
As for SVB, I don't think I have to worry as I am on the west coast. So far in this location (Seattle area) my biggest concern has been various fungal diseases (e.g. early blight on my tomatoes and leaf curl on some of my fruit trees) so that is what I am going to be most worried about with these pumpkins.
As for SVB, I don't think I have to worry as I am on the west coast. So far in this location (Seattle area) my biggest concern has been various fungal diseases (e.g. early blight on my tomatoes and leaf curl on some of my fruit trees) so that is what I am going to be most worried about with these pumpkins.
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jal_ut
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Give those pumpkins full sun if you can. I would plant some small pumpkins, none of those things that are supposed to get huge.
Jack'O'Lantern is good. Big Max is OK, it will get up to 100 pounds.
Oh, once the fruit is set on, go sit the fruit up on its blossom end so the pumpkin will form up nice and round not flat on one side.
Jack'O'Lantern is good. Big Max is OK, it will get up to 100 pounds.
Oh, once the fruit is set on, go sit the fruit up on its blossom end so the pumpkin will form up nice and round not flat on one side.