Pumpkins: Sow in May, Harvest for the Whole Winter
1 min read By Екипът на Seeds
From small ornamental gourds to huge pumpkins — how to grow them and how to store them for months.
Position and sowing
Pumpkins need plenty of sun, rich soil and space — their long vines easily take up 2–3 sq m. Sow directly in early May or plant out seedlings raised in pots for 3–4 weeks.
A classic trick is to plant on a heap of compost: pumpkins love rich food.
Care
Water generously but infrequently. When the plant has 3–4 fruits, pinch out the tip of the vine — the energy goes into ripening them rather than into new leaves.
Place a board or straw under each fruit so it does not rot on the damp soil.
When it is ripe
- The skin does not yield to a fingernail.
- The stalk is dry and woody.
- It sounds hollow when tapped.
Storage
Cut with a 5–10 cm stalk and leave the pumpkins in the sun for 10 days to cure the skin. They then keep for months in a dry place at 10–15 °C.
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
