Pumpkin plants need warmth to grow well. Frost will kill them, so they are
often started in pots inside ( a window-sill, conservatory, greenhouse or
propagator). The month of May is the best time to sow seeds. Meanwhile
prepare the soil in your pumpkin patch ready for transplanting. If possible,
dig a hole at least 30 cm square and mix plenty of compost with the soil.
Pumpkins need plenty of light and water for photosynthesis, so choose a sunny
spot. The plants become quite big as the vines clamber, but can be trained to go
up a fence if you donít have much space.
Seeds can be sown as late as June and still give a good crop. In fact,
sometimes the June- sown seeds catch up and grow bigger than earlier sown
ones.
If you have started a pumpkin, June is time to plant it outdoors in its
final position. You need a sunny spot with good soil for good results - and
quite a big space ! Watch the weather forecast carefully - pumpkins like
warm weather and will be killed if there is a late ground frost. If a frost
is forecast in June, protect your pumpkin plants with a piece of net curtain
or similar overnight.
Watch you pumpkin plant grow. Pumpkins have separate male and female
flowers, and need insects to pollinate them. The actual pumpkin is a fruit
and will form from a fertilised female flower.
There are many websites with more details on how to grow pumpkins. You can
find them easily with a search engine. Timings will be different for other climatic
zones, so be aware of this if the website you find is from Australia etc. There are a
few links at the bottom of this page.