PUMPKIN LIGHTS - Pumpkin Patch

How To Grow Your Own Pumpkin Patch from Pumpkin Lights .

So............ you want to grow your own Pumpkin Patch!

Pumpkin seeds should be planted when temperatures are consistantly in the 70's,
(late May through July depending what part of the country you are in),
and in a sunny area that receivies at least 6 solid hours of direct sunlight per day.
They will take about 4 - 5 months to reach maturity.
Autumn gold is a very good solid variety to start with.

Plant about 4 or 5 pumpkin seeds about 1 inch deep in loose soil in a 3 foot diameter mound
surrounded by a 6 inch deep and wide moat to help hold water around the roots.
If you are planting more than one mound, they should be separated about 5 feet from each other.
The mound should be kept moist, but not wet, and if you want, you can soak the seeds the night prior to planting
to soften the outer shell and encourage faster sprouting. You can also water the mound gently with a watering can,
in addition to the water that you are providing via the motes. For the first couple of weeks, the seeds will develop
under the ground and then sprout through the top soil with a pumpkin flower in a day or so that will fold into itself by nightfall.
After seedlings and plants have been established and vines begin to grow, they can be thinned down to the healthier ones and vines should be shifted to receive as much sun as possible. Also, the pumpkins should be rotated so they don't rot.
The male pumpkin flowers sit on long, thin stems and are plentiful, whereas the female flowers are closer to the vine for stability to hold the baby pumpkins. The plants are then fertilized by bees carrying pollen from the male flowers
into the female flower until tiny pumpkins develop. Remove any mildewed leaves or extra vines. If any of the pumpkins that have grown to the size of a grrapefruit look shriveled or unhealthy, they should be removed to provide better nourishment for more healthy pumpkins. You can expect about 2 pumpkins per vine. it is also good to use a plant fertilizer
such as Miracle-Grow once a week. Water only the roots and vines and only in the morning
and early the day to prevent mildew. When the Pumpkin is about one month old,
you may adjust it so the bottom sits flat on the ground or even sit it flat on a piece of wood.
Once the color of the pumpkins are a deep orange, they are ready to harvest, and then may
cure in the sun for about a week or so before placing them in a cool dry place, where they can last for months.

Pumkins are said to have originated in North America, and seeds of similar plants have been found dating back to
7000 B.C.in Mexico. Amercian Native Indians roasted and ate pumpkins and used them as mats, and early American Colonists used them in a variety of recipes for soups, stews and desserts.

Some interesting facts about pumpkins are; pumpkins are 90 percent water, Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for medecine as well as food, pumpkin flowers are edible, Pumkins contain Vitamin A and Potassium, pumpkins were once used to cure snake bites, Morton, Illinois is the Pumpkin capitol of the world and is also where Libby Food Corp. is located, and pumpkins are now grown all over the world.

By the way, now that you are planting a Pumpkin Patch you should know some of the different types
and varieties of pumpkin you can grow.

Some of the Standard orange variety that grows 2 to 5 pounds are;
Baby Bear, Baby Pam,Small Sugar, New England Pie, Spooktacular, Sugar Treat and Winter Luxury.

Some other Standard Orange Pumpkins that grow 8 to 15 pounds are;
Autumn Gold, Bushkin, Frosty, Funny Face, Harvest Moon, Jack-o-Lantern, Spirit and Young's Beauty.

Standard Orange Pumpkins yhat grow from 15 to 25 pounds are;
Aspen, Big Autumn, Big Tom, Connecticut Field, Ghost Rider, Happy Jack, Howden Field,
Jackpot, Jumpin Jack, Pankow's Field and Rouge Vif d'Estampes also known as the Cinderella pumpkin.

Cooking and canning pumpkins are; Buckskin, Chelsey, Dickenson Field and Kentucky Field.

Jumbo Pumpkins that grow from 50 to 100 pounds and more are;
Atlantic Giant, Big max, Big Moon, Mammoth Gold and Prizewinner.

Some White Painting pumpkins are; Casper, Lumina, Snowball and Little Boo.

Cushaw group pumpkins are; Green-Striped, Sweet Potato, Tennessee, White and Golden Cushaws.

Some Naked-Seeded pumpkins are;
Trick or Treat (good for carving , 10-12 lbs), Tricky Jack and Triple Treat (good carving, 6-8 lbs)

Some Miniature Pumpkins are;
Baby Boo (white), Jack-Be-Little, Jack-Be-Quick, Munchkin and Sweetie Pie.

Now that you know how to plant your own Pumpkin Patch and all the different varieties you can plant,
get started and get ready to enjoy a great Pumpkin Patch harvest this fall!

Pumpkinlights.com has all the info you need for growing your very own Pumpkin Patch!