Pumpkin - Vegetable Seeds - Large Orange - Perfect for Carving at Halloween

Large Orange Pumpkins:

Whether you use them for carving or cooking, pumpkins do not disappoint—if you have the space for them. Learn how to harvest, cure, and store this nutritious, delicious American native!

About Pumpkins:

Did you know pumpkins have been grown in North America for almost 5,000 years? It’s a lot of fun to grow this native plant.

There are two requirements for growing this winter squash:

1) Having the space to grow them (ideally 1,000 square feet per plant) and
2) having a long growing season (generally 75 to 100 frost-free days). Growers in northern locations need to plant by late May; in southern states, plant by early July.

Pumpkins do require a lot of nourishment. That said, pumpkins are easy to maintain.

Planting:

Pick a spot in full sun with space for sprawling vines to run: 50 to 10 square feet per plant. If space is limited, plant at the edge of the garden and direct vine growth across the lawn or paths. Vines will be bothersome for only a few weeks. In a very limited space, grow pumpkins in 10-, 12-, and 15-gallon buckets (depending on variety) or try miniature varieties. Pumpkins are heavy feeders! It’s important to mix aged manure and/or compost into the soil.

When to Plant Pumpkins:

Pumpkins are sensitive to the cold. Do not sow seeds directly until well after danger of frost is past and the soil is between 65° and 95°F (18° to 35°C). If the soil is at 70°, seedlings should emerge in 5 to 10 days. For cooler climates, this is often in late May.

Where the growing season is very short, start by sowing indoors in peat pots, 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost.

How to Plant Pumpkins:

Plant in rows 6 to 10 feet apart. Or plant in hills 4 to 8 feet apart. A hill does not mean the soil has to be mounded; it’s a spot containing a group of plants or seeds. Hills warm soil quickly (so seeds germinate faster) and aid with drainage and pest control. Prepare hills by digging down 12 to 15 inches and mixing/filling in with lots of aged manure and/or compost.
In rows, sow seeds 6 to 12 inches apart. Once seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to one plant every 18 to 36 inches.
In hills, set seeds 1 inch deep with four or five seeds per hill. Keep seeds moist until germination. When seedings are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to two or three per hill by snipping out unwanted plants.

If sowing indoors in peat pots, harden off seedlings before transplanting into warm, aged manure/compost-enriched soil.
Learn more about preparing soil for planting.

Growing:

Use row covers to protect plants early in the season and to prevent insect problems. However, remember to remove covers before flowering to allow pollination.

Bees are essential for pollination, so be mindful when using insecticides to kill bugs or fungicides to control fungus. If you must use, apply only in the late afternoon or early evening, when blossoms are closed for the day. To attract more bees, try placing a bee house in your garden. Or grow colorful flowers near the patch.

Pumpkins need 1 inch of water per week. Water deeply, in the morning and on very hot afternoons, especially during fruit set. Avoid watering foliage and fruit unless it’s a sunny day. Dampness invites rot and disease.

Add mulch around your pumpkins to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and discourage pests.

Weed gently; pumpkins have shallow roots that can be easily damaged. Also, take care not to damage the delicate vines; the quality of the fruit depends on them.

Side-dress with aged manure or compost mixed with water.

Small vine varieties can be trained to grow up a trellis. Larger varieties can be trained upward, too, to support the fruit, usually with netting or old stockings.

When plants are about 1 foot tall, just before vines begin to run, fertilize regularly with a high-nitrogen formula. Just before the blooming period, switch to a high-phosphorus formula fertilizer.

If your first flowers aren’t forming fruits, that’s normal. Both male and female blossoms need to open. Be patient.

How to Grow a Bigger Pumpkin:

After a few pumpkins have formed, pinch off the fuzzy ends of each vine to stop vine growth and focus plant energy on the fruit.
Pruning the vines may help with space and fruit formation. Pumpkins produce main vines (from the base/center of the plant), secondary vines from the main ones, and tertiary vines from the secondary vines. All may have flowers. Once fruit has started to develop, prune the main and secondary vines to 10 to 15 feet and remove the tertiary vines, if desired. Bury the cut tips in soil.
Or gardeners who are looking for a “prize for size” pumpkin might select the 2 or 3 prime candidates and remove all other fruit and vines.

As the fruit develops, turn them—with great care not to hurt the vine or stem—to encourage an even shape. Slip a thin board or stone or piece of plastic mesh under pumpkins to protect them from rotting on the soil.

Harvesting:

Your best bet is to harvest pumpkins when they are fully mature—and not before. They will keep best this way. Do not pick pumpkins off the vine because they have reached your desired size. (If you want small pumpkins, grow a small variety.)

Harvest on a dry day after the plants have died back and the skins are hard.
The skin of a ripening pumpkin turns a deep, solid color (orange for most varieties) and the stem hardens.
Thump the pumpkin with a finger; the rind will feel hard and sound hollow. Press a fingernail into the pumpkin’s skin; if it resists puncture, it is ripe.
Carefully cut the fruit off the vine with a sharp knife or pruners; do not tear it. Be sure not to cut too close to the pumpkin. Leave 3 to 4 inches of stem to increase its keeping time.
Handle pumpkins very gently or they may bruise. Never carry a pumpkin by its stem.

How to Cure, Store, and Display Pumpkins:

To toughen the skin and intensify flavor, cure pumpkins in a sunny spot for about 10 days in an area that is 80º to 85º F, with 80 to 85% humidity. This is a great time to display your pumpkin on the front porch! If you’re carving a pumpkin, carve no more than 3 days before Halloween or the pumpkin will begin to rot.
After curing, store pumpkins in a cool, dry cellar or root cellar or the like at 50º to 55ºF for 2 to 3 months.
Properly saved seeds should last for 6 years.

Excellent germination rate. Tested yearly. I usually get around 95% rate. Each package has approximately 5 seeds.

Free shipping in Canada.