Got Pumpkin Growing Questions?
Have you been looking for answers to pumpkin gardening questions that I haven’t answered on this site? How about any other aspects of pumpkin gardening?
My ears are always open! Leave a comment below and let me know, and I’ll certainly do my best to answer your question! In addition, this will allow me to improve the site for anyone else who might want to know the same thing as you!
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I started my Pumkin early its april and I all ready have flowers
should i leave them or do i clip them off what should i do?
@Matt Johnson,
Leave them. The flowers are male and female, and when they are pollinated by insects, your pumpkins will soon begin to grow.
@lars, so is the flower a fermafradite or are the flowers eather male or female??
@Matt Johnson, leave them
Im planting pumkins bought from a local nursery but arnt an experienced gardener they will be in raises beds and am wondering if they will be ok with other plants around them?
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They should be fine. They are going to be long vines for a raised bed. But, just let the vines grow out of the bed to keep from blocking sunlight to other plants.
can i use the seeds out of last years pumpkins-last fall i cleaned and dried them out. would they work? thanks
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Yes, plant these seeds. Saving seeds is an economical way to start a pumpkin patch. Folks have been known to keep pumpkin seeds in cold storage, too. But, as long as you cleaned them and let them dry out, they should be fine to plant.
Our pumpkin plant is growing like mad! About 3 months in we have several vines that are loosing leaves near the roots and then spreading out. Is this normal or does it mean that vine is going to die? Is it possible that we’ve let it grow too long and we need to some serious trimming? THANKS!
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Don’t trim the pumpkin vine. Pumpkin vines do not need to be trimmed. Double check and make sure there are not any vine borers. Also, it could be a nutrition deficiency. If you don’t see any pest damage signs, apply a little fertilizer.
I live in Montana – short growing season – a local grower said to pick the flowers and only let one or two stay. This would allow the plant to focus all it’s energy on one or two pumpkins and the largest pumpkin possible.
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It seems the plant should set fruit first. If you reduce the number of flowers, you reduce the chance of pollination. Even if you are hand pollinating, it seems you would want to make sure you had enough male and female flowers. Here’s more information on growing giant pumpkins in the home garden: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1646.html. This site suggests letting the vine grow a few pumpkins to volleyball size before picking off a few of them.
i planted my pumkins extremly early, before january,
and there weren’t any frosts, so my plants developed; but, at
first i did not know how much space pumkins need so i planted
too much, and about a week ago i “cleaned” the garden and
left 2 pumpkin plants with enough spacing, and here is my
question: the female flowers started appearing, and when
they reached the size of 4\5′s of an inch they died and fell
of the vine with they’re “baby pumpkin”, even before they
bloomed. what should i do?
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If a female blossom opens and dies, it means it wasn’t pollinated. But, if your female pumpkin blossoms are not opening it could be a number of problems that are interfering with plant fertility. Check these things first:
1) Does your plant get enough sunlight?
2) Does the plant have enough nutrients? Also, keep in mind that too much nitrogen can affect the plant fertility too.
@guy,
ok, i’ll check, here are some more details:
*there is a wall on the north side of the patch.
*i didn’t fertilize my patch for a long time, so what’s
better, plant based compost or cow manure compost?
i also have all sorts of those weird bottles of special
plant chemicals and medicines, should i use them
any of them? thanks again.
@guy,
and i almost forgot, a farmer told
me i should use garlic for fertilization, should i?
thank again.
I have pumpkin plants flowering, but no pumpkins yet. When should the fruit appear? Thanks!
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The first flowers appear about forty days after sowing the seeds. Shortly after both male and female flowers appear, you should start to see fruit set. Pollination can be delayed from weather conditions or from the lack of pollinators. If you don’t start to see pumpkins, you may want to try hand pollinating.
I live in Bethlehem, PA, I started my pumpkin vines with my grandson and now they are taking over our deck. it is very exciting!! However, some of the leaves are yellowing and dying. I have been snipping them off to avoid damage to the rest of the vines. I am seeing both types of flowers; male and female. I was wondering What am I doing wrong that the leaves closest to the roots are yellowing and dying?? AND should I be pruning this ever growing intermingling vine?
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Let the vine grow. There’s no need to prune the vine and sometimes can open the plant up to disease. Try a trellis with the vine or run it along the rail. You will need to support the pumpkins if you choose to use a trellis. As to the yellow leaves, try giving the plant a little fertilizer. There might be so much growth the vines and blossoms are using the nutrients.
Hi there,
I planted my pumpkins and they are looking so pretty! They are starting to grow vines! But…a couple of nights ago some mysterious creature started eating at the base of the plant. Where the plant comes out of the ground. Now all my plant stems are white! But, the leaves and everything else are growing.
I am confused…this is the first time I have ever tried to grow something and I am afraid they are already doomed.
Please help!!
I’ve already lost one and it looks like I am about to lose my strongest two.
Thank you!
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It sounds like it could be squash vine borers that are attacking the base of your pumpkin plants. Here’s a helpful website for pumpkin insects with pictures for pest identification: http://veg-fruit.cropsci.illinois.edu/Events/IPD/Presentations/Pumpkin%20Insect%20Management.htm.
I planted a mix of around 4 medium and giant pumpkins for carving and eating. Out of all the flowers, I only have a total of 5 pumpkins which set and started growing. They range in size from a softball to a basketball. I have noticed that a number of pumpkins set, but then rot and fall off the plant when they are only the size of a pea. Any ideas? Thanks, Jeff
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It could be due to poor pollination. The larger pumpkins that are growing sound like successful pollination. But, the pea sized ones are actually part of the female flower. Try hand pollinating. Here’s more information on how to hand pollinate: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs398.
I live in a short growing area, start your pumkin seeds indoors with miracle growing planting mix at least 1 month ahead of planting season. Replant into larger containers as needed for good root growth. It will give you a great head start.