It seems like it is finally fall! My family and I visited Stokes Family Farm in Greenville this past weekend. It was so cool, they had a pig race, petting zoo, corn blaster, ice cream and so much more! My daughter, Willa, won a pig nose when her pig Kermit The Hogg placed first in the race. Their newest attraction was this really neat barn that had live rabbits to hold and several areas where kids could be everything from Firefighters to Hair Stylists! There were bunches and bunches of pumpkins and this really interesting pumpkin house (if you don’t know, you just don’t know). We had a great time but it reminded me that pumpkin-picking season is upon us. This is the time of year when we begin to see the fall decorations come out from hay bales and corn stalks to pumpkins and gourds. How do we make sure our decorations will last?
The perfect pumpkin begins with the grower. If you have decided to grow in your backyard, it begins with the right variety for your home garden. This is where you may want to do a little homework and pay attention to the size, 50 pound plus pumpkins are hard to carve! Most pumpkin varieties do not do well in our heat and humidity either. Extension Area Specialized Agent, Erin Eure does a variety test every year so that we can recommend what will grow well here.
Plant pumpkins in an area that receives full sunlight and has well-drained soil. The soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.5, but, always get a soil test to make sure. Soils with a lower clay content are preferred but heavy soils can be amended with organic matter to work well. Always rotate your pumpkins and other cucurbit crops (squash) with non-cucurbit crops to lessen the instance of soil-borne and foliar diseases.
Pumpkins are a longer-season crop so, the next step in growing your own is to make sure that you get them planted at the right time and in the right place. Pumpkin cultivars can vary greatly in the length of days until maturity, anywhere from 90 days up to 125 days. According to the 2023 Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook, in Eastern North Carolina that time would be between June 15th
and July 10th to have pumpkins ready to harvest in time for Halloween.
Harvest pumpkins when uniformly orange and the rind is good and hard by cutting the stem with lopping shears or a sharp knife. Make certain to leave a good portion, typically 3 - 6 inches, of stem attached to the pumpkin. Do not carry your pumpkin by the stem, this can cause bruising or cutting, allowing pathogens to enter the fruit. If fruits are to be used right away, wash them with a 10% bleach solution. If fruit is to be stored, dry the rind, and then put in a shed or other place out of sun that maintains a temperature between 70°F and 80°F for 7 - 10 days. This is the process of curing, it will harden the stem and rind even further.
