How To Grow Heirloom Fairytale Pumpkins From Seed (DIY Pumpkin Patch!) I've received SO many questions from you all about how we grew our own fairytale heirloom pumpkin patch this year. For years it's been a dream of mine to have a home grown garden full of heirloom pumpkins. So it doesn't surprise me that so many

“I don’t see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there’s not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.”…

If you're growing pumpkins, you'll need to know about the best companion plants to grow with your gourds. Learn more about companion planting with pumpkins.

Guide to growing pumpkins from seeds - Everything you need to know from planting to caring for your pumpkins to harvesting & storing

Whether you want Halloween jack-o'-lanterns or a tasty homemade pie, these are 7 essential tips for growing pumpkins in your backtyard.

We wanted to grow pumpkins but we don't have five hundred square feet of garden available for a normal pumpkin patch... here's how we made our vertical pumpkin patch!

How to grow pumpkins for beginners. A step-by-step guide that will walk you through how to plant, weeding, pest control, and harvest. Growing pumpkins step by step in your backyard garden.

Learning how to grow pumpkins for beginners is easy in 2022. And once you harvest them, there's a thousand ways to use them: to cook, decorate, carve etc,.

Last fall, I grew my own pumpkins for the first time. Now, I have to say that I feel a sense of pride when I grow my own vegetables, but the way I felt about my pumpkins was altogether different, maybe bordering on a little weird. I can't even explain why, but I loved my little homegrown pumpkins. I babied those things. It was a lot of fun, especially when harvested them and used them to decorate for Halloween. So why mention them now, months before fall and Halloween? Because if you haven't planted any yet, there's still time! Pumpkins take anywhere from 90-120 days to mature, so even if you plant yours this week, you'll have beautiful, orange pumpkins by late September or mid-October (it all depends on the variety). If you've got room for even just one pumpkin hill, I highly suggest growing them. All three of us -- me, the husband, and the boy -- really enjoyed watching our little pumpkin patch throughout the summer. There was only one problem: I didn't do it entirely right last year. Pumpkin novice that I was, I just let a bunch of little pumpkins grow because I was so excited to see them. This meant small, not-so-carveable pumpkins. It was kind of disappointing. My husband's jack-o'-lantern turned out awesome (it even won our city's contest), but the pumpkin, unfortunately, was not from the garden. I am determined that my husband's amazing carving skills will grace a homegrown pumpkin this year! So now I've educated myself and thought I'd share what I've learned. Pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. You can go really huge or itty bitty. In my garden this year, I've got a couple hills of the 'Trick or Treat' variety, which, if you hadn't guessed, is ideal for jack-o'-lanterns (remember, I'm bound and determined this year!). My third hill of pumpkins (that I just planted on Saturday) are the 'Small Sugar' variety. So what should you use? Here are some popular choices: If you want REALLY big pumpkins, as in ridiculously large, state fair-winning pumpkins, go for the variety 'Atlantic Giant'. Do a Google image search - they're amazing (here's just one of the images I found). Of course, you don't have to grow a pumpkin the size of your couch to warrant using this variety. 'Atlantic Giant' could be a great variety to grow if you want a jumbo-sized one for Halloween. 'Trick or Treat' is known as an excellent variety for jack-o'-lantern because they're easy to carve. The color is bright orange and can weight around 10-15 lbs. I like this one because my space is somewhat limited and this variety is a semi-bush type (more on space requirements later). The seeds of this variety are supposedly the best to eat, too, because they don't have a hull. 'Small Sugar' is a great pumpkin to grow for both decoration and consumption. You typically don't carve these pumpkins since they're smaller, but they're nice for autumn/Halloween decor (we stick our little pumpkins in our flowerbed amidst our fake headstones and gargoyles). However, the best thing about these pumpkins is that they are great for eating because the flesh is finer-grained and sweet. Translation: this is the pumpkin you make pie with (I looooove any baked good that has pumpkin as an ingredient). Making pumpkin puree is really quite easy and you can find the step-by-step how-to I posted here. One fun pumpkin variety that I will try when I have a bigger space is 'Lumina'. My mom used to grow at least one of these when I was kid because they're totally white on the outside. They make for a really interesting twist on the jack-o'-lantern. The 'Lumina' grows to about 8-10 inches. If you want a miniature pumpkin that's white, check out the variety 'Baby Boo'. Speaking of miniature varieties, my favorite is 'Jack Be Little'. They're really small, only about 3-4 inches big, so they're perfect for indoor autumn/Halloween decor. Last year, I grew one that was about the size of my thumb. Pumpkins are quite easy to grow -- they require only a little attention, a sunny location, regular water, and some space. Pumpkins come in vining and bush types. Both types need room to grow. According to my Western Garden Book, a single vine can cover 500 square feet, and bush varieties can spread over 20 square feet. My space, my little pumpkin patch, isn't that big. I like keeping my garden in boxes and beds (so now rows), so my husband built a long, rectangular box that's about 50 square feet. Since my 'Trick or Treat' pumpkins are a semi-bush, my hills are about three feet or so apart (maybe a little less). So they may be a little crowded, but I let them climb out my boxes a little, too. Despite their cramped quarters, the area worked pretty well for me last year, so don't be discouraged if you don't have a ton of space. Your garden doesn't have to huge to accomodate a few pumpkins. Start your pumpkins after the soil has warmed and the risk for frost has passed. Pumpkins like rich soil, so be sure to add some nice organic compost to your area before planting. For vining pumpkins, you'll want to sow your seeds in mounds 6-8 ft apart, with about 6-8 seeds in each hill. Once the seedlings have sprouted, thin them to two per hill (remember, 'kill your darlings'!. That was my mistake last year with my pumpkins -- along with some other things I grew). For bush pumpkins, plant in mounds about 3 feet apart, with 4-6 seeds per mound. Like with the other type, thin seedlings to one or two per hill. If you want to grow large pumpkins, concentrate on growing just a couple. You'll see once your pumpkin plants start blooming that you get a bunch of little pumpkins. They're hard to get rid of, but you've got to if you're going to get a nice big one. If there are fewer fruit on each plant, there will be more energy and nutrients available to make the pumpkins flourish. Here are the exact directions from the Western Garden Book (second mention, I know, but I think every serious gardener should own this book. It's like a gardening Bible.): "Giant pumpkins aren't special varieties; they are ordinary full-size pumpkins grown in a special way (though gardeners aiming for colossal fruits do have favorites, such as 'Atlantic Giant'). As plant develops, cut off all but two main stems. After blossoms set, remove all but one fruit on each stem. Along the length of each stem, mound a 4-inch-wide hill of soil every 2 ft.; roots will form there." In late summer, as your pumpkins get bigger and bigger, it's a good idea to put some kind of protection -- like a piece of wood -- under each pumpkin. This will protect it from the wet soil and keep it from rotting. Be sure to water regularly and fertilize periodically. Pumpkins are ready to be harvested about 3-4 months after planting (look to your seed packet for exact amount of time). The shell should be hardened. It's a good idea to pick them after the first frost kills the plant, but I picked mine a little sooner because I wanted them as decoration throughout October (we don't get our first frost usually until right around Halloween). Pumpkins are a lot of fun to grow. Try it out. My son planted ours this year and checks on them about as often I as I do. Soon enough, you'll be walking out to your own pumpkin patch, checking on your own orange little babies. Note: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

We wanted to grow pumpkins but we don't have five hundred square feet of garden available for a normal pumpkin patch... here's how we made our vertical pumpkin patch!

It's finally spooky season! Here's where you can find all the best pumpkin patches and trails in and around Los Angeles...

Welcome to the ultimate guide on growing pumpkins vertically, an innovative technique that allows you to maximize space and yield in small areas. Whether you have a tiny backyard, a balcony, or a limited gardening area, growing pumpkins vertically on trellises can transform your gardening experience. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through

Here are of our favorite companion plants for pumpkins that will help you grow the best pumpkin patch ever!

How To Grow Heirloom Fairytale Pumpkins From Seed (DIY Pumpkin Patch!) I've received SO many questions from you all about how we grew our own fairytale heirloom pumpkin patch this year. For years it's been a dream of mine to have a home grown garden full of heirloom pumpkins. So it doesn't surprise me that so many

The pumpkin, a symbol of harvest and a beacon of this vibrant season, is more than just a staple for pies and lattes. It's a canvas for creativity and a

Looking to grow something huge in your garden this year? Check out today's article on the secrets to growing huge, gigantic pumpkins!

Are you planting pumpkin seeds, or buying plants? It might be easier to get plants, but it's more expensive, and planting seeds is a lot more fun ;)

our family tradition of visiting the pumpkin patch each fall

I got smart and started making double batches of these moist, fluffy biscuits to meet the demand. My dad loves their pumpkiny goodness and requests them for Christmas, Father's Day and his birthday. —Liza Taylor, Seattle, Washington

5-27-11 It all starts from thisIn the whole fun of Halloween, Daddy had a dream and wanted to try growing some pumpkins for us for Halloween. We started our first planting back in May, but the dow…

In this article you'll learn about the 7 stages of pumpkin plant growth as well as tips for curing and storing pumpkins.

Love jack o lanterns, but not the mess? Try these mess free carrot nose jack o lanterns this Halloween! Click over for more details!

The kiddos and I made a scarecrow yesterday. It is one of those things we have wanted to make but just never seem to get around to it. Well this year I have already replanting my pumpkin patch twic…

How to prune your pumpkin patch. Pruning will give you bigger, healthier pumpkins. It's easy to do and keeps your pumpkin patch under control too.

Learn about the Different Types of Pumpkin Varieties having distinct colors, curves, and patterns that you can grow in your garden!

As Halloween approaches, the allure of spooky decorations and festive fun grows irresistible. One of the most enchanting ways to embrace the spirit of the season is by creating a haunted pumpkin...

Here are of our favorite companion plants for pumpkins that will help you grow the best pumpkin patch ever!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has sent in their photographs and stories. I hope by sharing other peoples pictures and stories here on One Hundred Dollars a Month we can all have a rock star garden this summer. Keep them coming! KK from Preppy Pink Crocodile sent in a few photos of a pallet garden trellis she built Read More >>

At Pike Nurseries, our primary focus is to provide proactive customer service, so we can take the guesswork out of gardening for our customers