How to increase your pumpkin harvest

If you want to have a great pumpkin harvest this year, now is the time to think about planting. Hokkaido pumpkins or decorative pumpkins have one thing in common – May is the deadline for planting and since they are heat-loving plants, you can also pre-grow them at home and plant them outside only when there is no danger of frosts.

Pre-planting

Seeds need to go 8 cm deep in the soil so, choose a container that is deep enough. The soil should end just below the edge. Insert two seeds. This will increase the probability that at least one seed will germinate. Add 8 cm of clay and lightly press it down. Water regularly. Make sure that the substrate never dries out. The soil needs to be constantly moist.

Photo: Pixabay

Care

Seeds should start sprouting in about 10 days. Protect the plant from cold because it is very weak. If the weather is warm and there is no danger of frost, you can transplant seedlings outside in your garden. Mature plants can grow up to 4 meters in length, so leave enough space between individual plants. Once the plant gets stronger there is no need for a complicated care – pull out weeds from time to time and water regularly. If the weather is dry, water more often. Aim at the roots, not the leaves.

Fertilizing

A great fertilizer for pumpkins is a rabbit manure. If you have it, burry about half a bucket of rabbit manure under the plant – before planting of course. A properly growing plant should be able to produce up to 10 pumpkins but it needs a really nutritious soil so, you need to fertilize.

Harvest

Harvest time may vary slightly based on the variety you have. There are also signs that tell you that pumpkins are ready. You may harvest from the end of summer until October, but keep in mind that pumpkins cannot deal with frosts. So, if cold and bad weather is coming you need to harvest earlier. A woody and dry pumpkin stem is a good sign that you can start harvesting.

Source: https://prima.iprima.cz/vas-prima-receptar/pestovani-dyni-krok-za-krokem-vysadba-pece-nejlepsi-hnojivo-0

Preview photo: Pixabay