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A common sight in Indian cuisine is pumpkin. Everyone enjoys the spicy curries and wholesome meals made with this beloved vegetable that are easy or fuss-free. In addition to being tasty, pumpkins provide a wealth of nutrients that support overall health.
It is rich in potassium and vitamin A. In addition, pumpkin adds value to your diet as a strong source of fibre. So, if you can produce pumpkins in your garden, why stand in wait to purchase them at the market? Instead, cultivate pumpkins at home to guarantee a ready supply. Here's an easy guide to make sure you grow the best pumpkins every time.
Pumpkin Planting Guide
Here's how you can grow pumpkins in your home garden:
Proper Spacing And Depth
Traditionally, hills or elevated rows are used to grow pumpkins so that the sun can warm the ground early in the spring. Once an inch or so down, sow four or five seeds per hill. Hills must be placed four to eight feet apart since these plants need a lot of room to spread out. Pumpkins may be trained up a trellis in small spaces; however, since there can be up to nine pumpkins per vine, it is important to have a sturdy structure and conduct research. Sort the seedlings such that you keep one or two of the vigorist plants when the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall.
Ensure Open Space
Although they need fairly big pots to fit their maturity size, pumpkins can be grown in containers. Remember that pumpkin vines may reach a length of 20 feet and a spread of 15 feet; for this reason, most gardeners choose to plant their pumpkins in the ground in an open area.
Full Sunlight
Pumpkins need full sun (at least six hours of light every day), much like other squash varieties, in order for their fruits to develop. Once a week or so, turn the pumpkins gently to maintain symmetrical development. Take your time; it's crucial not to break the vines.
Rich Soil
Rich, loamy, well-draining soil is preferred for pumpkins. It is advised to incorporate a significant amount of organic material, such as compost or peat moss, prior to planting. Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.8, which is somewhat acidic.
Sufficient Watering
Growing pumpkins successfully mostly depends on providing them with an abundance of food and water, as both are necessary for producing huge fruit. When watering the developing vines, take care of them because they are rather fragile.
Water your plants thoroughly every week—at least one to two inches—especially during the flowering and fruit-setting seasons. Instead of watering from above, it is preferable to use drip irrigation or ground-level soaking.
Ideal Temperature
Pumpkins require heat, plenty of it, to yield healthy fruit, just like any other squash. The ideal growing range for pumpkins is 18 to 35 degrees Celsius. If you reside in a humid environment, you should pay special attention to your plants since high humidity levels can promote fungal illnesses when paired with heat.
Use Fertiliser
Give these plants fertiliser every two weeks. When the plants are around one foot tall, start using a high-nitrogen fertiliser to stimulate healthy leaf growth. To stimulate fruit growth, switch to a high-phosphorus and potassium fertiliser just before the plants bloom in the summer.
Pollination
Since pumpkins cannot pollinate themselves, bees or other insects must hand-pollinate them. Find the male and female flowers on your plants and manually pollinate them. The stems of male flowers are straight and narrow, but the stems of female flowers include a rounded part right below the blossom that resembles a little bulb.
