General Information

Pumpkins don’t do well in exposed sites, so protect them from the wind and frosts. Keep an eye out for slug damage on young plants too!

Varieties

Grow It Yourself Ireland (GIY) recommend the Baby Bear and Vif d’Etampes varieties - let us know what you’ve had success with!

Sowing

If starting the seeds off in the greenhouse or cold frame, the seeds can be sown in 4-5 inch pots in April, then slowly hardened off during the end of May.

Transplanting

Plant out at the beginning of June. Leave 6-10 ft (2-3 m) between plants depending on the variety. For each plant, dig a hole (45cm/18in apart) in the bed to about 5cm/2in deeper than the pot and water if conditions are at all dry. Ease the pumpkin plant out of the pot, keeping the root ball undisturbed as far as possible.

Crop Care

Growing pumpkins are fairly thirsty, especially once the fruit has started to ripen, so watering during prolonged dry periods is important. They tend to be deep-rooted, so to ensure the water actually reaches the roots, it is a common practice to plant an upside-down plastic bottle with the base cut off in the mound next to the plant when either sowing the seed or transplanting the young plant. This then enables you to pour the water into the bottle and ensures it gets to the roots. If you only require a few fruit, you can remove any surplus pumpkins growing early on and pinch out the growing tips of the vines. This will ensure the strength goes to the fruit you have chosen to keep.

Harvesting

To help the pumpkins ripen evenly, remove any large leaves which are shading them and turn them very gently, ensuring you don’t damage the stalk. It is also advisable to place some wood or matting under the fruit to keep it from getting too wet on the ground or being attacked by pests. You can expect your pumpkins to be ready to harvest anything between 12 to 20 weeks after sowing, depending on the variety. Be sure to pick them before the first frost arrives.