Growing pumpkins can be a satisfying endeavor for gardeners.
Pumpkins (and their seeds) are a nutritious food source often used for seasonal decor.
Even when they’re no longer suitable for human consumption, they provide excellent food for wildlife.
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Germination
Afterplanting your pumpkin seeds, germination takes five to 10 days.
These are embryonic leaves and will give nutrients to the developing plant.
The tiny leaves of the seedling will grow bigger and eventually turn into true leaves.
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They should appear about a week after the first two embryonic leaves form.
As the seedlings grow, they may need to be thinned or transplanted to ensure enough room.
Be sure they have plenty of space to ramble (or climb if you’re growingminiature pumpkins).
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This schedule should allow plenty of time to have ripe, mature pumpkins for autumn.
The first male blossoms appear, followed by female blossoms about 10 days later.
Then, pollination will occur.
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Pollination
After female blossoms open, bees should begin pollinating your pumpkin plant.
At this point, you may decide you want totry hand pollination.
The method for hand-pollinating pumpkins is the same as for hand-pollinatingsquash plants.
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check that the plants are watered regularly.
Apumpkin ready for harvestingwill have a hollow sound when you thump on it lightly with your fist.
Keep it in a cool, dry place once your pumpkin is picked.
A close-up of a flower pumpkin just bloomed , photographed in the garden of the house.This is the female flower, from which will come to life the pumpkin.This is a type of pumpkin called ‘pumpkin marina’ or Chioggia,named from the town in a Province of Venice where it originated.PaoloBis / Getty Images
The first tiny fruits will appear soon after the blossoms do, between eight and 10 weeks after planting.
If you see flowers but no fruits budding, start hand pollinating.
It’s fast, easy, and will yield pumpkins.
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Use a small brush to move pollen from a newly opened male flower to a newly opened female flower.
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