Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin
$2.99
Open pollinated. These beautifully shaped, bright orange pumpkins have strong, dark green handles and make perfect Jack-O-Lanterns. Plant Neon pumpkin seeds for productive, semi-bush plants that take up less space in the garden or field, and produces higher yields per acre if grown commercially. The uniform fruits average 3kg (7-8 lbs).
13 in stock
Product Description
Difficulty:
Easy
Timing:
Direct sow or transplant in late spring when soil warms up. For transplants, start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks after the last frost date. Try to get the plants into the ground no later than the summer solstice. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 68-95°F. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
Starting:
Sow seeds 1″ deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot you want a plant to grow and thin to the strongest plant. Space plants at a minimum 36-48″ apart. If starting transplants indoors, consider using a deep cell to start your seeds to ensure the tap root has enough room.
Growing:
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-draining soil. Dig in a generous quantity of finished compost and/or composted manure. Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer under each plant. All pumpkins grow male flowers first, then the female flowers are produced. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of the petals and require pollination by bees, mostly. Incomplete pollination is common at the beginning of the season, and results in small fruits that are misshapen at the flower end. Discard these damaged fruits before they rot.
For the largest pumpkins, feed weekly throughout the growing season with fish or kelp based fertilizer. Keep the huge plants well watered, particularly in hot weather. Always water the soil, and avoid any form of overhead watering other than rain. Fruit will grow larger if you keep only one fruit per vine. As the fruit develops, try to gently encourage it to grow at a 90° angle to the vine itself. The largest pumpkin varieties will grow on their sides.
Harvest:
Like other winter squash, pumpkins are mature when they have coloured up well and their stems are crisp. For the best sugar content, cut the stem about 2″ or so from the body of the fruit. If the weather is dry, allow the pumpkins to cure in the field for 10 days, or in a warm room for 4-5 days. Bring pumpkins in under cover before the rain.
Days to Maturity: 100 days
Planting Depth: 1″
Distance Apart: 36″ – 48″
Amount: 2.5g
