How to Feed a Big Pumpkin
Have you ever gone to the fair and been amazed at the huge pumpkins? You can learn to grow equally huge pumpkins by following a few basic procedures. Pumpkin growing has become a fun competition in many locations. The size, color and shape are all important in judging competitions, but many individuals just want to see how large of a pumpkin they can grow. Success depends on soil conditions, amount of water and what you feed your giant pumpkin. Try your hand at this fun garden product. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Become an Extreme Pumpkin Grower
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Purchase pumpkin seeds. Make sure the package specifies that they are the giant variety. These seeds have been produced and harvested for their large size. Experiment and increase your chances for success by selecting a variety of different types or brands.
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Plant the seeds indoors a few weeks before the last anticipated frost. Plant them in peat pots, water them thoroughly and place them in a sunny location. Check the soil frequently for dryness, as young seedlings are incapable of storing water and tend to die if not kept moist. Begin exposing the little pumpkin plants to the outside climate by allowing them progressive periods of time out in the sun during the daytime hours. Begin feeding them a water-soluble plant food that is high in phosphorus at this early stage.
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Select a choice location for your pumpkin patch. Look for an area that provides plenty of full sun exposure. Make sure there is enough room to expand. Allow each plant approximately 2,500 square feet of surface area. If you have enough plants, you may initially plant them closer together. If so, you will need to thin them out within a few weeks, selecting only the healthiest ones to remain in the garden.
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Loosen the top few inches of topsoil with a garden tiller or a shovel. Incorporate a good food source directly into the soil by broadcasting a balanced granular plant food over the soil according to package directions. Work the fertilizer into the loose soil before planting. Plant your small pumpkins in the prepared soil after all danger of frost has passed.
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Feed your pumpkin plants every couple of weeks after the pumpkins begin to appear on the vines. Use a foliar fertilizer for optimum growth. Foliar fertilizers are ones that are formulated to be absorbed through the leaves, rather than the roots. Continue to provide generous amounts of water for your pumpkin plants.
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Tips & Warnings
Check often for signs of soil dryness. Pumpkin plants die quickly without adequate water.
Fertilizing too often and too much can kill your plants. Follow package instructions.
