Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

October 2, 2003

Halloween is not only an important holiday for retailers but also for local growers. Halloween begins in early June with pumpkin variety selection and planting.

Pumpkins belong to the family of cucurbits, growing very slowly, requiring many months to mature. Growers select pumpkin varieties that are timed to mature in early fall.

Many pumpkin fruits often succumb to insect and disease problems that seem to always plague late summer vegetables. Rainy weather this summer hampered efforts of many homeowners and a few producers. Humid weather is a primary problem with fungal diseases.

Pumpkin producers strategically place honey bee colonies nearby the fields to assist in pollination. Bees are necessary for pollination of pumpkin and other cucurbit crops such as squash, cucumber and cantaloupe.

Water is another important factor in pumpkin production. Even though water was not a factor for growth this season, drip irrigation is necessary during summer droughts to insure adequate growth and development.

     Jack o Lantern type pumpkins are harvested when fruit turns a brilliant orange, the vines begin to die down and the stem becomes brown and tough. The outside rind of the pumpkin should be very firm. Those planted their pumpkin seed too late in the season may produce only green pumpkins which fail to ripen correctly.

Pumpkins should be stored in a cool and dry location. To extend the pumpkin's life, wash the entire fruit in a 1 to 10 percent solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) of household bleach. Dry the pumpkin, being careful not to damage the skin.

In-spite of unusually wet weather conditions experienced this summer, Patterson Farms, Inc., a large pumpkin producer in Rowan County, was able to produce an abundant pumpkin crop for their fall festival. There was no appreciable crop last year due to the extreme drought.

     Many home gardeners are interested in growing pumpkins, especially large jack-o-lantern type fruit. There is an entire culture dedicated to growing large pumpkins.  The rewards are much more than notoriety; grand prize pumpkins over 1000 pounds can net a grower thousands of dollars in prizes. The first 1,000 pumpkin was grown in 1996 with a $50,000 award making this the largest prize ever paid for a single pumpkin! Pumpkins of 1000 or more pounds take as many as 11 people to carry the large fruit in a fabric sling to the scales for the official weigh-off.  Pumpkins of this size are so large two adults can fit inside the cavity of the fruit. Over 900 pumpkins pies can be made from this single pumpkin!

 I was fortunate to visit a premier pumpkin grower, Howard Dill, in Nova Scotia a few years ago. Dill held an unprecedented 4 consecutive World Championships with his giant pumpkins. He specializes in seed production for giant pumpkin competitions. His “Atlantic Giant” is a very popular cultivar grown by pumpkin fanatics around the world.

 The pumpkin web site http://backyardgardener.com/wcgp/  has an abundance of information for growing large, competition pumpkins.  It’s worth a glance to see and learn about these giant pumpkins.