![]() They will look like a miniature version of the leaves you'll expect to see once the plant is fully grown. The second group of leaves to show are called the "true" leaves. Those are the leaves waiting inside each seed. The first leaves from the sprouts are called "cotyledons" or seedling leaves. It's time to transplant seedlings once they outgrow their original seed starting container. Tip: for a refresher and a schedule for hardening off your seedlings, click here. The process of planting out your seedlings can be the final buffer between your plants and transplant shock! The tips below will allow your plants to thrive right from the beginning of their time in the garden. Many gardeners suggest picking off some forming fruit to boost yield, but the plant knows what's best to set, says Esslinger.Your seeds are started and seedlings perfectly hardened off, all ready for their new home outside. Almost all pumpkins eventually will develop fungus in the fall, though, so don't be too hard on yourself if you discover it.ĭon't interfere with Nature. You can leave it alone because it seldom kills plants, or use a sulfur fungicide for a few weeks for control. ![]() Powdery mildew is the most common disease, which first appears as a nickel-sized greyish dusty spot. Use spinosad, an organic insecticide made from a type of soil-dwelling bacteria. Catch them early or they can take the plant down, says Esslinger. ![]() Look for masses of root beer-colored eggs, or the young, which look like large aphids with long spider-like legs. Another common pumpkin pest are squash bugs, which hang out on the underside of leaves when the flowers bloom or when fruit appears. Follow the label, and don't spray when pollinators are present. Cucumber beetles are not easily picked by hand, so you may need to apply a botanical insecticide called pyrethrin. In a few weeks, the plants collapse," says Esslinger. "The cucumber beetle carries bacteria in its gut, leaving it behind as it feeds. Watch out for cucumber beetles, small pale greenish-yellow beetles with black stripes or spots, about half the size of the more commonly-recognized Japanese beetle. Around the same time the baby pumpkins are appearing on the vine, the damaging pests show up. "If you water more often and less deeply, you're training the roots to be too shallow." A large vine needs about three gallons of water to soak the area," says Esslinger. "If there's no rain, water deeply once a week. If you're having a dry spell, vines wilt or flowers shrivel and drop off. ![]() Pumpkins like tons of water when the flowers and fruits are forming. And if you don't already have flowers in your garden, plant pollinator-friendly plants including annuals or perennials to attract them! It's good for your pumpkins and all your other edibles, too. Good types for smaller gardens include Orange Smoothie, Blue Prince, and Pumpkin Pepitas.Īlthough pumpkins have both male and female flowers on one plant, they require pollinators (usually bees) to set fruit, so be wary about using pesticides. Read the package to ensure you're choosing a variety that will fit in your garden. Smaller types typically need about six square feet of ground. But "compact" is a relative term, and these vines still require plenty of room. While some pumpkin varieties can grow up to 20 feet long, many newer types are more compact. To make sure your crop has enough time to grow to full size before the first frost in the fall, read the seed package to learn the "days to maturity." Then count backwards from the first expected frost date (again, your local university coop can help you with this estimate) to determine the last date you can plant pumpkin seeds in your area. Or plant in early to mid-July if you want a fall crop for decorating or baking. Plant seeds after the last frost date in your area in spring (check with your local university coop extension service for an estimate of that date here). Some gardeners recommend planting them atop a hill or mound of soil, but that's not necessary." "Plant seeds three to five feet apart in full sun about an inch to 1.5 inches deep. "Pumpkins do best if you plant seeds directly in the ground," says John Esslinger, horticulture educator with Penn State Extension. Pumpkins are one of those crops that are best planted from seed because transplanting pumpkin seedlings can be iffy.
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