Starting a Pumpkin Patch from Scratch

For the past two years I have been smothering a patch of wild brush on the edge of our yard with a black tarp. While waiting for the weeds to wither away, I contemplated what this newly claimed bit of land might become. After the arduous construction of our vegetable and fruit gardens, I wanted this new garden space to be something simple; something that didn’t require a deer fence; something that didn’t require mowing; something that would benefit us and our guests.

One day it dawned on me: a pumpkin patch would be perfect! We could grow gourds and pumpkins for carving, eating, and autumn adornment. There’s plenty of space for their vines to spread out and plenty of sunlight to ripen the fruit. And they are a nice late-season harvest that would come in after my other vegetables have finished.

Preparing the Site

After removing the weed block, I went to work turning the soil and removing the weed debris. I avoid relying on fossil fuels as much as possible, so 100% of my tools are either manual or electric. For tilling, I love using the antique cultivator I found at an estate sale that uses 100% woman power. Because my soil is nearly pure sand, I worked in a 3-4” layer of compost to give the soil more structure and nutrients while being mindful not to over-till the soil and compromise the structural integrity.

Converting a once overgrown plot into workable soil in early Spring.

Pumpkins and gourds sown directly in the ground prefer to grow on small hills, so I mounded soil in rows five feet apart. Since pumpkin vines can spread up to 20 feet, I tried to situate the mounded rows in places I thought the vines would have the most room to reach for the moving sun.

Planting the Seeds

Pumpkins are slow growers, taking around 100 days to mature. To ensure maturity by the end of September, I’m planting my pumpkin seeds in early June.

Pumpkin & gourd seeds planted in mounded rows early June.

I planted several seeds in each mound, although only the strongest seedling of each mound will be allowed to mature fully. One of the biggest issues with pumpkins and squash is mildew. Not over-crowding the plants enables better air circulation and can help prevent powdery mildew from developing. Sterilized straw makes for good mulch to help retain soil moisture, block the weeds, and keep the fruit dry and off the dirt.

Inviting the Bees

It’s important to use open-pollinated pumpkin seeds because these are the varieties from which you can save seeds to use again next year (never buy seeds again!). But for pollination, you need pollinators. I enjoy establishing perennial pollinator gardens around all of my annual food producers to ensure I get ample fruit. So I decided to reserve a portion of my pumpkin patch for a new native wildflower field. I choose flowers that spread naturally, like Echinacea, Bee Balm, Butterfly Weed, and Black-Eyed Susans. For added diversity of shape, size, and color, I also selected Columbines, Hollyhocks, Lupines, and Baby’s Breath.

Watching It Grow

With a little water and love, we should have a bursting patch of pumpkins and gourds by October!