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How to Grow Pumpkins. If your garden is looking more like a dust bowl, this guide will help
turn that brown thumb orange in time for Halloween. You will need A sunny spot A soil test kit
Lime Granulated fertilizer Manure Organic mulch Pumpkin seeds and small pots (optional).
Step 1. Choose a sunny location with good drainage and plenty of space for the vines
to stretch out. Step 2. Test the soil for a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 and add lime or granulated
fertilizer as necessary. Step 3. Apply cow or horse manure before transplanting the seedlings,
and add mulch with straw or grass clippings to prevent weeds. Step 4. Plant each seedling
5 to 6 feet apart with rows spaced 6 to 8 feet apart to prevent vines from getting tangled
and to prevent the pumpkins from being crowded. Cultivate your seedlings indoors in small
pots before the final frost if you live in a northern climate and want to get a jump
on the growing season. Step 5. Water once a week on a consistent schedule but check
the soil moisture every few days if you're unsure how quickly your garden drains. Water
in the morning or early afternoon to allow the leaves to dry and avoid fungal growth
and other diseases from developing. Step 6. Harvest your pumpkins when they turn a deep
shade of orange and the rind has turned very hard and rubbery. Did you know In 2009, the
largest jack-o'-lantern ever had been carved from a 1,469-pound pumpkin.