Thread: planting a Pumpkin Patch!

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I have a decent size yard, and this is something Ive always wanted to do. So this year Ive decided to go ahead and plant a pumpkin patch!

Anyone here have one?

I have grown a large pumpkin patch in the past. You do need a lot of room to grow them.

I bought some seeds last week because I plan one as well. I moved into my new home days before Halloween last year and thought I wouldnt have enough time to properly decorate so I felt that if I could at least get a pumpkin out there I could be happy. Well, the pumpkins were small AND overpriced. My funds were pretty wiped out from moving expenses so I was disheartened to not be able to get a decent pumpkin. I almost settled for the squash sized ones but couldnt find any on my grocery trip. I vowed this would never happen again and the house MUST be christened with a pumpkin this year, ya know, for luck.

I told my dad about planting a patch and he told me this hilarious story about his friend. I guess the guy bought a huge bag of pumpkin seeds and threw them aimlessly around the yard. Not long after his pumpkin wasnt a patch it was a field! I guess you have to prune the smaller ones and make way for the bigger ones t grow from what I read, it is going to take some work. Especially if you dont want the pumpkins taking over your yard, plant like 3-6 seeds, lol. I figured Id give it a go and hopefully Ill have my own pumpkins to carve at the end of the year I still have to read on how to set up my hills but I got a nice spot picked out in the back corner, in case rodents want to meander near the house, at least the patch is far enough away from the home and shed.

Last year I decided to try planting my own pumpkins. With no room for an actual patch I researched container gardening and had two huge pots with several seedlings (started indoors). The leaves were huge and and the curly vine things were spreading like crazy. They CAN take over your property. I had visions of that Goosebumps movie about evil plants. Anyway, before an actual pumpkin could start forming we were hit with two huge hail and wind storms. Totally destroyed my little pumpkin plants. The dried up remains are still in their pots and I don't have the heart to try again. Hope you all have better luck with your patches than I had with my patch-pots.

We do a pumpkin patch every year too. (Thinking of which, need to get those seeds planted!) The only sad this is that right before Halloween the leaves all die, so while we'll have some good pumpkins, there are just brown vines and wilted leaves left in the patch. I've been looking around for some kind of ground cover that would keep the patch looking green, but I haven't found anything yet that wouldn't steal too much water and nutrients from the pumpkins.
I'm tempted to find some plastic pumpkin-type leaves and just cover the patch in those for Halloween!

Every year! I absolutely love it. Although we don't have a "patch" exactly... the pumpkins end up being planted where ever there is room left over because they spread out so much. Last year we had one big area and then two other test areas to see where they grew best.

Ive been reading up like mad to get all the knowledge I can. I mapped it out in the yard. Im going to have 2 rows, 3 mounds each. It will be alot, but we have a Halloween party every year, so the kids will be able to get free pumpkins. Also, If I have alot left, Ill just put them out front in a wheelbarrow and let the neighbors have at 'em. Just another one of my Halloween contributions.

I do a patch every year. They need lots of water, pruning and also you may need to self polinate if they dont take off. All of that info can be found on any garden website.

This year I got creative and I am planting them in a 4ft metal barrel. That way when it is Halloween I can wheel out the whole patch rooted in the barrel so the vines will be all over the graveyard I will let you know how it goes. Try Jack Os or Jack O littles they are fun. I also grew an Atlantic Dill Giant but only reached 50lbs due to a vine crack.

If you need any advice feel free to message me. Im no expert but I have planted my share of gardens.

Ya, it's nice if we have a garden to plant pumpkin. cuz pumpkin is indispensable in Hallowen day.

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Well, I picked the area which will become my patch. I already marked the 4 corners.



Im gonna start stripping the grass off. My stepdads going to bring over his rototiller when Im done with that.