Growing Pumpkins
Pumpkins are so very easy to grow. I discovered
this by accident as I put a seeds I scooped out of a pumpkin into my
garden
one year, only to find by that summer I had pumpkin plants growing, and in
March harvested 15 grey crown pumpkins. So you know what I'll be doing
next Spring, throwing twice as many seeds out of a pumpkins into the garden.
Remember when
planting seeds that pumpkins and marrows like to sprawl over
concrete rather than grass as it radiates heat, and grass
encourages
rotting.
Harvesting Pumpkins
Always leave your pumpkins on the vine for as
long as possible. When stems whither away from the vine in March-April
you
can then cut the pumpkin stem and always leave about 8cm of stalk on the
pumpkin so it dries and does not rot
the pumpkin.
Storing Pumpkins
After harvesting your pumpkins put them to "bake" against a sunny wall or in
a warm sunny room for at least 3 weeks, away
from frost. Then store
the pumpkins in a well ventilated space indoors. Finally store your
pumpkins in a cool dry place, I
have mine in the garage. Store
pumpkins on cloth or cardboard so that air can flow over the pumpkin surface
as they do
"sweat" so never store them on wood or carpet (I have learnt this
the hard way leaving a pumpkin on the top of a wooden
table, only to ruin
the top of the table.
I now store pumpkins in boxes with
crumpled
newspaper under and between them.
Pumpkins stored in my garage for Winter
Cooking
Click
to The Kitchen: Pumpkin
