Description
Pumpkin is a large trailing plant with yellow, bell-shaped flowers. Most varieties will take up a lot of room. Better to grow them at the edge of a garden patch as they need lots of space to spread. There are several varieties of pumpkin. Amongst the different varieties, Butternut produces small to medium pear-shaped fruit with deep orange flesh while Buttercup are small to medium round pumpkins with dark green skin. There are a number of large pumpkins, some round and flattish, and others that will produce the "Cinderella coach" type giant round fruit which is not such good eating.
Planting requirements
Planting season: Typically planted in March to August or September to December
Planting conditions:
| Propagation | Seeds |
|---|---|
| Planting method | Prepare the land to a depth of about 20-30 cm and harrow for fine tilth. Make planting holes 30 x 30 x 30 cm and then add organic matter per planting hole, mix with soil, and heap to about 10 cm above ground level |
| Soil | Soil should be rich in humus with a pH range of 5.5 – 7.5. Ideally a moist, loamy soil. Pumpkins are heavy feeders and hence add aged manure or compost mixed with water to the side of the plant |
| Water | Water deeply, in the morning and on very hot afternoons, especially during fruit set. Avoid watering foliage and fruit unless it's a sunny day. Dampness invites rot and disease. Planting in raised beds promote drainage ensuring that the root has ideal moisture levels |
| Light | Full sunlight (at least six hours of light per day) |
Growing conditions:
| Temperatures | Needs a temperature between 65° and 95°F (18° to 35°C) |
|---|---|
| Soil | Add mulch around your pumpkins to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and discourage pests. Grow pumpkins in well-draining, humus-rich loamy soils. Maintain soil pH between 5.5-7.5 for optimal nutrient uptake and plant health |
| Water | Irrigate daily until germination is complete and every 7 days thereafter. Give your plants at least 1 to 2 inches of water per week, especially when they're blooming and setting fruit. Drip irrigation or ground-level soaking rather than from overhead |
| Pruning | Prune your vines with a sharp, sterile knife, cutting just above a developed leaf node |
| Weed control | Keep the area weed-free, as heavy weed competition can weaken vines and cause immature fruit to rot or fail to develop |
Harvesting
Harvest when the fruit develops a powdery film. Each variety has different developing periods.
- A.N.K: Harvest 40 days after flowering
- Local Variety: Harvest 60 days after flowering
- Butternut: Harvest 20 days after flowering
Curing
Once harvested, the rind needs to harden. Place the pumpkin on its side in a sunny spot and turn every few days. Cure for at least a week and longer if possible.
Storage
Pumpkins can be stored for 6-8 months and butternut can be kept for about 1 month under ambient conditions.
Protecting your plants
Pest control
Pest type:
- Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
- Aphids
Symptoms:
- Whitefly: Transmits Leaf Curl Virus (LCV). Causes upward curling, shortening, and distortion of leaves. Plants become stunted and fruits deformed.
- Aphids: Transmit Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV). Causes mosaic and mottling of leaves, leaf distortion, malformation of fruits, and reduction in fruit size. In severe infections, oily patches appear on the fruit surface.
Control method:
- Use recommended insecticides to control vectors (whiteflies and aphids)
- Remove infected plants
- Implement proper crop rotation
- Use resistant varieties when available
Disease Control
Disease type:
- Powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii)
- Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis)
- Collar rot/Root rot (Sclerotium spp., Fusarium spp.)
- Gummy Stem Blight (Didymella bryoniae)
- Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum)
- Viral diseases:
- Leaf Curl Virus (LCV)
- Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV)
- Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)
- Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV)
- Phytoplasma disease
Symptoms:
- Powdery mildew: Pale yellow spots on older leaves, white fluffy mycelium growth, leaves become brown and shriveled.
- Downy mildew: Angular yellow spots on the upper leaf surface, leaves become chlorotic and necrotic.
- Collar rot/Root rot: Temporary wilting, yellowing leaves, drooping, plant death, vascular bundles in collar region become yellow or brown.
- Gummy Stem Blight: Water-soaked areas on leaves and fruit, dark cracked sunken lesions on fruit, plant collapse, gummy exudates from cracks.
- Bacterial wilt: Sudden drooping of leaves, whole plant wilts, leaves become brown and dry, vascular discoloration.
- Viral diseases: Various symptoms including leaf curling, mosaic patterns, mottling, stunting, fruit deformation, and discoloration.
- Phytoplasma disease: Smaller thickened yellowish-green leaves, shortened internodes, stunting, witch's broom symptom, greening of flowers.
Management:
- Use recommended fungicides at the initial stage of disease development
- Destroy infected plant debris after harvest
- Improve drainage for root rot control
- Plough crop debris deeply immediately after harvest
- Implement crop rotation with non-susceptible crops
- Avoid movement of equipment from infected fields to non-infected fields
- Remove infected plants, especially for viral and bacterial diseases
- Control insect vectors using recommended insecticides
- Use disease-resistant varieties when available
- Implement proper sanitation practices in the field
Sources
In addition to our General List of Sources (link), we used these specific references:
