Starting Plants Indoors: If you are wanting to get an early start, plants can be started in small containers and transplanted outside later. When starting plants indoors, plant two to four seeds in a container. Be sure the soil is loose and will not pack. The container must have holes in it for drainage. The seeds should be started indoors two to three weeks before they are to be transplanted outdoors.

Moving the Plants Outside: When the plants have four leaves, they may be transplanted into the garden plot or into a large container where they will grow. One pint of fertilizer (such as 10-20-10) per 100 square feet should be worked into the soil. The plot should be spaded six inches to eight inches deep. Compost or well-rotted manure can be worked into the soil to help hold moisture during drought periods. A Giant Pumpkin Project may be only one hill, but if space permits, three or four hills, five feet apart would be better.

Transplanting: Dig a hole in the soil to a depth equal to the size of the container. Remove the plants from the container being very careful not to disturb the roots. Place the plant in the hole. Set the pumpkin deep enough so the soil covers the material clinging to the root system. Gently press the soil down around the rots with your fingers. Watering will help firm the soil. If the soil is damp enough, water only the plant. If the soil is dry, water the entire area.

Growing In A Container: If you do not have a garden plot, you can grow pumpkins in a container and let the vines grow over the sides and into the yard. The container should be at least twelve inches high and have four square feet of surface area. A 50 gallon barrel cut off to 12 inches with drainage holes makes a good container. Fill the container with a good loose potting soil. Mixtures containing peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite usually work better than soil alone when growing in containers. Mix ½ cup fertilizer such as 10-20-10 with each five gallons of soil in the container.

Mulching: Mulching helps the plants to grow better. It reduces the soil temperature and the soil moisture loss from evaporation. It also shades out grass and weed seeds that try to invade. Once the soil is mulched, no further cultivation is required. Suggested material for mulching may in clude: old hay or straw, dried grass clippings, sawdust or shredded paper. The more coarse the texture of the materials, the deeper it should be applied over the soil. For example, a two-inch layer of sawdust would be adequate, but in the case of straw or old hay, up to five or six inches may be needed. If you can secure mulch materials, place them over the entire soil surface including near and under the plant leaves.

Watering: After the vines become large and the pumpkins have begun forming, they will benefit from extra water. Soaking the soil thoroughly about once a week may be needed (containers will need water more often). If, during the summer months, you are going to be away from home, arrange for someone to water your pumpkins.

Harvesting: The pumpkin should be fully mature before it is harvested. The stem should be cut from the vine and left attached to the pumpkins. If the stem is removed, pumpkins will decay much more rapidly.

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