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Pumpkin, Jack O'Lantern Seeds
Cucurbita pepo
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Product Information
Jack O'Lantern is the perfect Halloween pumpkin.
Smooth, bright orange skin is firm and excellent for carving. With pumpkins averaging 4.5 kg (10 lbs), this versatile variety is also fine-grained and excellent for pies. Easy to grow and full of autumn charm, Jack O'Lantern Pumpkins bring the spirit of Halloween straight to your garden.
- SKU: 101556
- Common Name: Pumpkin
- Botanical Name: Cucurbita pepo
Growing Information
Safe
for Bees
Grows
Best In:
Full sun
Days to
Germination:
8 - 10 days
Water
Needs:
Average 2.5-5 cm (1-2") per week
Days to
Maturity:
110 days
Key Features
- Plant Type: Vegetable
- Plant Lifecycle: Annual
- Fill Weight (grams): 3 g
- Approximate Seed Count: 17-20
- Characteristics: Attracts bees
- Planting Method: Direct Sow
- Color: Orange
- Water Needs: Average 2.5-5 cm (1-2") per week
- Landscape Use: Edible Garden
- Companion Planting: Plant near pole beans, calendula, corn, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano. Nasturtiums have the ability to shield against pumpkin and squash beetles. Oregano offers overall pest protection. Calendula acts as a deterrent for beetles and root nematodes. Squash is commonly planted alongside corn and beans, known as the "three sisters," to confuse the adult vine borer.
- Flavor: Mild and not as sweet as other varieties
- Preparation Ideas: Can be used for pies, but best used as jack o'lanterns.
Instructions
-
Growing Instructions:
- Planting Depth: 2.5 cm (1")
- Seed Spacing: Sow pumpkin seeds roughly 2-3 per hill apart in rows, keeping rows approximately 1.5-1.8 m (5-6') apart.
- Plant Spacing: 60-90 cm (24-36")
- Instructions for Nutrient Care: Feed plants SUPERthrive once per week. Mix 1.2 ml (1/4 tsp) per 4L (1 gallon) of water in a watering can and apply solution to the base of the plants.
Pumpkin seeds can be sown directly in the garden when the soil is warm and all danger of frost is past and the soil has warmed. Soil temperature (not air temperature) should be between 18°- 35°C (65°- 95°F). Plant 2-3 seeds in mounds 1.5-1.8 m (5-6') apart. Press seeds into the soil to ensure good contact and cover with 2.5 cm (1") of soil. After planting, water the seeds with a gentle mist or shower. It is critical to keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy during germination. When your seedlings reach a height of a few centimetres (inches) and have developed 2 or 3 pairs of leaves, it is important to thin them out, according to the plant spacing indicated below. Do not allow the soil to become dry, as young plants have underdeveloped roots and can quickly dehydrate, particularly in windy conditions.
For an earlier crop, pumpkin seeds can be started indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost in your area. Follow the seed depth and spacing guidelines indicated below. Once all danger of frost has passed, seedlings should be hardened off before planting in their growing location. Seedlings should be transplanted according to the plant and row spacing directions below. Regularly monitor your plants and ensure that the soil remains moist, but not soggy while they establish themselves in their new environment.
Click here to read more information on planning and planting a garden.
Suggestions
Growing Suggestions:
- Pumpkin plants can take up a lot of space in a garden. If space is an issue, plant them on the outer edge of your garden.
- Pumpkins require pollination to produce fruit. Consider growing bright-colored flowers nearby to attract pollinators.
- Try to water plants at the base of the plant rather than overhead unless it's a sunny day. Dampness on foliage and fruit invites rot and disease.
- As the fruit develops, turn them—with great care not to hurt the vine or stem—to encourage an even shape. Place a board or piece of piece of plastic mesh under pumpkins to protect them from rotting on the soil.
- From late summer on, remove any blossoms or new fruit to enhance growth on fruit that is already formed.
- Harvest after the plants have died back and the skins are hard. The skin of a ripening pumpkin turns a deep, solid orange color and the stem hardens. Thump the pumpkin with a finger; the rind will feel hard and sound hollow. Press a fingernail into the pumpkin’s skin; if it resists puncture, it is ripe. Carefully cut the fruit off the vine with a sharp knife or pruners; do not tear it. Be sure not to cut too close to the pumpkin. Leave 7-10 cm (3- 4") of the stem to increase its keeping time.
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