| Pumpkins are very easy to grow even if you aren’t very green fingered. Here is our guide.
1. Get some seeds. You can buy them from the shops or if you have a pumpkin this year you can use the ones inside the pumpkin. Simply rinse off any flesh and spread out in a warm dry area (baking sheets are ideal) to ensure they dry out. Any flesh left on the seeds will rot them.
2. Seeds can be sown indoors or outdoors. Sow seeds indoors in 7.5cm (3in) pots from mid- to late April. Sow the flat seeds on their side, 1cm (½in) deep, and keep at 18–21°C (65–70°F). (RHS) To help keep the temperature steady, place a plastic bag over the plastic pot like an incubator and secure it with string or an elastic band.
You can also sow seeds directly outdoors where you want your plants to grow. Sow two or three seeds per planting hole, 3cm (1in) deep, in late May or early June. Cover with cloches, jars or plastic sheeting. Leave this in place for two weeks, or as long as possible, after germination. Thin the seedlings, leaving only the strongest one to grown on. (RHS)
4. When the frosts have passed, generally in early June, plant out indoor sown seedlings about 6ft apart as they grow really big.
5. If you want really big pumpkins you will need to water them. To help with watering place a large yoghurt pot or plastic milk bottle with the bottom cut out next to the plant. Once the plant is fully grown it can be difficult to find the root ball underneath all the leaves and this trick helps concentrate the water in the right spot. However, once the plant is up and running it isn’t totally necessary to water, it will just mean the pumpkin will be allowed to grow even bigger.
6. Large varieties of pumpkin include Atlantis and Sumo, while those noted for their flavour are the smaller Sweet Dumpling and Crown Prince Squash.
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| Watch this English Heritage video on how to carve a turnip. |
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