How to grow your own fall decorations
It may seem untimely to be considering pumpkins and gourds for fall decorations, but now is the best point to plan them — planting time.
There is an enormous selection of pumpkin and gourd varieties available as seeds at local garden centers. Gigantic pumpkins weighing up to several hundred pounds; pumpkins perfectly proportioned for jack-o-lanterns; colorful varieties in shades of white, pink, orange, gold, blue, green and near black; weirdly wonderful types with warts; and small gourds ideal for tabletop decorations are just a sampling of the possibilities. Deciding how you plan to use them will guide your choice of varieties.
Where to plant
All of them need plenty of room to grow. Plants produce long rambling vines from 6 to 20 feet long. Smaller varieties can be trained to grow up trellises, across fences or over arbors. Pumpkins and gourds too heavy for growing up will sprawl across the garden.
Pumpkins grow best when planted in well-drained soil heavily amended with organic matter in a spot where they can bask in summer sunshine. Before planting, work in fertilizer low in nitrogen but high in phosphorous and potash. Look for numbers like 5-10-10 or 4-8-6 on the package.
How to plant
Pumpkins and gourds are warm-season plants. Plant their seeds after all danger of frost has passed. They need warm air and soil temperatures for germination and may rot if planted too early in spring when soil is still cold and wet.
Plant four to six pumpkin seeds an inch deep in mounds of soil six feet apart. As seedlings grow, choose two or three of the strongest plants and remove the others. Or plant seeds every 2 feet in rows about 5 feet apart.
How to grow
Pumpkins and gourds are both thirsty and hungry plants. They like abundant water throughout the growing season. If rainfall is not sufficient, water early in the day so foliage has plenty of time to dry before evening. Decrease supplemental watering later in summer as fruit begins to mature.
Give pumpkins another application of balanced fertilizer after flowering begins.
Control weeds by hand pulling with care to avoid damaging the shallow roots of gourds. Mulching plants will help keep the soil moist and suppress weeds.
Keep an eye out for common pests and diseases like powdery mildew, cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Powdery mildew can be treated with fungicides. Handpick insect pests or use insecticidal soap. Be vigilant in late summer as they can harm maturing fruits. Limit the use of pesticides in the garden and always follow labeled directions to minimize impact on bees necessary for pollination.
When to harvest
Harvest pumpkins after they have grown three to four months, their rinds are hard, and their color is even. Gourds are ready to harvest when their stems turn brown, the tendrils by their stems are dry, and their shells are hard. Cut stems using a sharp knife or pruners, leaving a few inches of the stem attached. To avoid bruising pumpkins or gourds, handle them gently.
Harvest all pumpkins or gourds before the first hard frost.
Carve them and use them in colorful groupings, but with the wealth of pumpkins and gourds harvested, be creative in fall décor. Use them to fill obelisks and wire hanging baskets. Include them in fall containers and window boxes. Stack them in pumpkin towers or line railings of porches.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, Ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.