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'Sugar Baby', Pink Bloom, 'The Sir Edward',' Golden Globe' the names say it all really. Pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes and colors, from golden-fleshed ugly looking specimens reaching only around 6 inches across to huge, mammoth yellow enormities grown purely for competitions. Some are squat and some have a 'turban shape' while others form ugly gourd-like shapes of varying roundness.

Whichever variety you choose, pumpkin growing should be undertaken with caution because it can be addictive.

Sowing pumkins is easy because the seed are large enough to be placed by hand. Plant the seed sideways on as this will help prevent rot -a major cause of failure to germinate.

Sow pumpkin seeds in late May or early June for a crop in fall (for Halloween) but you can sow a couple of weeks either side for earlier or later crops. Sow successionally for a longer harvest period as pumpkins are one crop you do not want coming all at once.

Soak seed overnight to aid germination before planting and space them around 2-3m apart to allow room for the trailing vines. They grow best if sown directly into the site they are going to crop in/ Protect the newly sown seed with fleece and mulch with organic mulch.

If you are stuck for space, try smaller varieties like 'Sweet Dumpling' which have thick, rigid coats and good eating flesh.

Some pumpkins are grown more for ornamental value and their flesh, though edible, is tasteless or bitter. These include 'Hundredweight' and ' Queensland Blue' but the fun is growing the largest you can. Others look ugly and mis-shapen only ro reveal the sweetest flesh once opened.

Give a top dressing of a general fertiliser soon after planting. Shoots can be trained to create circles on the ground using wire or they can be trained to grow up supports. The supports may need to be very strong for rapid growers. If you want just a few fruit, remove young fruitlets as they form, leaving those you want to encourage.

Some varieties need pollinating with a paintbrush whilst others will get pollinated readily- check on the packet. Check for pests like slugs and cucumber mosaic vurus.

Cut any foliage shading the fruit to let them ripen and harvest the crop after about 15-22 weeks, depending on your zone and the variety. You can leave fruit to mature on the vines and they will begin to crack when they are ready. Cut fruit off with a long stalk and leave to cure (form protective hardened skin) in the sun for around 10 days before storing in a dry place of around 90 percent humidity and 10 deg Celcius. If you decide to leave fruit on the plants, cover the fruit at night to protect from the cold. Pumpkins can last months if stored properly. A few including 'Acorn' and 'Bubble' do not need to be cured.

Some varieties not only have edible flesh but you can store and eat the seeds too. These include ' Triple Treat'. Pumpkins have long been used by man because they store well, some grow massive and can be eaten at various stages of development making them a worthy food crop. Some have edible flowers and leaves, making them an ideal crop , as long as you have the space.

Learn more about this author, Sammy Stein.
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