How to Grow Exotic Pumpkins

by Julie Christensen

Some decorative pumpkins are actually gourds.

The traditional orange jack-o'-lantern is still a welcome autumn sight, but visit any farmers' market and you'll see scores of unusual, exotic varieties as well. Pumpkin growers today favor green, white, pale orange or even blue pumpkins, with warty or webbed textures. Shapes range from the traditional round pumpkin to squat, elongated or pear-shaped varieties. Finding heirloom or exotic pumpkin seeds can be a challenge, but growing them usually isn't any harder than growing regular orange pumpkins.

1

Select an exotic pumpkin variety for your garden. Try the Rouge Vif d'Etampes, or Cinderella pumpkin, from France or the celadon green pumpkin, Jarrahdale, from New Zealand. Many local nurseries carry heirloom seeds or visit an online vendor.

2

Select a sunny, well-draining spot in your garden. Remove any grass, weeds or debris and spread 2 inches of manure or compost on the soil. Till to a depth of 6 inches.

3

Spread a sheet of black plastic over the soil and secure it with landscaping pins. Heirloom pumpkins need a long, warm growing season to mature. The black plastic warms the soil by as much as 10 degrees so you can plant earlier in the season; it also helps the seeds germinate more quickly.

5

Water the pumpkin seeds so the soil stays evenly moist, but not soggy. Remove any weeds that appear, although the black plastic eliminates most weed problems.

6

Thin the plants when they stand 3 inches high, spacing them 4 feet apart. Remove all but the healthiest plants. Exotic pumpkins usually grow on long, rambling vines and need lots of space in the garden.

7

8

Watch for pests and diseases, which can destroy exotic pumpkins. Spray plants affected with powdery mildew with a fungicide labeled for pumpkins. Small mounds of sawdust-like excrement indicate squash borers in the pumpkin vines. Cut open a vine near any excrement to find and destroy the borers. Commercial pesticides aren't usually effective on them, but if left untreated, they will kill the pumpkin vines.

9

Reduce water levels in early fall to promote ripening. Cut the pumpkins from the vine with a knife when the rinds are hard and colors are bright. Cut pumpkins early if disease or frost threatens the plants. Store the pumpkins in a dry, slightly warm location.

Things You Will Need

Heirloom or exotic pumpkin seeds

Manure or compost

Shovel

Black plastic

Landscape pins

Scissors

Granular vegetable fertilizer

Fungicide

Knife

Tip

Exotic pumpkins may lack the disease resistance of modern pumpkins. Take extra care to monitor diseases and space plants so air circulates freely.

Install soaker hoses under the black plastic to water the pumpkins. This cuts down on disease and ensures that moisture goes directly to the roots.

Some exotic pumpkins need a longer growing time than traditional pumpkins. Make sure the variety you choose will ripen during your growing season.

Hand pollinate flowers if no fruit appear. Brush male flowers with a small paint brush and then brush female flowers to transfer pollen. Identify female blooms by the small bump at the base of the flower.

About the Author

Julie Christensen is a food writer, caterer, and mom-chef. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom.org, dedicated to family fun and delicious food, and released a book titled "More Than Pot Roast: Fast, Fresh Slow Cooker Recipes."

Photo Credits

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