How To Grow Pumpkins At Home, For Fall Snacks And Drinks
Pumpkins have a long history of being used in Indian regional savouries, snacks, desserts and beverages.
Eastern Bengal, for instance, boasts of a savoury vegetarian curry—Kumror Chhechki—made with pumpkins and chickpeas, while Kaddu Ka Halwa, a sweet porridge made with pumpkins, milk and sugar, is popular throughout the country.
Its seeds, when roasted, are a superfood consumed in fistfuls to satiate midday cravings.
With fall finally setting in, it seems like a bonafide excuse to grow your own pumpkin. It also helps that pumpkins thrive in temperate Indian winters.
Soil preparation
One of the most important conditions for growing pumpkins is good drainage. The soil should have a high organic content, rich in nutrients and be loamy. Because pumpkins are heavy feeders, if the soil is sandy or has a higher content of clay, it needs to be enriched with manure or organic waste.
From plant debris to kitchen waste and cow dung, there are innumerable ways to enrich the soil without relying on synthetic fertilisers.
Location
Whether the plants are grown in a backyard or the terrace garden, they need to get ample sunlight to grow—about 8 hours of direct sun exposure.
However, during the afternoons, it is better to use shade nets to prevent the plants from getting scorched.
Alternatively, they can also be planted near other taller plants.
Planting the pumpkins
Pumpkin seeds are readily available, thus it is easier to grow pumpkins from seeds than seedlings here.
Here’s how one can plant the seeds:
Start by making mounds on the soil, and sowing two to three seeds in each mound. Conversely, if planting in pots, they need to have a good 45-inch depth.
To facilitate better air circulation, avoid overcrowding the plants. There should be a distance of about 3-4 feet between the plants if they are small. But for larger plants, keep a space of 8 feet in between.
Watering the plants
Pumpkin also requires enough water to survive, especially in the flowering and fruiting seasons. However, overwatering may lead to the roots rotting, specifically in regions that experience heavy rainfall.
Tips to water your pumpkin plants
You need to thoroughly water your plants at least once a week in hot and arid areas with little soil moisture.
Waterlogging may cause the roots to rot, or fungal and insect infestation. Good drainage ensures that such issues never arise.
To retain the soil moisture in dry regions, use mulch, which is a mix made from organic farm wastes like grass or leaves. Mulch also helps in regulating surface temperatures.
Organic fertilisers
Pumpkins require a rich nutrient supply to grow properly, and thus, fertilisers play an important role in the growth of these plants.
Options for organic fertilisers:
Cow dung manure: Cow dung cakes have a high nutrient quotient and also improve soil health.
Compost tea: This is a brewing liquid made by simmering organic kitchen scraps, vegetable wastes and leaves in hot water. This water is then cooled to room temperature and used to water the plants.
Panchagavya: Made with cow dung and ghee, this biofertiliser is also known to promote growth and better health.
Pesticides
Pumpkins are prone to pest attacks, so use a neem oil spray to control aphids and fruit flies. Natural predators like ladybugs feed on aphids, so introducing them to the soil is also beneficial.
