A frequent topic of discussion amongst gardeners is having a garden plan. This encompasses what plants will be located in which areas. It also details which ones will be neighbors as well since we all know some simply do not get along with one another. We may hem and haw over our plans until we are certain we’ve got everything just so, but the reality is that garden planning goes much deeper than simply drawing a sketch of your garden and plugging in where the plants go.

The first thing to consider when creating a garden plan is what plants your family will actually eat and in what quantity. Did you find yourself giving away a lot of veggies last year or losing some to spoilage? If so, it is important to take into consideration the reality of what is truly consumable. It is easy to get swept up in the moment, selecting and planting unnecessary types and amounts of seeds, but being realistic should take precedence. In addition to not planting things you will not use, don’t plant things it is easier to buy. If you have a farmer’s market that can provide you with adequate quantities of something you don’t really have room to grow, then consider buying that item and instead growing something else.

It is also important to pay attention to your growing zone. This can be a tough one because sometimes it is overwhelmingly tempting to try to grow something you really want, even if you do not live in the ideal zone for it to thrive. Rather than subject yourself to low yields and/or stunted veggies, plan to grow only those you know will succeed in your growing zone. As tough as it may be to accept, all the wishing in the world won’t grow veggies when the climate just isn’t right.

Once you know what you’re going to plant and how it will grow in your area, the next step is determining where you are going to grow it. If you have an existing functional garden plot, then by all means continue using it but keep necessary rotations in mind. If you are starting from scratch, however, it is important to select an area with good drainage where sunlight will be plentiful. From there you will have to determine whether traditional beds or raised beds are a better option. Remember that it is your plants that make such determinations as catering to their requirements and needs is what allows them to grow.

Now that you’ve taken all these other factors into consideration, the next step in your garden plan is to map out actual planting locations. This is important because of not only companion planting needs but also growth needs, be they horizontal or vertical. You may plant veggies that get along from a companion standpoint only to find out that one overtakes the other as it grows. Melons, for example, grow on a vine that can spread quite far, making it difficult or even impossible to grow something else close by. Rather than risk a veggie being compromised by a vine such as this, allow adequate distance between plants while still achieving your garden plan goals. In order to get a good visual on what you can place where, once you are armed with the knowledge of what you are going to actually plant, now is the time to make a diagram.

By putting some extra thought into your garden plan ahead of time, you can ensure you get more of what you want out of it in the end. Although it may be appealing to fly by the seat of your pants, this type of action rarely works in gardening. The better you plan, the more useful, desired, and delicious veggies you’ll have!

Getting Your Garden Plan Ready for Spring
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A concept we as gardeners love is finding something that has more than one use or purpose. Not only does this save money, but it can also save shopping time as well as space around the house as your store such things between uses. One item in particular that is small enough to store with ease, even when bought in bulk, yet still has a plethora of uses is cinnamon.

Many of us probably have cinnamon in the house already for our consumption needs. It could be that you’re baking a delicious apple pie with cinnamon packed inside or maybe sprinkling some on top of rice pudding. Maybe you even like it in a warm beverage such as apple cider from time to time. Whatever you use it for around the house, that is only scraping the surface of its usefulness as cinnamon packs a punch in the garden as well.

One of the many uses of cinnamon is to keep pests under control. Whether you have ants in your garden or gnats flying around the seedling you are starting inside the house, a bit of cinnamon is all it takes to send them on their way. Just sprinkle a bit around plants or anywhere else you wish to stop ants and gnats in their tracks.

Another type of unwanted intrusion in the garden is fungus. Whether you have mold and mildew trying to grow on plants sprouting indoors or instead are plagued by mushrooms in the garden, add a bit of cinnamon to stop these things from occurring. Just a little will go a long way towards restoring plant health and giving fungus the boot.

No veggie gardener wants to see the appearance of any type of dampening off disease on their precious veggies, especially seedlings that hold so much promise for future growth. Since the root of dampening off diseases are often caused by soil conditions and fungus growth, go directly to the source to stop the problem. Just add a sprinkle of cinnamon to soil and see dampening off diseases come to an end!

When the time comes to plant cuttings, you will find plenty of commercial options for root hormones. Instead of spending a bunch of money on chemicals, why not try an alternative? Simply add cinnamon to cuttings when planting and you’re good to go.

Sometimes when trimming veggies from plants or even doing general garden work, we accidentally get a little overzealous. Perhaps your shears hit an unintended mark, injuring a plant. In order to fix this, add some cinnamon. This will help the plant heal while keeping fungus and resulting infection at bay.

For a $10 investment, you can purchase five pounds of cinnamon that will come in a container that both stores and carries easily. Whether it is cooking in the kitchen or tending plants in the garden, cinnamon is useful all around. Considering the human health benefits as well as those that can be had in the garden, it just makes good sense to add cinnamon to your garden program right away!

Using Cinnamon in the Veggie Garden
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As gardeners, we strive to grow a garden that is rich with herbs, spices, and vegetables that are healthy for us as well as appetizing to eat. Many items meet these criteria, making it hard to narrow down our options to only the things we have room enough to grow. When making these sometimes tough decisions, something you may want to avoid passing up is ginger root.

Ginger is a flowering plant in which the rhizome is typically used as a spice. The plant hails from China but has made a very prominent mark in the United States as well thanks to its many health benefits. Whether you are well versed in its use or are newly experimenting, it truly has something to offer to us all. For example, ginger is used to treat nausea, which is something everyone has experienced. In addition to combatting nausea, ginger plays a big part in fighting off the flu and common cold. It also helps ease digestive upset and chronic indigestion thanks to Gingerol, a bioactive compound. Also possible is fighting inflammatory diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis which will make both you and your dentist happy. It does not end there, however, as the list of ginger benefits goes on and on.

Since part of gardening is spending time moving earth and compost, we sometimes get sore after a day’s work. Well, those muscle aches and pains can be soothed with ginger. The anti-inflammatory properties it contains are useful for overcoming pain such as osteoarthritis and even menstrual pain, but it is a progression rather than an instant fix. For example, consuming ginger daily will give you a continued anti-inflammatory response but taking some on a given day is not likely to yield the same results.

Another good reason to incorporate this incredible root in your diet is that research has shown it to lower blood sugar and improve A1C in diabetics. It even has shown to help get LDL lipoproteins (also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol) under control, reducing cholesterol as well as levels of blood triglyceride. It has even demonstrated anti-cancer properties that are useful in combatting several different forms of cancer. As if all of this wasn’t amazing enough, ginger also has properties that can boost brain function and memory, fending off the effects of aging and possibly even delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

With all of this in mind, it should be quite appealing to add ginger to your garden. Luckily it is very easy to do so by simply planting the roots themselves. In order to get started, pick up a healthy root (firm with green tips emerging from the ends) from your local grocer. While you’re out, pick up some sphagnum moss as well as a container in which to plant your roots.

Upon bringing your roots home, the next step is to soak them overnight. Warm water is best for this purpose in order to jump start the growth process. The overnight soak will also serve as a cleaning process to remove anything with which your ginger may have come into contact. After the overnight soak is complete, place the root into a container of sphagnum moss. Water lightly and watch for leaf formation. After the appearance of leaves, you will see the root begin to multiply. These can then be broken apart and replanted in potting mix where the root multiplication continues. The root should be mostly submerged with only the top exposed and from there your root will continue to grow.

The best time of year to grow ginger in an outdoor garden is during the warmest part of the year where heat is plentiful along with humidity. However, the roots grow well in a container garden if that is your preference. Just be sure to allow it ample sunlight and plant in a place where good drainage will be available to it. As the roots mature, they can be dried, powdered, or used in fresh form. Ginger compliments many dishes and also makes a good tea.

Although there is a lot you are likely looking forward to planting this spring and summer, squeezing in some ginger may be worthwhile. Whether it is the health benefits or the taste you crave, a little bit of ginger can go a long way to fulfilling your needs. Next time you’re at the grocery store, pick some up and see for yourself just how delightful it can be!

Growing Ginger Root in the Garden
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When you start thinking about what’s in store for your garden over the next few months, you may find yourself poring over The Rare Seed Catalog, scanning every page deliberately as you dream of what’s to come. Although this certainly is one way to do it, a trip to the garden center nearest you for seed selection can be just as much fun. Whichever method you use to secure your seeds aside, they all have one thing in common, and that is that decisions must be made regarding what you intend to plant and with what type of seeds.

When you have a bunch of seed options in front of you, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. It is also easy to lose your train of thought when confronted with so many seed options; in there somewhere is sure to be something you had not yet thought of or may have forgotten about but still wish to incorporate. At times like this, having a garden plan is useful, but even more useful than that is a seed selection plan that outlines the type of seeds you want to plant and how they correlate with what your ultimate gardening goals are.

The first thing to consider is whether you intend to grow organic or conventional veggies. Many gardeners strive to grow organic but fail to realize it takes more than simply purchasing organic seeds to do so. Growing organic involves much more than tossing organic seeds in some soil and waiting for them to grow; there are actually strict standards to which gardeners must adhere. If you do not have certified organic soil to start with and will be adding components that are not 100% organic such as pesticides, purchasing organic seeds is not going to yield you organic vegetables. In cases such as this, it may save time and heartache to forgo organic seeds until you are able to fully establish an organic garden where those seeds can thrive. This is especially true for new gardeners as organic seeds can be tougher to work with than conventional ones which allow a greater learning curve.

Another important decision that must be made regarding seeds is whether you want to go with hybrid or heirloom. Hybrids are mixed breed plants created through cross-pollination to establish a plant that has more beneficial characteristics. This may sound a lot like a GMO, but in truth there is nothing genetically modified about it; in fact, cross-pollination occurs in the natural world thanks to wind and bees. Heirlooms on the other hand are true to seed, old-fashioned plant varieties that have been carefully passed down over time. In a taste comparison, heirloom veggies will likely win hands down, but they are not always the easiest to grow. They lack disease resistance and that alone can mean little to no veggies to harvest despite the painstaking effort put into them, making them not necessarily a friend of the beginning gardener.

One more issue that plays a role in seed selection is the growing season in which you live. Each growing zone experiences different temperature fluctuations that greatly impact when and how veggies are grown as well as the seeds you buy. Take note of the amount of time seeds require to reach maturity and how that corresponds with your growing season. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still grow items that require a long season if what you have is a short season, but you will have to start those seeds indoors. Since this also takes time, planning your seed selection and seed starting in advance to pull it off is also necessary.

Ultimately there is not much we can’t accomplish in the veggie garden if we take the right steps to get there. By taking into consideration what you want to get out of your garden and making plans to achieve your goals, gardening success can be had by all. Don’t forget to check expiration dates and be sure to choose seeds that work with your space, growing season, and accommodate them as needed to get the veggies you crave.

Seed Selection for the Veggie Garden
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Around the country there have been some unseasonably warm temperatures extending into December. Depending on the place you call home, you may even be seeing flowers blooming that ordinarily would not be this time of year. Although this extended warm season is unexpected, it can be pretty enjoyable at times, especially if you have veggie garden work to get done or soil preparation to tend to in order to be ready for spring planting.

While the weather holds off on unleashing bitter cold but is still not sweltering hot, now is a great time to complete some garden tasks that we may have been neglecting. Spring will be here before you know it, and will you be ready to plant when it arrives? If the answer to this is not a resounding, emphatic yes, then getting to work in the garden and performing soil preparation sooner than later is a must.

To get started with spiffing up your veggie garden for spring, cleanup should be a priority. If any plant debris remains, go ahead and remove it. Dig up any dead plants and residual roots, raking leaves that may have fallen at the same time as this is an important part of pest control; having these types of things left in your garden will invite pests in to snack and lay eggs. Get these items moved into your compost pile so they will be ready to use effectively in the garden come spring. However, if during your cleanup you find some diseased plant matter, be sure to dispose of this rather than placing it into a compost heap.

As you’re moving debris into the compost bin, it is only natural to move some compost out, right? Go ahead and give your garden soil some invigoration in the form of a few inches of compost. This will infuse your soil with good nutrients and minerals while at the same time helping with water management, be it holding water in or draining it properly in accordance with your set of needs. If you prefer, you can wait until spring to do this, but having it done and out of the way is very beneficial. Soil that is nutrient deficient can also be helped by the planting of cover crops to be plowed back into the garden come spring.

Depending on what you plan to plant in the spring, you are going to need soil with a corresponding pH. In some cases, this can take some time to achieve, so the sooner to you tackle the task, the better. If you’re still uncertain as to what you will be planting, aim for a neutral pH of around 7. If your current soil is too acidic, add and work in limestone. On the other hand, if it is too alkaline, granular sulfur can help. Regardless of what your soil needs, getting it precisely where it needs to be can take time, so starting the process with a few months to spare can save you a lot of panic in the end as opposed to letting it go until spring.

Once your cleanup is complete and pH is balanced, consider adding some organic mulch. This will help keep soil from running off while at the same time adding nutrients as it breaks down. Something as simple as grass clippings or shredded bark can protect soil and inhibit weed growth over winter. Just lay down a few inches and when spring arrives your soil should be ready for planting.

Although many of us grow veggies during the colder months, there is likely still garden space available for tending. Get yours ready while you can because there is no telling what Mother Nature has in store for us in the coming months. She may have been going easy on us and our gardens thus far, but we might as well tackle all of our garden work and soil preparation before that changes.

Tackle Soil Preparation Now to be Ready for Spring
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If you are a fan of zucchini, you are absolutely not alone! Zucchini is extremely versatile and has many uses on the dinner table. In fact, there are dishes out there that contain zucchini that one might not ever realize or suspect. These dishes are just as delicious as ever, only healthier for their zucchini contents, which makes adding it to your veggie garden an easy call to make.

With low calories (17 per 100 grams), no cholesterol, and no saturated fat, zucchini is a friend to most any diet. It is also said that the peel is rich in dietary fiber that enables it to fight constipation. This summer squash contains plenty of potassium, which is good for the heart and blood pressure. There is also enough folate present to fend off neural tube defects in developing fetuses and it is even said that zucchini fights cancer. On top of that, zucchini has vitamin and mineral power, containing iron, manganese, phosphorus, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamin, and zinc.

When you consider all of the good health benefits plus all the great stuff you can make with it, such as zucchini bread, noodles, brownies, muffins, and more, it becomes clear the many reasons we have to grow zucchini. Luckily, doing so doesn’t require much space; being that it is a bush type plant, very few are necessary to produce an adequate harvest. Growing them also isn’t too hard, although cool, wet summers can make it a little more difficult.

When you start planting any type of summer squash, it is best started directly in the garden after the final frost to avoid transplant shock. Plant seeds in in an area that receives plenty of sunlight but also has good drainage and allows 10 to 15 square feet of space for each plant to grow; this basically translates into planting approximately four feet apart. The soil in which summer squash thrives needs to be rich in organic matter and very fertile with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. All of this is important for disease prevention and due to the formation of the zucchini plant; when you consider that it has thick stems and large leaves plus produces large fruit, it makes good sense that your plants need to be appropriately fed and watered in order to thrive.

As zucchini begins to grow, you will need to get out there and pull any weeds that come up with them. On down the road this will not be an issue because once leaves grow large, they will shade out weeds, but initially you will have some work to do. As plants grow, flowers will begin to appear. Usually the first ones you’ll see are yellow, which are male flowers. After a bit, female flowers will begin to appear, identifiable by the beginnings of the zucchini near to them. Let the zucchini grow until they reach a desirable size but don’t let them get too big as that begins to drain the plant’s energy. Use a knife or shears to cut fruit on a daily basis in order to avoid damaging the plant itself. If you wish to eat the flowers in a salad or some other dish, picking them in the morning is best.

All that is left to do is enjoy that zucchini in your favorite dishes! Since it is so versatile, the sky really is the limit and you can do many delicious things with it. If you need some help stirring up your zucchini imagination, here is a recipe source to get you started. Bon apetit!

Zinging Zucchini in the Veggie Garden
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One of the trickier things about gardening is location. If you are lucky enough to garden in an obstacle free environment, you are one of the few. Many of us have to deal with nearby trees or structures that cast shade upon our gardening efforts. Since eradicating these sources of shade is not always possible, we sometimes have to simply work around them in the best way we can. With shorter days upon us, however, natural shade combined with limited sunshine in the first place can really hinder veggie gardening success.

We recently discussed the benefits of container gardening, one of which was mobility. Having a garden that you can move around is not a possibility unless you embrace something such as container gardening. If you plant directly into the ground, that is obviously a decision with some finality as the ground itself cannot be moved. The same concept applies to raised beds in that they are pretty stationary. However, something you can move in addition to actual containers is straw bales.

At this time of year, people are discarding straw bales left and right that have been used for nothing more than autumn décor. That makes it an opportune time to gather a few for yourself at little to no cost to bring home and use not only in the garden, but as the garden itself. You can even place them pretty much everywhere you want. set a straw bale wherever you want, even on concrete. Although the bales will be heavy to lift and grow heavier when they are wet, they are still a valid option for a mobile garden if that is what you desire.

Before beginning to use straw bales as a garden, the first step is to condition them. This is a process that spans a couple of weeks on up to a month during which you need to wet the bale and place fertilizer atop it. Doing this will actually causing the bale to break down and release heat, but the heat needs time to dissipate before you plant as it can be a problem for plants. This is why it takes time to prepare straw bales; they need to begin to break down and again achieve a safe temperature for planting.

Once your bales are ready to go, create a cavity in which your plant will go. This needs to only be large enough to accommodate the plant. After the plant is placed, add a little bit of soil. The plant will take root and continue to grow but will require fertilizer periodically to keep it going. In addition to growing your plants, however, the bale will likely sprout all kinds of other things as well. It is common to see weeds or fungus such as mushrooms, so prepare to remove and discard these as needed. When the growing season is over, you can use the bale for mulch or discard it as well.

Using straw bales as a garden is convenient for many reasons. If you have to relocate them for more sunlight or you yourself must relocate, they can be moved to a new location with a little bit of elbow grease. Do note that bales can vary dramatically in weight based on size, how tightly they are packed, and how much water they are holding, so moving it with help may be your best bet. Despite drawbacks such as weight and weeds, straw bales can give you a garden at a time of year when other means of growing may fall short, and having veggies all year round tends to make the heavy lifting worth it.

Growing a Veggie Garden with Straw Bales
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As the cold weather settles in over the next few months, you may find yourself wishing for the busy gardening days of spring and summer. Though some fall planting may keep us occupied, things seem to go much slower during this time of year. If you feel like your hands may be too idle for the foreseeable future, you might want to try your hand at container gardening as a means of staying occupied and having fresh veggies to eat over the next few months.

Container gardening is popular amongst gardeners with limited space, such as those who live in homes with small yards or even apartments. It does not end there, however, as container gardening is something that can be done during the cooler months as well since it allows you to move your plants around inside as well as outside of your home. This mobility is the fall and winter gardener’s friend.

If you are wondering how to get your own container garden started, the ideal course of action is to start small and decide how to make the concept work for you. Designate a space in your home where plants can get adequate warmth, sunlight, and water without compromising too much of your living area or making a mess. Then pick out some containers as well as veggies to grow, such as the ones below which are container garden friendly.

• Tomatoes are excellent when it comes to container gardening as they are flexible enough to grow in ground level containers or even handing baskets. Plus having fresh, homegrown tomatoes all year long is tough to beat.
• Potatoes do need deep soil, but the right container can provide that and make container growing potatoes a reality. Just make plans to plant in a taller container in order to meet that soil need.
• Carrots also need deep soil to grow, but you can definitely grow them in a container. Stick to carrot types that have shorter roots and don’t plant them too close together and your carrots should be coming up in no time.
• Spinach works great in containers provided it has access to shade. Too much heat and sunlight is not good for spinach, which makes planting it this time of year in a mobile container just perfect.
• Radishes taste great and grow very well in containers. They are a low maintenance plant that allows you to quickly see the results in just a few weeks’ time.
• Lettuce is also container friendly but make sure to stagger your growth so you aren’t overwhelmed by a lot of lettuce all at once. Keep soil moist while growing and enjoy plenty of lovely winter salads as heads form.
• Last but not least are herbs. These are simple to grow and have a regular use in the kitchen, so why not grow some in your own kitchen? Basil, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and so many more are great for growing right there in a kitchen window.

As the cold sets in and you feel yourself going a little stir crazy, stir up some gardening containers instead and get to planting! While some people love the cold and thrive in it, others do not, and having a little container garden to stay occupied while the mercury drops can go a long way towards creating happy, purposeful winter months. Plus, you get veggies out of the deal, so there really is no way to go wrong with a winter container garden.

Stay Busy this Winter with a Container Garden
Staff

Veggie gardeners everywhere appreciate a well grown tomato. When you produce a healthy, delicious tomato, it truly does seem like the sky is the limit. There is so much you can do with that tomato but first you have to grow it. When it comes to growing tomatoes, we are constantly striving to outdo ourselves, remaining convinced that the best is yet to come. In order to prove that true, here are some tomato growing techniques to try this coming spring.

Give them a Change of Scenery: Don’t plant tomatoes in the same bed time and time again. Instead, rotate planting areas at least every three years. This is because of decreasing soil fertility which will result in plants that produce less and less if the same soil area is continually used year after year after year.

Give them Room to Breathe: No one likes having their personal space invaded, least of all tomato plants, so be sure to give them room to breathe and drink in the sun. Ideally a space of at least two feet between plants should be adhered to in order to give them all the room they need to grow while still allowing them to get the sunlight they need.

Add a Pinch of Salt: Epsom salt, that is. Prior to planting, toss a tablespoon of Epsom salt into the hole before your tomato plant is placed. This will create an infusion of much needed magnesium and sulfate that helps plants grow strong and healthy. Reapplying every few weeks via dilution in water and spraying is helpful as well.

Plant Deep: The deeper tomato plants are placed, the better the root system will be. This will allow roots to grow more plentifully and for these roots to make contact with more soil, thereby being able to access more nutrients which will in turn help with growth. Large, deep root systems are also better able to access and utilize water in the soil as well.

Add Mulch to Soil: Tomato plants enjoy warm, moist soil. It is good for them and helps them grow while at the same time fends off disease. Place some mulch around tomato plants to keep them happy and conserve water at the same time.

Keep ‘Em Caged: Don’t hesitate to use tomato cages or even trellises or stakes. Sometimes tomatoes, like us, can benefit from a little bit of support. Cages will help in windy conditions so that plants do not topple (planting deep goes hand in hand with this, by the way). They also help support plants once those big, juicy tomatoes form.

Tomatoes Need Friends: We’ve all had friends in our lives that were both good and bad influences. Keep the bad influences away from tomatoes by planting their good friend the marigold, which repel nematodes. You can also add friendly copper to the garden to keep away foes like slugs and snails.

Make Them Tasty: Giving your tomatoes garlic as a buddy will actually help improve their taste. Additionally, garlic fends off fungus and helps keep tomato plants healthy overall. Plus garlic is delicious in just as many dishes as are tomatoes and healthy for us as well!

Prune Lower Leaves: Once tomato plants have taken root, go ahead and take off some of the leaves at the base of the plant. These are unnecessary because they will not get enough sun to photosynthesize anyway and will take energy away from new growth at the top of the plant as well as tomatoes themselves. Additionally, having leaves close to the soil opens the plant up to contracting disease, so snip those lower leaves to eradicate the possibility of such problems. While you’re at it, remove any suckers as these are not going to produce fruit but will waste plant energy as well as stealing valuable sunshine.

Let Them Drink: We all know water is essential to tomato growth, but the trick is to do it right. Water from the bottom, taking care to prevent the disease that splashing may cause. Also be sure to pour slowly so soil can absorb water and it doesn’t simply run off instead. Deep watering helps soil retain moisture that is so vital to roots.

The more you love your tomato plants, the more they will love you back. A little TLC goes a long way towards having yummy tomatoes on the vine, so give your tomatoes what they need to be the best they can be, as well as the best you can grow. The best is not yet to come; the best is here!

Bringing Out the Best in Your Tomatoes
Staff

It is the time of year where pumpkins are upon us. Between the recent Halloween holiday and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, pumpkins are taking the spotlight at this time of year. Pumpkin drinks are being consumed in every coffee shop and pumpkin pies are on the list for Thanksgiving dinner. They are also great in soups and breads. At the time it is safe to say pumpkin is everywhere, but the real question is does pumpkin belong in your garden?

Pumpkins are actually pretty easy to grow although getting them started requires good seeds much like any other vegetable. Truth be told, but even though pumpkins are plentiful right now, this is not the time to plant them, but since the spotlight is on them, we might as well think about them in relation to our future gardens. Pumpkins should be planted after the final frost has passed and the temperatures are in the 70’s, which is not the weather we are facing in the immediate future. Luckily pumpkin seeds can be store for quite some time, so those that you store now should present no problem when it comes time to plant in the spring or summer.

If you are contemplating growing pumpkins, there are a few things you should know about the process. For one, pumpkin seeds are one of many that can be started inside. If you have a short growing season, but want to squeeze in some pumpkins, starting them inside then transplanting later is the way to go. When your pumpkin plants are ready to move outdoors, you will need to be prepared with their new home. Pumpkins do need a fair bit of room as their vines can be quite lengthy; a long bed usually suits them just fine. If you are planting actual seeds instead of transplanting, be sure to place seeds in the center of your growth area. Your pumpkin plants will need to get plenty of sunlight and have good drainage; standing water is not a friend of pumpkins.

The ideal time of year for pumpkin planting is late spring/early summer. This will give you pumpkins that mature in time for Halloween and the Thanksgiving holiday when they are most widely enjoyed. Depending on the pumpkin variety you plant, they can take between 80-120 days to reach full growth potential. Speaking of pumpkin varieties, if you are planning to buy seeds from a retailer, but very careful. Pumpkin seeds from large scale stores can sometimes be a bit of a mystery in that they are simply labelled as pumpkin instead of the individual species of pumpkin. This means you may be in for quite the unwanted surprise when pumpkins come up in the fall if you did not luck into the exact variety you wanted. Pumpkin seeds should be planted at a depth of about two inches and will usually sprout within 10 days. Watering should be done deep but only as needed; take care not to overwater.

Disease can be an issue for pumpkins in the form of fungus known as powdery mildew, which looks just as it sounds, or downy mildew. This can kill the entire vine if left unchecked, so be sure to keep an eye out so you can nip it in the bud should it occur. Keeping water off of leaves and watering early in the morning will help prevent this. Other pumpkin problems include pests such as Aphids, Four Line Beetles, Squash Bugs, and Striped Cucumber Beetles. Many of these can be removed by hand and dropped into a bucket filled with soapy water. It also helps to have lady bugs on the payroll to help you out.

When pumpkins are ready to harvest, they will appear vibrant orange in color and should be hard to the touch. Simply cut the stem and use your pumpkin as you wish. Although the planting of pumpkins is still several months away, it is never too soon to start planning. Make arrangements to free up bed or garden space in advance and get busy learning about the type of pumpkins you might like to grow. Take advantage of the pumpkin time that is upon on us, collecting and storing seeds so you will be able to have pumpkins of your own to enjoy next year!

Saving Seeds and Planning for Pumpkins
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