May 2021 - 12

GLVPN VEG CONNECTIONS
PUMPKINS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
help suppress weeds from emerging early
in pumpkin growth along with the weed
suppression from the cover crop and
residue.
If using tillage, deep turn soil
(8-10 inches) with a moldboard or chisel
plow to bury residual litter and weed seeds.
Then, smooth the seedbed with tillage
equipment that prevents compaction in the
bed area by establishing a traffic pattern
with the tractor during the smoothing
operation.
Mulching materials
Growers realize that limiting contact
with the bare ground greatly reduces
having to clean and wash pumpkins,
and may prevent some soilborne disease
infections. Many wholesale pumpkin
buyers are demanding that pumpkins
be grown on a cover crop mulch due
to cleanliness. This is accomplished by
Determining the correct pumpkin variety for your market is an important pre-plant decision. Photo: Thom Harker/Ohio State University
growing on a cover crop mulch and using
a no-till or strip-till approach. As we head
into the central and southern Midwest the
opportunity also is available to double-crop
pumpkins after harvest of winter small
grains such as wheat. Pumpkins respond
very well to this no-till, high residue
system, and in addition to cleaner fruit,
mulches help preserve soil moisture on dry
years and allow for better field access for
field operations and harvest on wet years.
Growers also are planting transplants or
direct seeding on black plastic mulch to
reduce soil splashing and to shorten the
growing season in the field. Again, with
this system, there is an opportunity in
the southern Midwest to double-crop
pumpkins after annual, plasticulture
production of strawberries.
Best management practices
Best management practices for weed,
insect and disease control are essential for
good pumpkin production. Cultivation,
hand-hoeing, mulching and/or a good
herbicide program is essential for
profitable pumpkin production. They
can be outcompeted early in production
without a weed management plan. Select
pumpkin fields that have low weed seed
banks. Be cautious of herbicide residue
and carryover over from previous crops,
especially some corn and soybean
herbicide residues. Read labels of any
herbicides used on previous crops for up
to 3 years for many herbicides have plantback
restrictions for many specialty crops,
including pumpkins.
Another pre-plant consideration
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for pumpkin growers is identifying
and managing insects. The cucumber
beetle, squash vine borer, aphids and
squash bugs are the major insect pests.
Growers understand that a strong, quality
stem is essential to market a pumpkin.
Phytophthora blight and plectosporium
blight can destroy the stems, often referred
to as handles, in some years. Rotating
pumpkins out of fields that previously
grew vine crops for at least three years is
recommended. The longer the rotation,
the better. For more information on insect
and disease control of pumpkin see the
Midwest Vegetable Production Guide
available online at https://mdc.itap.purdue.
edu/item.asp?Item_Number=ID-56.
Plant nutrition
Fertilization practices can influence
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texture, color, size and shelf life. Applying
fertilizer materials according to a soil
test and crop nutrient requirements will
provide the basic nutrients needed for a
variety to yield well and have marketable
quality. Ensuring that the soil pH is in the
proper range (6.2-6.8) will make nutrients
available to the crop. Quality can be
reduced by nutrient excess as well as by
nutrient deficiency. Pumpkin fertilization
programs can be broadcast, side dressing
and/or irrigation applied, with most farms
using a combination of methods. Side
dressing additional or remaining nitrogen
just as the pumpkins begin to " tip " or begin
vining out is a common practice that helps
you adjust your nutrients based on the
amount of early plant growth and vigor.
Crop establishment
There are two basic methods of
establishing pumpkin crops in field
12 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
situations: direct-seeding (seeds), and
transplanting seedlings. Choice of the
establishment method will depend upon
your market windows, cost and availability
of seeds, plants and specialized equipment.
One of the challenges facing growers is the
proper timing of planting. The planting
window for pumpkins is typically between
Memorial Day through the Fourth of July,
depending on your farm location. Planting
between May 20 and July 1 allows a range
of 100-125 days to maturity for a variety of
pumpkins. Pumpkins must be harvested
and marketed by mid-October and before
Halloween, with most wholesale markets
wanting their first deliveries of pumpkins
the week of Labor Day so that in-store fall
displays can be built.
Plant population
A uniform plant stand at an optimum
plant population for the variety being
grown is important to both quality
and yield. If the plant population is too
low, the yield will be reduced and the
concentration of the set may be affected.
If the population is too high, then the
size and weight of the pumpkins will
often decrease, although the yield of fruit
number might increase. It is important
to adjust your planter according to
the recommendations for the variety.
Transplanting does offer the advantage of
giving you more precise control of your
plant spacing.
Over- or under-planting causes
problems. Nothing can be done for an
under-planted field except for re-planting,
whereas over-planted fields can be
manually thinned to the desired stand.
Thinning, however, is time-consuming and
expensive. Additionally, high-performing
hybrid pumpkin varieties are gaining
importance, and seed cost for these
varieties dictates that seed germination
and seedling emergence are maximized
by precision planting. Precision planters
that achieve desired stands have enabled
planting-to-stand to become a common
practice. There are several precision
planters available on the market today
that handle pumpkins very well, and this
investment can result in savings from
wasted seed and thinning costs.
Taking it to the field
Hopefully, we have shared some insights
to help you get inspired as we approach the
start of the 2021 pumpkin season. Consider
your system, and challenges you have had
in the past, and see if there might be even
some subtle changes you could implement
to reduce those challenges in the future.
Here's to a good pumpkin growing
across the Midwest! VGN

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May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021