I have a pumpkin plant growing in my front yard that I didn't plant what do I do to care for it?

Question

My husband and I carved pumpkins with the kids last Halloween and just threw the seeds over the edge of our porch. Well this Summer a vine with blossoms is growing right there where we threw them and I am not for sure if there is enough room for it or how to care for it and I was just curious as to if anyone could help me in anyway.

Answer 1

Just let it grow on the ground, no staking is required.  They are hearty plants and pretty self sufficient.  If the weather turns unusually dry you might water it.

Answer 2

may also try this link

http://gardening-tips-idea.com/howtoplan...

Answer 3

You can train the vines to grow where you want them to grow, even up onto your porch. Don't allow the pumpkins to grow over the runners because that can choke off their access to nutrients, etc. You can prune the vines to encourage the plant to devote it's energies towards fruit growth.

This explains how to take care of & maintain your vine:

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/vines.h...

Pumpkin plants need one inch of water per week. Water early enough  to allow the foliage to dry during the day to prevent the possibility of disease, but don't water OVERHEAD early in the morning so the male flowers can have a chance to pollinate the female flowers.

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/pollen....

If you want to, you can apply a complete fertilizer but avoid high nitrogen fertilizers because they may inhibit flower initiation or fruit growth.  Some individuals use high phosphorus fertilizers before and after flowering while others use organic-type fertilizers like bone meal and fish emulsion continuously.   .

Good luck!!!   Hope this is helpful.

Answer 4

Just keep it watered and if you run out of space and have a fence, you can tie it up on the fence and it will continue to grow.  If you have pumpkins, it is best to pick off the ones you don't need,  thus enabeling the ones left to grow really big.  I take something sharp (knife or pencil) and write the kids names on the pumpkin when it is just a baby, say; the size of a coffee cup. It turns into a scab and looks really neat.  If you do put it up on the fence, use a 2" wide piece of fabric and a staple gun as not to bruise the vines.  You can support the pumpkins by putting them in a panty hose leg and stapling them to the fence too.  Good luck!!

Answer 5

No need to do all that much with it.  Just water it if it seems to be dry.  You may want to give it some fertilizer.  Be ready for that vine to be really long.  Don't cut the vine while mowing.

I'm sure that you want to get a pumpkin off this vine.  A pumpkin has to have both male and female flowers to produce its fruit.  The male flower will just have a stem attached to it.  The female flower will have a tiny pumpkin attached.  So, if you don't see both kinds of flower open at the same time, you might want to look into hand pollinating.  Sounds kind of weird, but it works.

Answer 6

It is going to take over your front yard.  They go where they please