There’s a family of chiefly-herbaceous tendril-bearing vines that can both help elevate dinner to a feast and dress the front steps in autumnal glory.
They’re all closely related members of the cucurbit family (scientific name, Cucurbitaceae), including pumpkins, summer and winter squash, melons, gourds and cucumbers. Winter squashes include acorn, butternut, buttercup/kabocha, delicata, turban, Hubbard and Lakota. Summer squash, also known as zucchini, is eaten as immature fruit, while winter squash and pumpkins are harvested as mature fruit.
Pumpkins are especially versatile. Some varieties are grown strictly for eating and their popularity has extended well beyond the traditional pie; others, for seed; still others, for ornamentals. Pumpkins come from two different species. Cucurbita pepo are most jack-o-lantern pumpkins. C. maxima are extremely large pumpkins that are grown for competition and decoration.
Pumpkins grown for culinary delights include Kabocha, Cinderella, Calabasa, Red Kuri, Sugar Pie, and Buttercup, to name a few. The pumpkin flesh is usually pureed and used in sauces, soups and pies. The pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas, can be used as salad garnishes or as a healthy snack.
Pumpkins are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are amazingly healthy. Also, the low-calorie content makes it a weight-loss-friendly food. Its nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health.
Gourds, on the other hand, are mostly inedible, come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors, and are mainly grown for ornamentation.
When you are looking at seed packets, read variety descriptions carefully to assure you are getting what you desire.
Planting Preparation
Have your soil tested.
The soil pH range for vine crops is between 6.0 – 6.5, which is slightly acidic.
Apply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) according to soil test recommendations.
Unless your soil test report specifically recommends additional phosphorus, use a low- or no-phosphorus fertilizer.
You can improve your soil by adding well-rotted manure or compost in the spring or fall. Do not use fresh manure as it may contain harmful bacteria and may increase weed problems.
The soil should be moisture retentive, yet well drained.
Forming raised beds will ensure good drainage, which these crops require.
Side dress (add) with fertilizer when the plants begin to spread out their vines, using ½ cup of 46-0-0, or 1 cup of 27-3-3, or 3-½ cups 10-3-1 for each 100 feet of row.
Do not use “Weed and Feed” type fertilizers on vegetables. They contain weed killers that will kill vegetable plants.
Choosing Pumpkins and Squashes:
People do not usually eat pumpkins grown for jack-o-lanterns as the flesh is bland and stringy as pie pumpkins are often smaller and have sweeter fruit. Some pumpkin varieties, such as spaghetti squash, delicata and acorn squashes, produce “naked” or “hulless” fruit, and the seeds are especially nice for roasting as there are no hard shells to crack. These are more difficult to grow, particularly in cooler soil.
Edible winter squashes belong to three different species: C. moschata (butternut types), C. maxima (Hubbard, kabocha and buttercup types) and varieties that produce small squashes for individual servings such as sweet dumpling, butterscotch and bush delicata, while others produce enormous fruits, such as Red Kuri averaging 8 pounds, Long-Island Cheese (5 to 10 pounds) and Banana Squash and Banana Squash 12 to 15 pounds or more).
Gardeners are often surprised to discover that squash and pumpkins have separate male and female flowers on the same plant, and, only female flowers will form fruit via insect pollination; mainly bees.
Are You Ready to Plant…
Remember, you can always start the seedlings indoors at least 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area.
Seeds can be planted directly into the garden when the soil maintains 70 degrees, or a minimum of 65 degrees at a two-inch soil depth, to germinate properly.
Plant pumpkins and winter squashes three-fourths of an inch deep and 24 to 36 inches apart. If using a bush variety, use the closer spacing. Row spacing should be 5 to 6 feet apart to allow for growth and air flow, heedless of variety.
Gourds prefer full sun and well-drained, nutrient-rich soil that is rich in organic material. You can plant them directly in the garden in hills or rows, or you can grow them in mounds. Mounds can help prevent disease by maximizing airflow and minimizing humidity. Plant seeds with edge facing downward, per the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. For an average sized gourd (an apple or a cannonball variety) you can yield 15 or so gourds per plant with attention to details. Smaller types yield more, and large types yield less per plant, according to the American Gourd Society.
A common fallacy is that planting squash and/or cucumbers near gourds can cause abnormal fruit. Summer squash, gourds and some types of pumpkins and winter squash can cross-pollinate each other. While true, the result will only impact the seed and the resulting plant the following year, it will not impact the current season’s fruit. Unless you plan on seed saving, these vegetables can be planted next to each other without ill effects.
Containers are Also an Option…
Pumpkins and winter squash vines run, or grow along the ground, and use quite a large amount of garden space. An alternative is to use a bush-type variety in smaller gardens as it is easier to trellis. Choose the variety that most suits your needs and available space.
A 5-gallon pot can be the beginning of your container gourd garden. Begin with a pot with at least one drainage hole. Place some rocks, broken clay pot pieces, or gravel on the bottom of the pot, then add soil and compost. Plant only one (1) small variety (Jewelry, Mini Nigerian Bottle or Liliputz) gourd per 5-gallon pot.
A mature and well-tended vine can yield 3 to 5 gourd Gourds and can be planted in containers, with a five-gallon pot being the smallest sized container. Due to their excessive vines, trellising is recommended for gourds, according to experts at the American Gourd Society. A trellis can be plain and ordinary (a simple stake) to quite elaborate (shaped wrought iron). Use your imagination!!
Water and Weeds…
Vine crops need rainfall or irrigation watering of at least one (1) inch of water each week during the growing season.
Always soak the soil thoroughly.
Sandy soil needs more frequent watering, but lower amounts more often.
Water at ground level so as to not wet the leaves. Do not use a regular hose or a sprinkler; utilize a watering can.
Plants that are vertically trellis-trained will require more water more often.
Frequent and shallow cultivation, using a hoe or hand tool, will keep weeds under control before they become unmanageable.
The majority of vine crops have roots that are close to the soil. Be mindful when weeding to avoid getting too close to the plant or digging deeply. Scratch the soil with a hoe to cut just deeply enough to remove weeds from below the soil.
Continue weed removal as long as you are able to get close to the stem without causing damage to the vines. When no longer able to use a tool, remove weeds by hand.
Note: If using straw or mulch to assist with weed control, do not apply it until the soil temperature reaches a continued temperature of 75 degrees as these mulches can slow soil warming.
BOLO…
Be on the look-out… as there are several pests that will damage your plants.
Squash Bugs feed on foliage and can harm young plants. In high numbers they can inject a toxin that kills the foliage or wilts the plant. They often congregate under lower leaves that are touching the ground.
Striped Cucumber Beetles damage plants by eating leaves, stems and fruit. They are also a potential vector of bacterial wilt and squash mosaic virus.
Squash Vine Borers can kill plants as they tunnel through vines. Sometimes a vine can be saved by slitting the stem enough to remove the larvae at soil level and heaping moist soil over the crown and nearby leaf nodes to encourage new roots to form.
Several sources for additional information: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-dry-or-cure-gourds-1403445 \ https://seedsnsuch.com/…/crafting-with-gourds-4-easy-ways-to-use-homegrown-gourds / https://www.americangourdsociety.org/, https://extension.sdstate.edu/pumpkins-squashes-and-gourds-how-grow-it
