Pumpkins are a popular vegetable used in soups, stews, pies, and other dishes. They are also attractive additions to your yard or garden. You may know when to plant pumpkins in the Midwest region of the United States; however, a lot more goes into it than just picking a day and sticking them in some ground. Here are aspects you should know before planting pumpkins in Iowa.
When To Plant Pumpkins In Iowa
Successful pumpkin growing depends on planting them when the ground is moist and warm. That typically means potting them up in early spring — sometime in late April or early May.
Generally, you should plant the pumpkins after the last frost has passed. The last frost date in Iowa is April 15th. That means that pumpkins can be planted outside in the spring, as long as there has been no frost.
The logic behind this is that plants need warm soil to germinate, and if there is insufficient heat for them to grow well, you will not get proper growth even if you plant your seeds much later. Late-season planting will likely result in a less fruitful crop come fall.
If you can start planting seeds indoors before putting them out in the garden, this can help with weather-related risk factors and control when to plant your pumpkins.
How To Plant Pumpkins In Iowa
Choose a patch of ground that receives partial sunlight or where there is an overhang from a tree. That will keep the pumpkin from receiving too much sun and becoming too big.
You can dig the soil about two inches deep, creating a broad and shallow hole about six inches deep. Carefully place 2 or 3 pumpkin seeds or seedlings inside the hole, ensuring it is not touching any surrounding soil. It should be able to grow towards the sky without hitting any walls or roots that could damage it later on in life.
Fill the hole with soil while keeping an eye on the stem. The stem should be vertical, and no soil should be left inside. You can cover the top of the stem with soil, making it barely visible as you go.
You can place rocks or a plastic lid on top of each hole to keep out pests and other animals that might like a snack from the growing pumpkin seeds. Water the soil until it becomes moist, then allow it to dry completely before covering it up again.
Once the pumpkin seedling is about three inches long, you can remove the plastic and rocks. About six weeks after germination, you should place a row of pumpkin plants 6 to 12 inches apart across your garden bed, with enough room between the rows so that seeds do not come in contact with each other or your feet when walking through them.
You can put more advanced pumpkins in a grow bed like this one for more advanced pumpkins. That will allow you to plant pumpkins in a larger area, with different containers being used as each season progresses.
Pumpkins need well-drained soil with a pH of 6-7 for best growth and taste. You can get your soil ready for your pumpkins by using raised beds and adding composted manure.
You should mulch your pumpkins or keep the leaves covered. Also, remember to water these plants often. You should water them every day if it does not rain for a few days. In the first 2-3 weeks, you may have to water them every other day. Then it should only be watered when the soil is dry down to about 6 inches.
When To Harvest Pumpkins In Iowa
Each year in Iowa, farmers prepare for the harvest season by planting pumpkin patches. The first step is to find a way to protect your seedlings from the region’s harsh weather by covering them with row cover fabric or peat and straw. Once they begin to sprout, resist the urge to overwater them; they should be irrigated only once a week.
Your pumpkin patch will be ready for harvesting in September when you notice that pumpkins are changing colors from green to orange, and their stems become tough enough for picking. In Iowa, you should harvest pumpkins about two weeks before Halloween, in late spring and early summer. At this time, head to the patch to pick pumpkins ready to harvest.
It is critical to know when to pick pumpkins to have healthy seeds and plants in the following year. To harvest your pumpkin seeds early, look for blooms that show white flowers with five petals. Pumpkin spawn follows after flowering, so once you harvest all of your pumpkins, allow them seven more days before harvesting pumpkin seedlings. Harvest all of the pumpkins at this time to produce a good harvest of pumpkins in the fall.
Challenges With Growing Pumpkins In Iowa
Excessive and early rainfall can delay harvest by weeks or even months.
Pumpkins are grown in warm soil and need a lot of moisture in the summer to produce well into fall. Iowa’s weather is likely to be above average this year, with 65% of the state expected to receive at least one inch of precipitation by August 1; this could lead to excessive rainfall in late summer or early fall. This prolonged drought could lead to early pumpkin harvest and a poor crop yield because the pumpkins will not be large enough for sale. The extra water will also be bad for soil productivity and quality.
Early frost can damage your pumpkins’ rinds.
Pumpkin varieties destined for table use require later germination seasons than commercial varieties. That means they are not ready to harvest until October or November, depending on the type used. If you live in an area that commonly experiences an early frost in September, your pumpkins could be damaged. If the quality is not satisfactory, it will only add to the problems you are already facing because of climate change.
Like other crops, you can run into pests and diseases.
Pests such as cucumber beetles and squash bugs can reduce yield by cutting pumpkin stems and piercing the fruit. Cucumber vines can also transmit disease to pumpkin plants. The most common disease is powdery mildew which appears as white powder on leaves; this eventually leads to the plant’s death as it feeds on all its resources like sun and water.
Also, seedcorn maggot, a severe pest that attacks the roots of your pumpkin plants, could cause significant losses if it attacks your crop. The pest damages roots and is also a vector for many other diseases such as bacterial wilt and anthracnose.
When to plant pumpkins in Iowa: Final thoughts
Anyone who has grown a pumpkin knows that growing healthy, hearty pumpkins takes time and care. If you are planning on adding pumpkins to your backyard next fall, then you should know that the climate in Iowa is perfect for pumpkin growing.
Plant your pumpkins in loose, rich soil with plenty of organic matter. However, you should monitor the pests, diseases, and early frost to grow healthy pumpkins.