Growing pumpkins in Maine can be an easy experience . Maine has a cool , humid climate that is staring for get autumn pumpkin . The summer months are red-hot and humid , while the fall and winter calendar month are nerveless and slopped .
The filth in Maine is also well - drain , making it an idealistic environment for pumpkin cultivation . With the right soil and climate , anyone can successfully grow pumpkin in Maine .
Popular pumpkin varieties
Selecting the right variety of pumpkin for your use and mood is an important step in growing pumpkins . If you endure in a climate with a short growing season , you ’ll desire to pick a assortment that suppurate in under 100 daytime . These are some democratic pumpkin diverseness and their approximate days to glean :
Please observe that the days to harvest time may diverge depending on growing conditions , so it ’s upright to touch to the seeded player packet or look up with a local gardening expert for more specific info .
When to plant pumpkins indoors in Maine
If you need to get a mind start on your pumpkin crop or live in a region with a curt growing time of year , starting yourpumpkin sow indoorscan be a capital option . Generally speaking , you should aim to set out your autumn pumpkin seed indoors about 4 - 6 weeks before you be after to transfer them outside . This timing will give the seedlings clip to mature and explicate potent root systems , without becoming too declamatory or root - bound . In Maine , you should plant your pumpkin seed indoors around :
To start your autumn pumpkin seeds indoors , you ’ll need to gather some supply , including seed - starting trays , seed - starting mixture , and a grow visible radiation or gay windowsill . Fill the seed - starting tray with the seed - starting mix , and implant one or two pumpkin seeds per mobile phone , plant the ejaculate about 1 inch deep .
Place the seed trays in a warm , bright location , and keep the dirt consistently moist . Once the seminal fluid have evolve and developed their first set of dependable leaf , you’re able to lead off to fertilize them with a balanced fertilizer .
As the seedlings continue to grow , you may need to lose weight them out to one plant per cell to forbid overcrowding . It ’s also important to harden off your seedlings before transpose them outdoors , gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over the path of several days to fend off stupor . With right care and care , your indoor - grown pumpkin seedling will be ready to transplant outdoors and proceed their ontogeny into fledged , beautiful pumpkins .
When to transplant pumpkins outdoors
Once your pumpkin seedlings have grown into sturdy plants and the atmospheric condition has warmed up , it ’s time to transplant them outdoors . Before transplanting , it ’s important to ensure that the soil temperature is at least 60 ° F ( 15 ° ascorbic acid ) and that there is no longer a risk of exposure of frost . The final hoar particular date in Maine is :
To train your garden bed for pumpkin beginning , choose a gay location with well - drain soil . impart heap of compost or well - rotted manure to the territory , as pumpkin are overweight feeders and require Lot of food to flourish .
When planting your pumpkin vine set out , verify to space them about 3 - 5 feet apart , depending on the variety . Dig a hole that is slightly larger than the root ball of the seedling , and place the seedling into the hole , draw sure to swallow up it up to its first exercise set of true leaves . This will encourage the plant to develop a strong stem system of rules and establish itself in the soil .
After planting , water your pumpkin start out good and regularly , making sure to keep the soil systematically moist but not waterlogged . tally a layer of mulch around the plants can help retain moisture and prevent weed .
As the pumpkin plant preserve to grow , you may need to provide additional support in the shape of treillage or cages to keep the vine from sprawling too far and take up too much space . With proper care and aid , your pumpkin vine starts will get into mature works and bring out beautiful , healthy pumpkins just in time for the harvest home time of year .
Caring for pumpkin plants
Once you ’ve planted your pumpkin outdoors , it ’s important to provide them with proper fear . Doing so will help you get the most out of your pumpkin plant and have an amazing harvest home !
When to harvest pumpkins in Maine
Pumpkins are typically ready to harvest when they have reached their full size and the vine have start to dry out . Here are some signs that your pumpkins are ready to be plunk :
When harvesting pumpkins , it ’s important to use sharp , clean shears or a tongue to cut the theme about 2 inch ( 5 centimetre ) above the yield . debar pull or turn the autumn pumpkin , which can damage the stem and make it more susceptible to moulder . After harvesting , store your pumpkins in a cool , dry station with good strain circulation to help oneself them last longer .
