By Clint Thompson
Some Alabama vegetable growers are considering their pumpkin plantings for this fall. Andre da Silva, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, highlighted what cultivars growers need to focus on during a recent webinar.
“We did some variety trials, and I would just like to show that those are jack-o-lantern pumpkins that we evaluated last year in central Alabama. What I would recommend is Orange Sunrise, Magic Lantern and the Jack 17-4402 and Champion were our best varieties. If you were selecting those, the likelihood of you having success is good,” da Silva said.
Alabama Extension reminds growers that since pumpkins belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, it is recommended that they wait several years before planting a pumpkin in the same place as any other crop from the same family. Rotation is key, because they share diseases. If rotation is not an option, producers should plant cultivars with good disease resistance.
Producers should also soil test ahead of planting along with producing cover crops. Certain nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium amounts are needed for pumpkins to grow, but farmers won’t know how much is in the soil without testing.
Pumpkins should be planted in a field with good drainage. Growers should avoid planting in a low spot that is susceptible to flooding or on land with poor internal drainage. Cover crops can help increase the organic matter and improve the internal drainage of a field.
Planting time for Halloween pumpkins is around the middle of June and no later than July 4.