Cucurbita pepo= Pumpkin

This week I decided to blog about pumpkins because I had heard the word "pumpkin" mentioned at least one hundred times last week. Since it is almost Halloween and Thanksgiving, the pumpkin rave has started. I'm going to take a look at how to grow pumpkins organically and the uses for our large orange friends.

Growing
Have you ever picked pumpkins at a local farm for Halloween? From the time I could walk, my family and I would go pumpkin picking every year before Halloween. I specifically remember tripping and falling through fields of pumpkins in search of the perfectly-shaped pumpkin. The vines and stems were prickly and thick so the farm guide would have to cut it for me. Out of plain curiosity, I've decided to give you information on how to grow pumpkins according to Pumpkin Growing Tips.

If you want to have your pumpkins by Halloween, Pumpkin Growing Tips suggests you plant your seeds in May or June.

Plant pumpkins in soil that is not humid (which would not be a problem in surrounding areas of Tucson, Ariz.). The soil has to have a pH of 6.0 and have rich, well draining soil. Pumpkin Growing tips suggests using compost.

A large piece of land, preferably farmland, would be most suitable for growing pumpkins but a garden will do. They are vines and need a lot of space. Pumpkin Growing Tips suggests planting pumpkins on mounds, four to five feet apart.

Pumpkins don't need a lot of water. They can be watered infrequently but prefer a good, deep watering once in a while.

Shade is important to allowing the pumpkin to grow to its maximum. Vine leaves help protect the budding pumpkins from the sun but putting up things to shade them helps a lot. Pumpkin Growing Tips recommends using burlap.

If growing them doesn't interest you, maybe going to a local farm to pick them will.
Here are some pumpkin patches near Tucson that are open to the public:
Local HarvestThis Web site allows you to search for a pumpkin farm by zip code, city, or state.
Buckelew Farms
Apple Annie's Produce and Pumpkins

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Pumpkins
Pumpkins have many uses. In my family, we don't just carve the pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern (Click here for a good example on carving jack-o-lanterns). We bake the seeds and eat them. If you are looking for a more interesting way to eat the pumpkin seeds, try making pumpkin seed brittle. We also make pumpkin pie with them. If you cut the pumpkin in pieces and bake them like you would any other squash, you can blend or food process the pumpkin into puree to use for a pie. Here is a good recipe for pumpkin pie.

Pumpkins not only look festive, they have many other uses. So before you throw your pumpkin away, think about the really great foods you can make with it.