The Pumpkin and Gourd Patch: More Themes for Children's Gardens
© Linda Mazar
One year ago, I started this column here at Suite101.com. It's hard to believe time has gone past so quickly and that another growing season has drawn to a close (at least here in Minnesota). As we tear apart the gardens we have spent so much time and effort caring for, it is also time to start planning for the next growing season. Now is the time to decide on the location of new beds and start preparing the soil so it will be ready when spring arrives. So rake up your leaves and start thinking, but don't think so hard that you forget to call the kids over and have a fun time jumping and rolling in the leaves (does this qualify as shredding the leaves for mulch?).One garden which is fun for kids to grow and also useful is a pumpkin and gourd garden. These plants are vines and do take up a large amount of space, but if you have the room, go ahead and do it. In our yard, we don't have enough room available and that's where Grandpa comes in. Several years ago, Grandpa heard our son talking about wanting to plant pumpkins and being easy to persuade (as Grandpas tend to be), he soon tilled his side lawn and put in a pumpkin and gourd patch with his only grandchild. That started our tradition of Grandpa and Jimmy's pumpkin patch, and it continues every year.
Kids love pumpkins and gourds. The seeds are big and easy for little hands to plant. The vines grow long quickly with big leaves and flowers. And kids know that at the end of the season, they will have their own pumpkins to carve into jack-o-lanterns or make pie with. And they will have their own gourds to decorate for autumn, to dry and paint, or make into birdhouses. So let's plan now for a fun and amazing pumpkin and gourd patch next year.
Pumpkins
There are many kinds of pumpkin seed available at the stores and through mail order to choose from. Let's pick a variety and have a fun assortment for fall. The tiny "Jack-be-Little" pumpkins are fun to decorate with, share with friends, or even take to a special teacher. Their petite size makes them an easy, portable choice and they are fun to decorate with painted faces. A little bigger, at about 2 pounds, are the "Baby Bear" pumpkins. These are also nice for decorating and sharing. They look nice as a table center piece or around the house. The white pumpkins such as "Lumina" are very different looking and make great ghostly jack-o-lanterns for on the doorstep.
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