Though most take up a great deal of space, pumpkins tend to be shade tolerant; so can be planted in sections of the garden where other vegetables may not thrive. The smaller varieties can also be grown along a fence or some other sturdy support and draped over the support, much as you would squash or cucumbers.
Pumpkins come in all sizes from Jack Be Little, a tiny decorative variety, to Dill's Atlantic Giant, the famous monster developed by Howard Dill of Nova Scotia. Some are suited to carving, others make the best pies. Still others were developed more for their seeds than their flesh.
Pumpkins are heavy feeders. Grow them in deeply tilled, rich soil with plenty of moisture. Amend the soil with compost and adjust the pH so that it is nearly neutral. When the ground is fairly well warmed, mid to late May in northern New England, plant three to four seeds per hill at about an inch deep. Provide support, if necessary.
If you haven't much room, try growing Wee-B-Little. These smooth, round, baseball-sized minis grow on semi-bush plants, suitable for close spacing. They are fairly prolific, yielding an average of 8 fruits per plant, so you don't need many plants to get a decent harvest. The name of the New England Pie pumpkin says it all. This stringless variety makes great pies, but is also a good mini pumpkin for decorating.
One of the earliest pumpkins is Harvest Moon, maturing in just 90 days. A good medium-sized pumpkin, Harvest Moon grows on vigorous, prolific plants, and is suitable for carving, painting, and eating. Another early bird is Racer, maturing in only 85 days. These blocky pumpkins grow on vigorous short vines and make great Jack O'Lanterns.
Brent Loy, of the University of New Hampshire, is passionate about pumpkins. He keeps coming up with new and better varieties. He was the pioneer in developing pumpkins with softer hulled seeds for snacking. His newest creation, Orange Smoothie, was an All American Selection for 2002. Perfectly globe-shaped, Orange Smoothie has almost no ribbing, making it a great pumpkin for painting. It's also a good pie pumpkin.
It it's pumpkin seeds that you enjoy, try growing Kakai, a lovely green-striped pumpkin with large dark green hull-less seeds. The oil extracted from these seeds has been shown to promote prostate health. To toast your own pumpkin seeds, wash 2 cups of seeds well, removing any strings, and boil in one quart of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and toss in olive oil or melted butter. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are browned and crunchy. I like to vary this recipe by adding Worcestershire Sauce to the olive oil.
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