Grow Pumpkins
PLANTING DATES
APRIL (Indoor Start) | MID-LATE MAY (Outdoor Start)
Pumpkins can be started indoors in April or direct seeded into your garden in mid to late May, in Colorado, assuming the ground can be worked.
APRIL (START INDOORS)
Choose to start indoors in early April and then transplant into the garden come May.
MAY (PLANT OUTDOORS)
For outdoor direct seeding or transplanting, come late May identify a sunny spot outdoors or in a cold-frame (these thrive in full sun). Make sure to remove weeds, adequately till the soil, and add any required nutrients (NPK) or amendments (compost). This creates a healthy environment for your veggies to thrive.
Around 2 weeks after the last frost— typically by mid to late May— you can go ahead and seed or transplant these in the ground where they’ll live.
SOIL
The Big Three. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) known as "primary nutrients," are the three main ingredients in most fertilizers, along with necessary trace minerals such as magnesium, and are vital to tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Plant growth and chlorophyll production depend on nitrogen, and phosphorus helping these plants grow and cope with stress while aiding in energy production.
WATER
Ample water from drip will produce healthy happy plants with adequate yield.
LIGHT
Identify a sunny spot where they’ll be planted outdoors. These require at least 4-5 hours of sun per day for decent production. Spinach, Chard, Kale, and Broccoli will do OK in partial sun, but you'll have to wait longer for a full crop and they may be more susceptible to pests. The more light you have, the faster they'll mature and the healthier their immune system will be.
