Growing pumpkins in Kansas is a playfulness and rewarding experience for nurseryman of all levels of experience . With its dry , continental climate , Kansas is an ideal place to grow a wide variety of pumpkin .
The spring up season for pumpkins in Kansas typically lead off in mid - May and runs through mid - October , with average temperatures ramble from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit . The state receives an norm of 16 - 18 inches of rainfall annually , make it important to water your pumpkin patch up regularly .
Popular pumpkin varieties
choose the right variety of pumpkins for your purposes and mood is an important tone in growing pumpkins . If you live in a climate with a shorter produce season , you ’ll want to pick a mixture that get on in under 100 days . These are some pop pumpkin varieties and their rough days to harvest :
Please note that the twenty-four hours to crop may vary reckon on turn conditions , so it ’s best to refer to the germ packet or consult with a local horticulture expert for more specific entropy .
When to plant pumpkins indoors in Kansas
If you want to get a promontory start on your pumpkin harvest or live in a area with a shorter grow season , starting yourpumpkin seed indoorscan be a with child option . Generally speaking , you should place to get going your pumpkin sow indoors about 4 - 6 weeks before you design to graft them outdoors . This timing will give the seedlings sentence to age and get solid root systems , without becoming too large or root - bound . In Kansas , you should plant your pumpkin vine seeds indoors around :
To start your pumpkin seed indoors , you ’ll involve to gather some provision , including ejaculate - pop out tray , seed - starting intermixture , and a arise light or cheery windowsill . Fill the seed - starting trays with the seed - starting mix , and implant one or two pumpkin seed per cell , plant the cum about 1 inch cryptic .
Place the seed trays in a ardent , promising locating , and keep the soil consistently moist . Once the ejaculate have germinated and developed their first set of true leaf , you may begin to fertilise them with a balanced fertilizer .
As the seedling carry on to originate , you may need to melt off them out to one plant per cellphone to forestall overcrowding . It ’s also authoritative to harden off your seedling before transplanting them outside , gradually let on them to outdoor conditions over the course of several days to avoid stupor . With right care and attention , your indoor - grown pumpkin seedling will be ready to transplant outdoors and continue their growth into mature , beautiful pumpkins .
When to transplant pumpkins outdoors
Once your pumpkin seedlings have grown into sturdy plant life and the conditions has warmed up , it ’s time to graft them outdoors . Before transplanting , it ’s important to check that that the soil temperature is at least 60 ° F ( 15 ° snow ) and that there is no longer a risk of frost . The final frost date in Kansas is :
To prepare your garden bed for pumpkin starts , choose a cheery location with well - draining soil . bring tidy sum of compost or well - rotted manure to the soil , as pumpkins are big eater and require lots of nutrient to fly high .
When planting your autumn pumpkin pop , verify to space them about 3 - 5 pes aside , depending on the variety . Dig a hollow that is slenderly larger than the base testicle of the seedling , and come in the seedling into the hole , cook sure to inter it up to its first exercise set of lawful leaves . This will encourage the flora to develop a strong root system and establish itself in the soil .
After planting , irrigate your pumpkin startle thoroughly and regularly , making sure to keep the soil systematically moist but not waterlogged . tot a level of mulch around the plant can help retain moisture and forbid weeds .
As the autumn pumpkin plant continue to grow , you may need to provide additional support in the form of trellis or cages to keep the vine from sprawl too far and taking up too much space . With proper precaution and attention , your pumpkin starts will grow into mature plants and produce beautiful , healthy pumpkin vine just in time for the harvest season .
Caring for pumpkin plants
Once you ’ve planted your pumpkins outdoors , it ’s important to provide them with right care . Doing so will aid you get the most out of your pumpkin plant and have an amazing harvest !
When to harvest pumpkins in Kansas
autumn pumpkin are typically ready to glean when they have reached their full size and the vines have started to dry out out . Here are some planetary house that your pumpkins are ready to be picked :
When harvesting pumpkins , it ’s important to apply sharp , clean shear or a knife to reduce the stem about 2 column inch ( 5 curium ) above the fruit . head off pulling or twine the pumpkin , which can damage the theme and make it more susceptible to moulder . After harvest home , store your pumpkins in a cool , dry situation with good airwave circulation to avail them last longer .
